Leadership, do you want the job or just the title and benefits?

Everyone wants to be in charge. Being the leader seems to be a universal goal of most people working today.

Do you really want the job, or just the title and benefits?

A leadership position requires the use of many abilities and skills which most of us do not have, or do not have fully developed. It requires sacrifice and discipline. A leaders life is filled with decisions that are not black and white.

It’s all about people, motivating, directing, and evaluating, listening and learning with them.

A leader is often lonely, but never alone. Highly criticized and analyzed by their own team and by outsiders. Must be flexible and adaptable, and at the same time firm and unwilling to compromise.

Are you ready for the job?

Guide vs. Signpost. Do you enjoying pointing people in the right direction, telling them where to go? This is not leadership. A signpost points the way, offers no resources or plan and no strategies on how to get there.

Leading others is far different from pointing the way. Leaders take responsibility for everything that happens during the journey, they prepare strategic and contingency plans, provide resources, and keep their people motivated and on the right road.

Teaching vs. Criticism. Able to see the flaws in others, their work and their results? The ability to find flaws is important only if you use these opportunities to teach others how to prevent or improve their performance or results. Pointing out flaws and errors for any other reason is not part of the leadership function.

Coaching vs. supervision. Telling others exactly what to do, and how to do it, is part of a supervisory role, not a leadership position. Leaders are coaches, they convince others to create and embrace goals and objectives, and to use approved systems and methods in order to achieve them.

Fair compensation vs. jackpot rewards. Do you think leaders and managers make a lot of money for doing nothing? Leadership demands personal responsibility and acceptance of risk. No one gets into a leadership position without sacrifice of some sort. These qualities are paid for and compensated with higher salaries and often perks and privileges different from the other members of the organization. It is compensation well earned, and the entire organization should understand this. It should never be looked upon as a jackpot, or undeserved compensation. If the organization does not view it this way, it’s time to modify the compensation packages or get a leader in place that leads and earns the respect and support of the others organization members.

Related Links

Leadership – who do you want to lead

What defines an exceptional leader

Leadership by default

How to motivate yourself on Monday

Here we go again, Monday morning, back to work. Need some ideas on how to get pumped up for the week ahead?

1. The survivor approach. Challenge yourself to attack the most difficult work problems first thing today. Admit that it has to be done and might be the most uncomfortable or unpleasant activity you will encounter during the week. Once this is out of the way you’ll be surprised how much easier the rest of the week will be.

2. Send out positive energy. Be cheerful, upbeat and responsive to customers and coworkers. Say hello to everyone, acknowledge their presence. If you encounter grumpy, sad or depressed individuals smile at them and move on. Leave everyone you meet with the impression that you’re happy, full of enthusiasm and motivated today. Sound completely out of character for you? Good.

3. Monday is list execution day. List makers should prepare their weekly to-do lists on Friday afternoon or Sunday evening. When you walk into the office on Monday the plan is waiting for you to dig in and execute it.

4. You are working for you. Remember that you are working in order to achieve your personal goals. The work is part of that process. You are not working for XYZ corporation, you truly are working for yourself. It’s your decision to stay or to leave the company, your future is in your hands. Try that attitude on and see what happens.

5. Make someone proud of you. Everyone has a person or persons in their lives that they love and respect. Who are these people in your life? What could you do today at work to make them proud of you? Do it.

6. Act like an invincible leader. Feeling miserable and trying to spread that misery, gloom, doom and depression to others is a pretty pathetic way to live. Do you like to be around people with this attitude? Why would others want to be around you if you are a walking “cloud of misery and darkness”? You are a victim if you agree to be one.

7. Give yourself prizes. Set some work goals and create rewards for their completion that can be enjoyed on the weekend.

8. Motivation through memories. On the way to work think about the times in your life when you were the most enthusiastic, excited, motivated and happy. Remember the way you felt, identify why you felt so good, relive those experiences.

9. Go to work with a specific mission and deadlines. Make specific commitments for goal completion to others.

10. Decide to take a vacation. Burned out, stressed out, unable to focus, unable to get excited? Take time off, disconnect from work (that means no email, no telephone calls). Recharge your batteries. Figure out when you are going, for how long, with who and where.

11. Let cosmic forces and your subconscious decide. Sit down in a quiet spot, turn off the cellular phone, lock the door and try to clear your mind. In a matter of minutes you will begin to be bombarded with ideas or things you should be doing, and their priorities. Open your eyes, and get started.

12.  Music.  You know the tunes that start your feet tapping or set your soul soaring.  Record them, put them in your I-pod, burn a disk for the car.

13.  Change.  Setting a routine is quite normal, and comforting, but not motivating.  Change something.  Maybe it’s breakfast, the way to work, your clothes…who knows.  Fiddle around with your patterns and routines.

14.  Altruism.  Do something for someone else, without seeking anything in return.  Random acts of kindness.

R elated Links

Showtime – how do you want to live your life

Motivation, what gets you out of bed

10 things you should do on a Friday afternoon

Fundamental leadership quality – the ability to learn

“Highly effective, remarkable leaders must be continuous, lifelong learners.”  Kevin Eikenberry

An important skill or ability that is often neglected when we list the qualities of a leader is the ability to learn.  Leaders must have the ability to learn. The reasons for this are detailed at Talking Story with Say Leadership Coaching,  Why Learning is a Leaders’s Most Important Skill.

The 4 fundamental ideas presented include:

• Leadership is complex, requiring multiple skills and specific knowledge.

• The current situation does not require leadership, it’s stable.  In order to move away from the present and lead into the future, you have to know where and how.

• A leader passes on their knowledge and insight to others.

• The more you learn, the more effective you become as a human being and member of society.

Related Links

What Defines an Exceptional Leader 

There are no new management or leadership ideas
Talking Story with Say Leadership Coaching

The Kevin Eikenberry Group

Long hours at work can kill you

Long hours at work can lead to hypertension and death. A study of over 24,000 workers in California by reseachers at the University of California has found that working over 40 hours a week has a direct relationship to higher blood pression and hypertension. Link

The Pope announced that too much work can lead to “hardness of the heart”. He advises that more time should be spent on reflection, meditation, contemplation. Link

What’s the real message here?

Become more efficient. Get the same work done in less time.

Think and plan your work, work SMARTER not HARDER.

Slowing down does not mean being lazy. It requires planning and discipline, and these take time.

Take more time to enjoy life and family, adjust your priorities.

If you are in a leadership position, find out why your people are working consistent overtime, and intervene. You could be saving their lives and improving their health.

Related Links

Pope says don’t work too hard

Long hours lead to high blood pressure

High blood pressure statistics

Curriculum Vitae (español) – Lee Iwan

Lee A. Iwan

Lee.iwan@gmail.com

 

Desarrollo de Negocios – Executiva Internacional

Planeacion Estrategico * Operaciones * Descubrimiento de Oportunidades

Executivo con experiencia en posicionamiento estrategico, operaciones, gerencia, distribucion, desarrollo y descubrimiento, integracion del cadena de suministro, planeacion estrategia en nuevos negocios, negocios de rapido crecimiento y en organizaciones maduros. Orientada a resultados, lider decisiva, exitoso en la identificacion de mercados nuevos y la solucion pragmatico de problemas. Historia de éxito en incrementando ventas, participacion en el mercado global y utilidades. Prospera en ambientes dinamicos y fluidos mientras manteniendo enfoque y organización. Competencias incluyen:

Planeacion estrategica y su implementacion * Identificacion del mercados
Gerencia de Cambios * Gerencia de Operaciones
Desarrollo de Negocios * Portavoz * Liderazgo del Equipo

 

EXPERIENCIA PROFESIONAL

QUIMICA CENTRAL DE MEXICO S.A. de C.V., Gto. México
mayo 2005 – presente
Gerente de Negocios, Desarrollo y Descubrimiento
Executivo independiente reportando directamente al Director y Consejo de Administacion. Responsible por la visulaizacion, investigacion, creacion, comunicacion, seguimiento, analisis, planeacion y implementacion del desarrollo y descubrimiento de nuevos negocios y proyectos de diversificacion estrategicas.

Logros importantes:

• Lider del negociaciones y proyecto, Joint-Venture farmaceutica (Mexico-Suiza), fabricacion y comercializacion, acuerdo firmada enero 2006.
• Negociaciones para alianzas estrategicas para incrementar la posicionamiento global y nacional del empresa a largo plazo.

QUIMICA CENTRAL DE MEXICO S.A. de C.V., Gto. México
marzo 2000 – mayo 2005
Gerente de Negocios, Ventas y Proveedores Internacional
Responsable por descubrimiento de negocios y alianzas estrategica, participacion del equipos, inteligencia del negocio, estrategia para las Asia-Pacifco y America Latina, implementacion de ventas y desarrollo del mercado, control y manejo de distribuidores y agentes, gerencia de logistica y cadena de sumistro, comunicaciones internacionales, globalizacion del cultura corporativa, projectos especiales corporativas.

Logros importantes:

• Creacion y implementacion de estrategia de ventas y promocion para el mercado en Asia-Pacifico. Ventas de US $ 5 M en 3 años.
• Iniciado y mantenido alianzas estrategicas con proveedores internacionales, ahorros de USD $ 2 M, fortificamos posicionamiento.
• Negocio representacions exclusivo de empresas de Sud Africa y EUA. Valor de ventas primer año US $ 2.5 M
• Incremento competitivida utilizando el departamento de exportacion a manejar y empujar cambios culturales corporativas en planeacion, produccion, tiempo al mercado, cadena de suministro y logisticas, ventas, mercadotecnia y administracion.
• Negocio descuentos en logistica, ahorros de USD $ 500 K

QUIMICA CENTRAL DE MEXICO S.A. de C.V., Gto. México
julio 1998 – marzo 2000
Gerente de Exportaciones
Responsable para ventas, distribucion, mercadotecnia y desarrollo del negocios en 20 paises, incluyendo America Latina, EUA, Europa y Taiwan.

Logros importantes:

• Creacion estructura de precios bases y comisiones para agentes y distribuidores en America Latina, resultados incremento en lealtad y ventas de 8%.
• Re-ingenieria de sistemas administrativas de comunicaciones, facturacion y envio del los productos para incrementa leatad con clientes y distribuidores y incrementar ingresos.

 

MARLY MEXICO SA de CV – Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico
1994 – 2005
Consultor

CLUB ROTARIO LEON – Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico
1997
Consultor

NUVIDA S.A. de C.V., León, Guanajuato, México
enero 1994 – julio 1998
Dueño – Presidente – Fundador
Presidente y Director de Operaciones para negocio de servicios. Clientes corporativos, gobierno y privadas. 80 empleados.

FOLLAS NOVAS S.A. de C.V., Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico
septiembre 1993 – junio 1994
Socio
Proyecto de produccion y supervision de operaciones

FLOWERS FLOWERS INC., Evanston, IL, EUA
marzo 1986 – agosto 1993
Dueño – Presidente – Fundador
Presidente y Director de Operaciones para innovadora start-up negocio de bienes y servicios para el consumidor. Ventas de USD $ 750 K anual.

AMLINGS FLOWERLAND, Niles, IL, EUA
junio 1980 – mayo 1986
Gerente de Sucursal
Responsable por operaciones del sucursal. 70 empleadas. Ventas USD $ 3 M anual.

 

EXPERIENCIA LABORAL DURANTE UNIVERSIDAD Y PREPARATORIA

RECORD CITY, Niles, IL, EUA

KAPS, Champaign, IL, EUA

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, College of Agriculture, Urbana, IL EUA

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, College of Life Sciences, Urbana, IL EUA

CRATE & BARREL INC., Chicago, IL EUA

SKIL SAW INC.., Wheeling, IL, EUA

UNITED PARCEL SERVICE, Northbrook, IL EUA

IWAN ELLIS PAINTING, Northbrook, IL EUA

FOLEY KOCH LANDSCAPING, Mount Prospect, IL, EUA

ALLGAUERS RESTAURANT, Northbrook IL EUA

DUNKIN DONUTS, Wheeling, IL EUA

JEWEL FOODS, Wheeling, IL EUA

DEPUSSEY CATTERY, Northbrook, IL EUA

EDUCACION

Bachelor of Science Agricultural Economics, University of Illinois – Urbana, IL, EUA

