Michael Eastman
Executive Director, Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

Michael Eastman is responsible for the behind-the-scenes management necessary so representatives from 34 countries can concentrate solely on negotiating a hemispheric free-trade bloc. Operating from offices in the Inter-Continental Hotel, downtown Miami, he is responsible for management tasks related to the free trade bloc negotiations scheduled to end by 2005.

Eastman joined FTAA and relocated to Miami from Ottawa, Canada. Including a doctorate in economics, he holds four university degrees obtained in three different countries. He is fluent in French and English.

An accountant by profession, he spent twenty years working for the Canadian government and ten years in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) secretariat, representing Canada.

Unified under the NAFTA umbrella, Canada, Mexico and the United States, form the largest trading relationship in the world, representing more than $500 billion in commerce. The FTAA is envisioned to dwarf NAFTA, representing more than 750 million people with an economic output of some $12 trillion.

Mary Ann Von Glinow
Director of the Center for International Business Education and Research
Florida International University

Dr. Mary Ann Von Glinow is a professor of Management and International Studies and the 1994-95 president of the Academy of Management.

Previously on the Business Faculty at the University of Southern California, she has an MBA and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University.

In the last six years she has authored numerous journal articles and seven books in a range of areas including: technology, international business, business school curriculum, and organizational behavior. She is currently working on two books, Organizational Behavior, Vietnam: The Next Tiger? and Best Practice Innovators.

She also heads an International consortium of researchers delving into "Best International Human Resource Management Practices". Dr. Von Glinow consults to a number of domestic and multinational enterprises and serves as a Mayoral appointee to the Shanghai Institute of Human Resources in China. Since 1989, she has been a consultant for General Electric Company's "Work Out" program and serves as a lead Work Out Consultant to Southern California Edison, Kaiser Permanente, First Bank of Chicago, NY Life, State of Florida, and Aetna. She is on the board of the Fielding Institute.

Juergen J. Steyer
Vice President and General Manager
Klocke of America, Inc.

Juergen J. Steyer heads the corporate headquarters of Klocke of America, a German-based manufacturing company located in Ft. Myers, FL. Klocke packages pharmaceutical and cosmetic products for such well­known cosmetic giants as Estee Lauder, Revlon, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, and Calvin Klein, and is known as the "Ultimate Sampling Solution," in the European contract packaging service industry.

He holds Bachelors of Science degree in Business from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Mr. Steyer came to the United States as the liaison for L'Oreal. He was responsible for setting up an apprenticeship program for the cosmetology division at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

After successful executive career with KENRA, ALCINA, and STABILO, Mr. Steyer served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Bizerba Cosmetics in Germany. In 1996, he started working for Klocke Verpackungs Service European headquarters in Wiengarten, Germany. Mr. Steyer started production at Klocke of America in Fort Myers, Florida on December of 1997, directing a new $4.4 million dollar plant. To increase production capacity of its current facility, Klocke plans to begin a $10 million dollar expansion by the end of this year and will eventually accommodate pharmaceutical packaging as well.

William C. Merwin
President, Florida Gulf Coast University

Dr. William C. Merwin, prior to assuming the Presidency of Florida Gulf Coast University this year served as president of Salisbury State University in Maryland. During his tenure there, he engaged students, faculty and staff, as well as other interested parties, including the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland, the Salisbury State Foundation, the local business and education community and others, in an open dialogue to produce a five-year strategic plan. The goal of that plan was to enhance the University's eminence as a nationally recognized institution of higher learning.

Key themes addressed included Enrollment Stability and Quality; Academic Excellence; Technology; Community Outreach; Diversity; Learner-Centered Environment Collaborations and Partnerships; Administrative Effectiveness; Non-State Financial Support; International Relationships; and Service Learning/Civic Engagement.

Dr. Merwin's previous positions included Potsdam College of the State University of New York where he served as President from 1989-1996. Prior to that he was President of Montana State university-Northern from 1985-1989. He also served as Provost and Professor at the University of North Florida from 1973-1985.