APCAC Officers, Staff and LiaisonChair
Ms Kristin Paulson directs UTC’s government relations activities in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and India. She is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with government and industry officials in support of the marketing efforts of the UTC business units. She also is charged with cultivating new business opportunities, monitoring and providing counsel on local rule-making and policy decisions and articulating the company’s point of view to local decision makers. In April 2003, Ms. Paulson was elected chair of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore, and was elected to serve a second year as chair in April 2004. As Immediate Past Chair of AmCham, she serves on the Council of the Singapore Business Federation. Before taking on her current assignment in Singapore, Ms Paulson served as manager of congressional affairs in UTC’s Washington office. She worked extensively in the area of international trade and tax policy, assuming a leadership role in the business community to secure passage of permanent normal trade relations with China and Trade Promotion Authority, among other legislation. Prior to joining UTC, Ms Paulson served as deputy assistant secretary of congressional affairs for the Department of Commerce and director of congressional affairs for the International Trade Administration. Ms Paulson holds her B.A. in international studies from Miami University in Ohio and her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. She is also a member of the Maryland bar. Immediate Past Chair
Landis Hicks is Executive Vice President of Pacific Architects and Engineers Incorporated, Los Angeles, Managing Director of Pacific Architects and Engineers Pte Ltd in Singapore, and Chief Representative of PAE Vietnam. PAE provides design, construction management and facilities management services at locations throughout the Asia Pacific region. From 2001 to 2003, Landis served as Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and a member of the Board of Governors from 1990-2005. He has been APCAC Vice Chairman for Washington Relations since 1990. He was a founding member of AmCham HCMC, and is a member of the Board of Governors. He lived in Vietnam during 1967-1975 and was a member of AmCham then. Vice Chair, ASEANWalter Blocker, Managing Director Walter Blocker has been a resident of Vietnam since 1995 and has served on the Board of Governors since 1997. He has served as Chairman of the Trade and Membership Committees, Vice Chairman, and Chairman of the Board of Governors, 2002-2004 and 2006. GANNON Vietnam, licensed in Vietnam since 1994, provides warehousing, logistics and labeling, and beverage packaging services under the umbrella of its 100% foreign owned license. GANNON facilitates various services for some of the world’s best-known brands including L’Oreal, Maybelline, Gallina Blance, Universal Robina, Mohawk Carpeting, Freudenberg rubber flooring, Rohm and Haas, Dow Corning, Eastman, and B.F.Goodrich. Walter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampden Sydney College. Vice Chair, Washington RelationsSteve Okun is Vice President for Public Affairs for UPS in Asia Pacific Region. In this capacity since 2003, Mr. Okun focuses on matters concerning international aviation and trade, logistics as well as on postal competition matters. From 1999-2003, Mr. Okun worked in the Washington, DC office of UPS where he focused on international matters relating to aviation and trade. Over the years, Mr. Okun has a leadership role on UPS’ community initiatives throughout Asia, and also assists non-governmental organizations in Laos and Cambodia. In recognition for his work in China, Mr. Okun was selected as an inaugural fellow of the Young Leader’s Forum of the National Committee on US-China Relations, and was the first co-chair of the Boao Forum for Asia’s 21st Century Leaders program. Mr. Okun served in the Administration of President Bill Clinton at the Department of Transportation from 1994 to 1999. At the Department, he served as Deputy General Counsel and Aviation Advisor to the Secretary and later as Executive Director of the Secretary of Transportation’s Task Force on Assistance to Families of Aviation Disasters. In May 1999, Secretary Slater presented Mr. Okun the Secretary’s Award for Special Service Commendation. A native of Chicago, IL, Mr. Okun is a graduate of the University of Virginia (1988) and the University of Virginia School of Law (1991). Vice Chair, Policy
Thomas Pinansky is engaged in the practice of international corporate law, and he is also substantially involved with international arbitration. He serves as an arbitrator for the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (Seoul); the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva); and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (Hong Kong). In addition, he is included on the informal roster of arbitrators for the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (Washington, DC). Vice Chair, China
Harley Seyedin is CEO of First Washington Group and President of American Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong. Under his direction since 1991, First Washington achieved firsts in many areas in China, including: the first majority western owned power plant; the first western invested toll road; and, the first US accredited Catholic University in China. During his tenure as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong since 2002, AmCham has built a very strong relationship with various Chinese government leaders at central, provincial, and local levels. This was most evident during the 2005 APCAC Annual Meeting in Guangzhou, China. AmCham Guangdong’s membership continues to grow at a very fast pace. Executive SecretaryLaura Deal, Executive Director T: +65 6235-0077 U.S. Chamber of Commerce LiaisonMyron A. Brilliant |
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Ms Kristin E. Paulson
Harley Seyedin