LOGROS PROFESSIONALES

Weblog: https://leeiwan.wordpress.com April 2006- Presente

Conferencia de la Industria de Cromo, Sud Africa, 2006

Mision Comercial, Mexico India 2005

Curso – Finanzas por no financieros, 2005

Consejero de COFOCE, Comité de proveedores, industria del calzado, 2000 – Presente

Participación en la certificación del ISO 9001:2000, 2004

Misión de Proveeduría, Moscu, Rusia 2004

Misión de Proveeduría, Estambul, Turquía 2003

All China Leather Exhibition, Shanghai, China, 2002 – 2005

Guangzhou Leather Fair, Guangzhou, China 2002 –2005

Misión Comercial México-Centro América, 2002

Asia Pacific Leather Fair, Hong Kong, 1999 – 2005

Linneapelle, Bolonia, Italia 1999 – 2005

Misión Comercial México-China, 2001

Misión Comercial México-Centro América, 2001

Misión Comercial México – China, 2000

Mision Proveeduria, Amsterdam, Holanda, 2000

Miami Leather Fair, Miami, EUA, 2000

FENAC, Leather Fair Novo Hamburgo, Brasil 1999

Miami Leather Fair, Miami, EUA, 1999

Curso – Resolución Miscelánea de Comercio Exterior 2004 a Fondo

Curso – Resolución Miscelánea de Comercio Exterior 2003 a Fondo

Diplomado – Modificaciones a La Legislación Aduanera 2003

Curso – Resolución Miscelánea de Comercio Exterior 2002 a Fondo

Diplomado – Logística de la Comercio Exterior, 2001

Curso – Resolución Miscelánea de Comercio Exterior 2001 a Fondo

Diplomado – Comercio Exterior, 2000

Curso – El Vendedor Estratégico

Periódico AM, Periódico. 1994 – 1996

Society of American Florists, Consejo Editorial, Washington D.C., EUA 1990 – 1992

Chicago-Dempster Merchants Association, Vice-Presidente, Evanston, IL EUA 1998-1990

Lee.iwan@gmail.com

How to negotiate with Mexican business people

Mexico has a culture that embraces and enjoys negotiations. From the schoolyard to the local markets to the executive boardrooms, negotiations are an important part of everyday life for Mexican citizens.

Mexican business people are good negotiators and enjoy the process.

You can expect tough negotiations if you are doing business in Mexico. Tough negotiations in the sense that they will question everything, and spend a great deal of time trying to get you to accept their point of view or conditions. The arguments may be based on emotions or facts, or both.

You should always come into the negotiation very well prepared. Know what you want, and have the evidence to support your claim. Your arguments, supported by facts, will be heard and processed by your Mexican counterparts. If facts are presented that are new, take the time to verify the information and sources before you reach a conclusion.

Negotiations in Mexico can be compared to the first round of a sporting event, both sides desire to “win”, but rarely do they burst onto the field with all their energy in the first 5 minutes. The process of “feeling out” the opponent, observing their strengths and weaknesses, are critical to understanding how to develop a winning strategy and understanding what you are up against.

Mexicans are often seeking a long term, stable relationship with suppliers and clients. Focus your negotiations and decisions on creating a long term business relationship and strategy with your Mexican counterpart.

Your ability to negotiate will be a reflection of your company, your character, and your abilities as a business person. Take your time, don’t get emotional, support your arguments with facts, and be consistent with your demands or desires over time. The negotiation process is helping to build trust and credibility, it’s important to build solid foundations for your future relationship.

Don’t be in a hurry to end the negotiations. The Mexican culture is more permissive about time and deadlines than you find in USA or Europe. If you are in a rush, you will lose important negotiating power.

