News

WASHINGTON – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) today announced the membership of its 2022-2023 Advisory and Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committees. The EXIM Board voted unanimously on Thursday, Sept. 1 to approve the membership of both mandated committees. Former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp will serve as Chair of EXIM’s Advisory Committee for a second consecutive term and Jude Kearney, Managing Partner at ASAFO & Co. law firm, will serve as Chair of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee.

“EXIM’s Advisory Committee members will play an integral role as the agency enters a new, modern era,” said EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis. “We welcome the expertise of our newly appointed members and look forward to continued leadership and support from Senator Heitkamp in her second term as Chair of the committee.”

The Advisory Committee provides guidance to EXIM on its policies and programs as it fulfills its mission to provide competitive financing to support American jobs through exports. The committee includes 17 representatives from a variety of backgrounds ranging from agriculture, environment, production, and commerce to finance, labor, services and the textile industry. The committee meets quarterly and is mandated by Congress under EXIM’s charter. The chair and members of the committee are appointed to one-year terms.

“The recommendations and insights from the Sub-Saharan Africa Committee members will be critical as EXIM works to increase American exports across the continent,” said Chair Lewis. “I look forward to working with Jude Kearney and the committee as we continue to support key EXIM and Biden-Harris Administration priorities to fulfill our mission of supporting American jobs through exports.”

Committee members advise EXIM on the development and implementation of policies and programs designed to support EXIM’s engagement in sub-Saharan Africa and boost U.S. exports and American jobs. The committee is comprised of 11 members with representation from a variety of fields including trade, commerce, banking, finance and small business. The committee meets semi-annually and is mandated by Congress under EXIM’s charter. The chair and members are appointed to one-year terms.

Members of the EXIM 2022-2023 Advisory Committee:

Chair:

Heidi Heitkamp
Founder, One Country Project
Former United States Senator
Representing: Agriculture and State Government

Members:

Sara Boettiger
Independent Advisor
Representing: Agriculture and Commerce

Sundaa Bridgett-Jones
Chief Partnerships and Advocacy Officer
Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet
Representing: Environment

Nicole Elam
President and CEO
National Bankers Association
Representing: Finance

Rodney Ferguson
President and CEO
Winrock International
Representing: Environment

Alonzo Fulgham
Executive Vice President
VIATEQ
Representing: Commerce and Small Business

Mauricio Gonzalez
Head of Export Finance, North America
BNP Paribas
Representing: Finance

Denny Heck
Lieutenant Governor
State of Washington
Representing: State Government

Brad Markell
Executive Director
Industrial Union Council, AFL-CIO
Representing: Labor

Lisa-Marie Monsanto
Partner
Rimon, P.C.
Representing: Services

Daniel Pinho
SVP and Trade Finance Assistant Group Manager
PNC Bank, National Association
Representing: Finance

Kathy Roth-Douqet
CEO
Blue Star Families
Representing: Services and Small Business

Archana Sharma
CEO
AKAS Textiles
Representing: Production and Small Business

Venkee Sharma
Executive Chairman
Aquatech International, LLC
Representing: Climate Adaptation, Production and Small Business

Dr. Joshua Walker
President & CEO
Japan Society
Representing: Commerce

David White
Director of Strategic Resources
International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers
Representing: Labor

Elias Zewde
Partner
KHAFRA Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Representing: Services and Small Business

Members of the 2022-2023 Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee:

Chair
Jude Kearney
Managing Partner
ASAFO & Co.
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Members
Isaac Kwaku Fokuo, Jr.
CEO
Botho Emerging Markets Group
Representing: Banking/Finance

Bridget Gainer
Global Head of Public Affairs
Aon
Representing: Banking/Finance

Kristin Hedger
Senior Vice President
Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing
Representing: Small Business

Jeff Lee
CEO
Lee and Associates, Inc.
Representing: Small Business

Florie Liser
President & CEO
Corporate Council on Africa
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Dr. Mima S. Nedelcovych
Chairman
AfricaGlobal Schaffer
Representing: TradeCommerce

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli
Co-Founder and Executive Chair
Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition
Founder, LEAP Africa
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Amb. Harry Thomas, Jr.
Senior Fellow
Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Rev. Matthew Watley
CEO
Black Idea Coalition
Chair
Kingdom Global Community Development Corporation
Representing: Small Business

Wellington Webb
President and Founder
Webb Group International
Former Mayor
Denver, CO
Representing: Trade/Commerce

ABOUT EXIM:

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov.