China Business Forum

Discussing American business in China and the impact of China's growth on the global economy. The Rogalski Center is located at the corner of Ripley and Lombard Streets, one block west of Harrison Street.

A roundtable discussion with SAU College of Business faculty and area business leaders to discuss how American multinational companies do business in China, and China's impact on the global economy. The roundtable will be moderated by Jessica Greenwald, PhD, assistant professor of managerial studies.The panelist for the roundtable include.

Albert Chan, PhD, is an assistant professor of business ethics at St. Ambrose University. He is teaching a new course this semester on Chinese/American relations and its impact on business ethics. Chan recently published a case study on the Walt Disney Company's shark fin soup controversy at their Chinese theme park, pitting corporate social responsibility against culture. He will visit Hong Kong and Shanghai this summer on a research grant to investigate Disneyland's investments in China. Prior to joining the faculty at St. Ambrose, Chan worked as a business systems analyst and in product procurement for a medical device company, maintaining relationships with various Chinese suppliers. He is a current active member of the Quad Cities Chinese Association. The topic he will cover is "China's Business Ethics."

Rena Gainey, is manager of business conduct integration at Deere & Company. She is responsible for managing the integration of the John Deere compliance and ethics program and company culture into new business startups, mergers and acquisitions. Gainey's 15 years with John Deere has provided a full experience in measuring and implementing corporate compliance initiatives such as policy creation and enforcement, communications and training, and auditing. This role has allowed her to travel to over 25 countries and work with employees in 14 different languages. In addition, Gainey has extensive experience in leadership development, coaching and mentoring. Her topic will be "Chinese Corporate Culture in Comparison to John Deere's Corporate Culture."

Marc Geil leads the international marketing activities for Wahl Clipper Corporation, Sterling, Ill. He actively works with the organization's network of wholly owned international subsidiaries, in particular those of the BRIC nations. Wahl Clipper has been operating in China for the past 17 years and has seen many changes in the role of this entity within the global organization, as well as the shifts in local market access. Geil is a first year student in the St. Ambrose Doctor of Business Administration Program. Geil will talk about, "China in the World Economy."

Jessica Greenwald, PhD, is an assistant professor in managerial studies at St. Ambrose University. She received her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she helped develop and lead the first undergraduate management class focused on doing business with China. In addition to spending several years as a teaching assistant working with the content of the course, Greenwald accompanied the first class on a study trip to Beijing and Shanghai. Prior to her doctoral studies, Greenwald was a senior account executive for ASAP Software, a subsidiary of Dell, Inc. She also holds an MBA and BS from Southern Illinois University. Greenwald will moderate the roundtable discussion.

Xiaowei Liu, PhD, is an associate professor of finance at St. Ambrose University. He teaches a variety of finance courses to undergraduate and MBA students. His research interests include empirical asset pricing and behavioral finance, and he has published papers in several academic journals. Liu received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a master of science in economics from Beijing University, China, and his doctorate in finance from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He also earned the designation of chartered financial analyst and financial risk manager. Liu will talk about "China and Global Finance."

Patrick Pollock is the chief operating officer of Genesis Systems Group, LLC in Davenport. He has over twenty-five years experience in the manufacturing industry and has been involved with various management assignments including global business development. Pollock's past and present professional certifications include certified quality engineer, project management professional and certified management accountant. Pollock is presently enrolled in the St. Ambrose Doctor of Business Administration program. His topic will be "The Chinese Market."




China is a diverse nation with more than 5,000 years of rich history, and also a rising superpower boasting the world's second-largest and fastest-growing economy. "China Project: The Awakening Dragon" will explore China's global impact-both past and present-while bringing into focus the university's commitment to intercultural engagement.