Always start your negotiation with some margin and leeway. It will always to be to your advantage to “give” a little before the negotiations are over. It may take 4 hours for you to “give in”, but the gesture will be seen as your willingness to do business and enough for the negotiator to claim a little victory. Everyone wins.

Write down your final agreement, and the results of your negotiations and have both sides sign and retain a copy. This simple step will avoid any language, communication or interpretation problems that may develop in the future.

Related Links

Meeting People in Mexico – kiss, shake hands or hug

Before you go on a business trip to Mexico

How to do business in Mexico, parts 1 – 28

16 Essential Questions – International Business Traveller’s Quiz

10 Things you should never do on a Friday afternoon

To complement my list of 10 things you should do on a Friday afternoon (Link), here are some of the activities that should be avoided on Friday afternoons.

Things you should never do on a Friday afternoon

1. Initiate a major project
2. Schedule any type of meeting or seminar with customers or employees
3. Give an employee review
4. Make important strategic business decisions
5. Ask people to work extra hours
6. Give bad news to the office, your team or co-workers
7. Raise your rates or product prices
8. Obsess about or relive any failures that occurred during the week
9. Go out for a 3 martini lunch and come back to the office complaining
10. Give the boss an ultimatum or try and force a decision

Related Link

10 things you should do on Friday afternoon

The 6 Fundamental Concepts Behind Every Successful Business

1. Supply and Demand. The fundamental idea behind business and a market economy. Want to determine where to sell or buy, or predict if prices will be going up or down? Understand the concept of supply and demand.

2. Cause and Effect. Physics applied to the business environment. What you do will affect your competitor and the market and vice versa.

3. People like to feel important and special. Learn this and you’ve discovered one of the fundamental qualities of a great salesperson or marketer.

4. Simple clear communication, on-time. Don’t make it technical, keep it easy to understand. Answer all questions when asked, and never forget to call back and follow-up.

5. Get the work done, on time, and with the highest degree of quality possible.

6. Ask lots of questions and get all the answers.

International business traveller – ambassador, explorer, map-maker

The critical roles played by international business travellers.

International business travellers play an incredibly important role as ambassadors, explorers and “map-makers” inside their organizations and with their overseas contacts.

Ambassadors, Explorers, and “Map-Makers”

Ambassador of your country and culture. During your trip your actions and reactions are being watched by others. They are trying to confirm, deny or create stereotypes of your country. Everything including your inter-personal skills, business negotiation skills and manners, the way you dress and eat, your choice of hotels, table manners, social skills, and the ability to make small-talk and conversation will be watched, examined and commented upon after you leave. Keep this idea clear at all time during your trip, it is important.

Ambassador of your company. Prepare and bring all materials required for the negotiations and business interactions. Project an aura of professionalism, a willingness to learn and share, and honesty. Create relationships with a long-term vision. You may be promoted or leave the organization some day, but your international contacts will continue to do business with your company.

Ambassador of you. International business is all about relationships, and your behaviour and attitudes are critically important as the liaison and trusted representative. Make promises you can keep, follow-through on the projects and projects. Project honesty and a concern for doing business and maintaining relationships. Your actions should focus on creating a climate of trust and open communication. Don’t try to be someone you are not.

Explorer. The international business traveller, technicians, and sales and business development executives have the added responsibility of verifying existing information, establishing new contacts that will be beneficial in the future, and discovering new ideas and opportunities. It requires an inquisitive character, a bit of courage and a spirit of adventure.

Map-Maker. Often neglected by organizations is the cultural, political and personal information gathered by international business people. This information (or data), should be gathered, filtered and consolidated, and available to the organization after every overseas trip. “Maps” should be made for future consultation and reference. The map-making role requires the separation of the facts from interpretation, personal anecdotes and opinions. This information becomes the foundation for all future strategic and operating decisions.

Related Links

7 Tips for International Business

16 Essential Questions – International Business Traveller’s Quiz

How to do Business in Mexico, Parts 1 – 28

International Business Trip Planning, Part 6

Build your organization, don’t destroy it

Pragmatic business people know that strategies must be reviewed before, during and after implementation. Difficult questions must be asked and answered throughout the organization. Results analyzed and reviewed in order to identify flaws and errors.

