Advisors

John C. Ramig

John Ramig is the founder and President of Global Trade Advisors. Mr. Ramig is an experienced CEO who successfully established manufacturing facilities in Asia and product distribution throughout Western Europe.

John Ramig is a graduate of Harvard College, where he was a Harvard Scholar and received his A.B., magna cum laude, in 1980. He earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia in 1984, where he served on the editorial board of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. He has engaged in the private practice of law in Washington, DC and Portland, Oregon for over 20 years.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Ramig served on the Washington, DC staff of U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield and on the White House staff in the Carter Administration's Office of Public Liaison. He also has served on the staff of Donald Anderson, a member of the British Parliament.

Mr. Ramig is licensed to practice law in Oregon. Mr. Ramig has expertise in international business transactions, including the structuring of international sourcing and manufacturing operations. He provides expert services relating to the design and implementation of international corporate structures that maximize operational and tax efficiencies. He also has expertise in intellectual property and trade secret protection, having successfully brought trade secrets litigation on behalf of his clients. He has broad experience with international distribution agreements and manufacturing agreements with Asian suppliers.

In addition to legal expertise, Mr. Ramig has gained a wealth of practical knowledge and a network of professional relationships through his involvement in establishing commercial relationships with manufacturing and trading companies in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. This expertise extends to supply chain management, including freight forwarding, customs and duty issues. Based on years of practical experience, Mr. Ramig offers specialized counsel for companies seeking to successfully operate in a multicultural business environment.

Katherine Fan

Katherine (“Xiaoyu”) Fan is the lead project manager at Global Trade Advisors, specializing in product sourcing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and supply chain/logistics management. In that capacity, she communicates daily with GTA's clients, their customers, and their factories and logistics providers on a wide range of product development, sourcing and marketing matters. Ms. Fan has developed and organized extensive product sourcing databases to ensure efficient access to data on factories, product quotations, quality control standards, logistics options and client intellectual property.

In addition to her supply chain management role, Ms. Fan also is relied upon by some GTA clients to administer their overseas operations. This role includes extensive involvement in order processing, interface with international banks to ensure orderly supplier payments, and the like.

Ms. Fan has more than seven years of experience working in sales and marketing for various companies specializing in apparel retail, product development/production, and media distribution. She has worked as a liaison to overseas manufacturing for the domestic market, as well as an account manager responsible for managing and expanding U.S. sales territory. Ms. Fan has extensive experience in music/video advertising and promotion and served as a point of contact between the sales reps and record label suppliers. Born in China, and immigrated to the United States at the age of 14. She is proficient in Mandarin Chinese, English, and enjoyed learning Japanese while living abroad.

Ms. Fan graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Business and concentration in Marketing. She is currently pursuing her M.B.A. at the University of Portland.

Slone K. Pearson

Slone Pearson is a trade consultant specializing in U.S. export and customs law. Her expertise encompasses the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Trade of Arms Regulations (ITAR), Custom's Regulations, Foreign Trade Statistic, Foreign Assets Treasury Control Regulations, US Harmonized Tariff Codes, US Schedule B Codes and import and export regulations within the jurisdiction of the US Fish & Wildlife, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Drug Enforcement Agency, and Department of Agriculture. Ms. Pearson is an active presenter at conferences and participates in several international trade and compliance organizations.

Ms. Pearson consults to a wide spectrum of clients across every major industry segment. For her clients involved in export from the U.S., Ms. Pearson regularly conducts assessments of exporters' compliance controls, prepares customized corporate policy and procedure manuals, conducts training programs, prepares jurisdiction, classification and valuation analyses, and assists in preparing commodity jurisdiction requests, commodity classification requests, Department of Commerce and State license applications, voluntary self-disclosures and responses to official inquiries

For her clients involved in import into the U.S., Ms. Pearson regularly conducts evaluations of importers' internal compliance controls, which typically identify potential cost savings and regulatory risks. She also provides consulting needs for her import clients including, HTS classification, assistance preparing Customs rulings and appealing unfavorable decisions, customs valuation and country of origin determination, eligibility for trade preference programs (e.g. NAFTA, etc.), duty preference programs (e.g. GSP, 9802, etc.), supply chain security (e.g. C-TPAT), marking, staff training and the development of internal policy and procedure manuals, other U.S. Government Agencies import registration, licensing and reporting requirements.

Ms. Pearson graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Biochemistry and earned her J.D. at Suffolk University Law School with a distinction in Intellectual Property. Ms. Pearson's background in the science and medical fields combined with her legal education give her a unique advantage when working with the complex products and technologies in these fields. Some of Ms. Pearson's current clients in the high technology fields include chemical, biological and electronic companies.

Patricia Syquia

Patricia Syquia is a consultant at Global Trade Advisors, specializing in product sourcing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and supply chain/logistics management.

