Colvin Promoted to VP for Global Trade Issues, Frank to Direct USA*Engage
Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today announced the promotion of current USA*Engage Director Jake Colvin to NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues and the addition of Susan Frank as the new Director of USA*Engage.
“This is a great opportunity for Jake to move into a new role where he will help lead our trade advocacy efforts alongside Dan O’Flaherty, Chuck Dittrich and the rest of the NFTC team. His experience with foreign policy issues and deep understanding of the politics of trade will be invaluable as we work to advance our vision of a bipartisan 21st century trade agenda,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch.
“Similarly, at a time when unilateral sanctions are often used as the first, and not the last, resort, we are lucky now to count Susan as a member of our team. She comes to USA*Engage with a wealth of knowledge and experience in sanctions and export controls, and we look forward to tapping into her expertise.”
The NFTC has adopted a team approach to its trade policy programs and priorities. Colvin, as Vice President for Global Trade Issues, will oversee the NFTC’s Special Project on the WTO Doha Round as well as focus on a number of other global issues including climate change, food and product safety concerns, labor and global mobility. He will also seek to strengthen the Council’s relationships with international organizations like the United Nations and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Colvin will work closely with NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives Chuck Dittrich, who leads NFTC’s efforts in support of bilateral and regional free trade agreements, currently Colombia, Panama and South Korea, including associated labor issues, trade adjustment assistance, and trade preferences legislation. Dittrich also plays a key role in the U.S. business community’s Trade and American Competitiveness Coalition, of which the NFTC is a member, and leads the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition.
Since August 2005, Colvin has served as Director of USA*Engage, an affiliated coalition of businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations that advocates for U.S. diplomacy, trade and humanitarian assistance around the world. Susan Frank will take over leadership of USA*Engage in September. In her new role, Frank will oversee the advocacy efforts of USA*Engage, promoting alternatives to the use of unilateral economic sanctions by the United States and will also contribute to the NFTC’s efforts to reform U.S. export controls. Colvin will continue to oversee the coalition’s Cuba initiative.
Before joining USA*Engage, Frank served as Deputy General Counsel at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in McLean, Virginia for the past fourteen years. Prior to that she was a partner at the law firm of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal in Washington.
“Given the recent setback to the Doha Round and the erosion of public support for free trade, it is critical to continue informing perspectives about the importance of global economic engagement, diplomacy and multilateral solutions to America’s economic and foreign policy challenges,” said Reinsch. “We’re equipped with an excellent team to take on this important task.”
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