Many times this exercise can push us into seeking and identifying problems instead of solutions. Too much time spent on what can go wrong and not enough focus on what can be created. Gridlock sets in, no solution is good enough, there is always a flaw.

All to often we find ourselves criticizing the work of others and the efforts that did not succeed as expected. We spend time taking things apart to find out what went wrong, and seeking to identify who was responsible for the “failure”. Our days are spent destroying the ideas of others.

Why not focus an equal amount of time on the positive aspects?

What did or will work, and why?

Creation is much more difficult than destruction. Support the creation of ideas and solutions in your organization, make your first analysis focus on the successful or positive aspects.

Ask yourself, “what am I creating today”.

Leadership by default

I have had the misfortune to have worked in organizations where the leadership, management and decision-making style could be called leadership by default. This is characterized by leaderships and management’s inability to make decisions on-time or to make decisions at all.

Leaders who are consistently unable or unwilling to make decisions can be a dangerous element in the organization. Often they are insecure about their position, or don’t have skills and abilities required to fulfill the obligations of leadership.

The usual excuses are often repeated to cover up and justify the absence of decision making. These would include; we don’t have enough information, the situation is volatile, and that there is too much information available. The excuses are covering up the inability to sort, organize and prioritize data and the inability to identify and recognize opportunities. Grave leadership errors.

By not making a decision on-time, the options become limited, and with more time, factors come into play that eventually corner the organization into a situation where a decision is virtually forced upon them. It is the only remaining option. The decision maker says they are ready to make the decision, everyone reviews it and agrees it is the right decision (as it is the only option remaining), and life goes on. The decision maker feel validated. It’s leadership by default.

If you go to purchase tickets to the theatre for an event that will be presented in 3 months there are plenty of choices, all different. If you purchase tickets on-time you can have your pick of the event, the seat you desire and the date that is just right for you. By waiting until 5 minutes before an event begins your options are extremely limited, perhaps the event you really wanted is gone. You made a decision, and got tickets with both scenarios, but the results (seats and events) are very different.

It is not fair to the shareholders, customers or employees to allow management to consistently stall and postpone decision-making. Efforts should be focused on finding the right people in the organization who are willing to research, evaluate and identify opportunities and make important decisions on-time, every time.

Related Links

Thanks to Lori for the inspiration – Iwan Cray Huber Horstman and Van Ausdal LLC

Current Resume – Lee Iwan – March 2007

 

Lee Iwan

International Business Development

Sales & Management Executive

Accomplished bilingual and bi-cultural executive with broad based domestic and international experience in business discovery and development; sales, marketing and operations for start-ups, growth and mature organizations.

Results oriented, proven success in new market identification, strategic thinking, negotiations and pragmatic problem solving. Track record of “hands on” leadership increasing communication, sales, efficiency and profitability.

Thrive in dynamic and fluid environments requiring enthusiasm, creativity, communication skills and organization.

Core competencies include:

Relationships and Communication

Team Leadership

Cross Culture Liaison

Innovation and Change Management

Global Focus

Entrepreneurial Focus

Contingency Planning

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

QUIMICA CENTRAL DE MEXICO S.A. de C.V. Leon, Gto., México July 1998 – Present

Business Manager, Strategic Business Discovery & Development May 2005 – Present

Serve as independent executive working directly with CEO and Board of Directors. Fully responsible for the visualization, research, creation, communication, follow-through, analysis, planning and implementation of new business development and corporate strategic diversification projects.

Key Achievements:

• Project Leader, pharmaceutical joint venture (Swiss-México), manufacturing and commercial operations .
• Spearheading strategic alliance negotiations to increase long-term market share and global positioning.
• Ongoing negotiations with India and China for product representations, agencies and toll manufacturing.

Business Manager, International Business March 2000 – May 2005

Served as Business Manager, responsible for global sales and marketing, distribution and logistics, and all corporate international negotiations with clients and suppliers.