Ms. Syquia has particular expertise in social compliance audits. Clients have relied upon this expertise to ensure that their factory sources comply with detailed audit requirements that are often unfamiliar to offshore factory sources. By relying on Ms. Syquia’s expertise, clients ensure smoother operations and quicker time to market.

Ms. Syquia has extensive experience working in a wide spectrum of manufacturing fields including agricultural production, indoor and outdoor apparel, HVAC components, construction materials, defense articles and children's toys. She has worked directly with factories, distributors and sales representatives domestically and internationally, including those located in Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Syquia graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Classics and Asian-American Studies and earned her J.D. at Tulane University Law School with a certificate in Environmental Law. Ms. Syquia is licensed to practice law in Maryland.

Laurell Christian

Laurell Christian is a project assistant at Global Trade Advisors, providing a range of administrative and technical support. Ms. Christian is actively involved in maintaining client product and other data and interfacing with factory sources and GTA vendors. Ms. Christian has taken a leading role in directing the development and monitoring of websites designed to promote and sell products sourced by GTA for its clients.

Ms. Christian graduated from the University of Tampa where she earned a B.S. in Criminology and a B.A. in Psychology

Dennis Lee Hopton

Dennis Hopton serves as the managing director of the Hong Kong office of Global Trade Advisors. His background includes many years of experience in the automotive and other manufacturing industries in Michigan. He studied business management at Anderson University (Indiana) in and marketing at Eastern Michigan University's Master of Science program in quality engineering. Dennis has broad experience in quality control procedures, CAD (computer aided design), marketing research, and project management. He is also an ASQ (American Society of Quality) Certified Quality Manager and ASQ Certified Quality Auditor.

From the Hong Kong office, Mr. Hopton is able to network and utilize resources available in the China / Southeast Asia region to the benefit of GTA's clients.

Cecelia Shang Benting

Cecilia Shang Benting is an International Trade Specialist in Global Trade Advisors’ Portland office. Ms. Shang has substantial experience in international business and expertise working with Chinese investors under the EB-5 Program. Ms. Shang also works on complex contracts in different industries, including many transactions involving U.S. – China trade. She has written and verbal fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English.

Ms. Shang received her Bachelors of Business Management from Henan University, her Bachelor of Law from Law School of Fudan University and earned her Master of Law degree from Temple University.

Prior to joining Global Trade Advisors, Ms. Shang served as China Business Legal Consultant to the New York Department of Commerce, as a Legal Consultant to White and Case, LLP, and as the Director of International Business for Vital Technical Marketing.

Yvonne Jin

Yvonne Jin is a client service manager at Global Trade Advisors’ Shanghai office, specializing in product sourcing and quality assurance of products. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, her skills in daily communication with both factories and clients ensure prompt responses and enhanced efficiency.

Ms. Jin graduated from the University of Manchester with a Master Degree in MSc Chinese Business and Management. She has extensive experience in manufacturing metal components and plastic pieces all over China and the United States.

Sherry Zhou

Sherry Zhou is a project manager at Global Trade Advisors’ Shanghai office, specializing in product sourcing, quality assurance of products, and lead time control. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, her skills in daily communication with both factories and clients ensure prompt responses and enhance efficiency.

Ms. Zhou graduated from Jiangxing College with a degree in International Trade and Commerce. She has extensive experience working in sourcing electric motors and other mechanical products.

Elaine Sheng

Elaine Sheng is a project manager at Global Trade Advisors’ Shanghai office, specializing in product sourcing, quality assurance of products, and lead time control. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, her skills in daily communication with both factories and clients ensure prompt responses and enhance efficiency.

Ms. Sheng graduated from University of Jinggangshan with a Bachelor Degree in International Economics and Trade. She has extensive experience in electric motor manufacturing.

Van Vuong

Van Vuong serves as the managing director of the Ho Chi Minh City office of Global Trade Advisors. Mr. Vuong has over 10 years experience sourcing products in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. In addition to sourcing products, Mr. Vuong has established and operated manufacturing facilities and has years of experience in quality control, supply chain management and logistics for clients including Costco, TJX Corporation, J.C. Penny and Guildmaster, Inc.

Mr. Vuong was raised in the United States and studied Business Management at the University of Maryland. As a result, he is familiar with western consumer tastes and business practices. He has over 20 years of management and financial experience.

From the Ho Chi Minh City office, Mr. Vuong utilizes resources available in the Southeast Asia region and his practical knowledge to network across multicultural business environments to the benefit of GTA’s clients.

Sara Zhang

Sara Zhang is a project manager at Global Trade Advisors’ Shanghai office, specializing in product sourcing, quality assurance of products, and lead time control. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, her skills in daily communication with both factories and clients ensure prompt responses and enhance efficiency.

Ms. Zhang graduated from Wuhan Science and Technology University with a degree in Business and English. She has extensive experience in plastic injection molding.