Directed export sales and market development, international supplier strategic alliances; leadership of export sales distribution and agency networks; cross-functional team participation; business intelligence; sales and marketing strategy and leadership for the Asia Pacific and Latin American regions; sales implementation and market development; logistics and supply chain management, cross cultural communications, “globalization” of company culture and corporate special projects.

Key Achievements:

• Created and implemented commercial entrance for Asia-Pacific market, first 3 years revenue $ 5 M (US), projected annual sales growth of 200%.
• Initiated and maintained strategic alliances with international suppliers, raw material cost savings of $ 2 M (US) fortified long term strategic positioning.
• Negotiated exclusive agency representations in Mexico for South African and US specialty chemical manufacturers.
• Increased company global competitiveness utilizing the export department to drive corporate cultural changes in strategic planning, production, time to market, supply chain and logistics, sales, marketing and administration.

Export Manager July 1998 – March 2000

Served as Export Manager, responsible for sales, distribution and marketing strategy and management for 20 countries including Latin America, US, Europe and Taiwan.

Key Achievements:

• Created new commission and base price structure for agents and distributors resulting in increased loyalty and increased revenue of 8%.
• Re-engineered department systems to increase revenue and customer loyalty through increased efficiency in communications, administrative processes and product shipping.
• Managed international sales force in Latin America and Asia Pacific regions (18 distributors / agents).
  

NUVIDA S.A. de C.V., León, Guanajuato, México January 1993 – July 1998

Owner–President–Entrepreneur

Served as President for start-up specialty service business, corporate and government clients.

Key Achievements:

• Alliance between private industry, State and Local government to create and maintain 100-acre interactive ecological area – Parque Explora.
• Managed workforce of 45.
• First workforce in the State to receive State Certification (training and operations procedures).

FLOWERS FLOWERS INC., Evanston, IL, USA March 1986 – August 1993 Owner–President-Entrepreneur

Served as President for start-up innovative luxury consumer goods and service business.

Responsibilities included: strategy and planning, management, sales and marketing, purchasing and operations.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science Agricultural Economics * University of Illinois – Urbana, IL 1980

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Board Member, State Chemical Industry Export Committee, COFOCE, February 2007 – Present

Weblog: Business South of the Border August 2006 – Present

Weblog: Lee Iwan Accumulated Experience April 2006- Present

Business Development Mission, Chennai, India, February 2007

Chromium Industry Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, February 2006

Commercial Mission, New Delhi, Mumbai India, November 2005

Course: Finance for Non-Financial Managers, 2005

Business Development Mission: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2004

Board Member, State Leather Industry Consulting Committee, COFOCE, 2000 – Present

ANPIC, Mexican Leather Industry Fair, Leon, Gto., Mexico, 1999 – Present

ISO 9001:2000, Certification Process, 2003 – 2006

Business Development Mission: Geneva, Switzerland & Moscow, Russia, 2004

Business Development Mission: Istanbul, Turkey, 2003

All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE), Shanghai, China 2002 – 2005

Guangzhou Leather Fair, Guangzhou, China, 2002 – 2005

Business Development: Geneva, Switzerland, 2002

Commercial Mission: Mexico – Central America, 2000 – 2002

Asia Pacific Leather Fair, Hong Kong, 1999 – 2005

Linneapelle, Bologna, Italy, 1999 – 2005

Commercial Mission: Mexico – China, 2000 – 2001

Business Development: Amsterdam, Holland, 2000

Business Development: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, 2000

Miami Leather Fair, Miami, FL, USA 1999 –2001

Business Development: Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, 1999

FENAC, Leather Fair, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, 1999

Course: Mexican International Commerce Legislation, 2001 – 2004

Diploma: Modifications in the Mexican Customs Legislation, 2003

Diploma: International Commerce – Logistics, 2001

Diploma: International Commerce, 2000

Course: The Strategic Salesperson, 1999

Periodico AM, Newspaper Columnist. 1994 – 1996

Society of American Florists, Editorial Board, 1990 – 1992

Chicago-Dempster Merchants Association, Vice President, 1988 – 1990

Lee.iwan@gmail.com