Calendar: Past events 2012

Visit of the USRCC Houston-Tyumen Sister Cities Committee’s Chair to Tyumen

Visit of the USRCC Houston-Tyumen Sister Cities Committee’s Chair to Tyumen

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Artem Nadikta, Chair of the Hoston-Tyumen Sister Cities Committee for the Chamber, recently traveled to Tyumen to further progress under the initiative. The Sister Cities relationship started in 1995, but USRCC was only recently charged with responsibility for its implementation. Please find below additional information, which is an excerpt from the Mayor’s Newsletter in November 2012.

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During his very productive visit to Tyumen, Mr. Nadikta discussed six areas of future cooperation with Tyumen City officials including: education, entrepreneurship, municipal, regional tourism, oil and gas industry, and healthcare. The leadership of Tyumen expressed an interest in developing educational travel programs for Tyumen high school students, which would familiarize them with various industrial sectors and spur interest in science careers. Additionally, the formation of university linkages was seen as critical. The Tyumen City Administration also proposed the development of a joint project in support of entrepreneurship that will encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the two cities. The administration’s own efforts in support of small and mid-sized businesses led to the establishment of “Tyumen Brand” competition, which promotes high-quality and service-oriented businesses.

Lastly, collaborative programs were suggested in the areas of municipal planning and development, healthcare and oil and gas industries. Among other things, Tyumen is interested in learning from Houston’s experience in development of urban transport, infrastructure and recreational zones. The city administration hopes that cooperative conferences expos and fairs will provide a forum for open dialogue between engineers and medical professionals, which in turn will increase opportunities for future partnerships and provide exposure to different research environments.

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Arctic Technology Conference Reception 2012

Arctic Technology Conference Reception 2012

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On Monday, December 3, 2012, USRCC organized a reception in honor of the Russian delegation to the Arctic Technology Conference (ATC) 2012. The reception was held at the Four Seasons Hotel and was sponsored by Shell (Gold), Baker Hughes (Silver), Cameron (Bronze) and Master Word Services (Bronze).

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Following opening remarks by Andrew Pidgirsky, Chair of USRCC, Alexander Zakharov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Houston, and Elena Demidova of Shell, attendees were treated to remarks by one of the foremost Russian experts on the Arctic, Professor Anatoly Zolotukhin of the Gubkin Russian University of Oil and Gas. Professor Zolotukhin noted the importance of the Arctic as well as the critical role Russia plays. Photos of the event can be found here: http://photosbyrovo.smugmug.com/December2012/12-12-03-Reception-Arctic/

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Lecture by the former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev

Lecture by the former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev

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On November 1, 2012, the USRCC Chairman, Executive Director, and a number of our members attended the lecture by former President Mikhail Gorbachev, which was organized by the Brilliant Lecture Series and held at the Wortham Center. USRCC was an informational sponsor for the event.

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Former President Gorbachev spoke about his role in ending the Cold War, and provided his thoughts on the challenges facing leaders in the 21st Century. Through the Gorbachev Foundation and Green Cross International, Gorbachev has remained involved in international affairs after his resignation from politics in the early 1990s. He stressed the many challenges facing current day leaders, including both environmental and political.

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Upcoming events

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Official dedication of artworks in honor of Russian Cosmonaut Yuriy Gagarin and American Astronaut John Glenn

Official dedication of artworks in honor of Russian Cosmonaut Yuriy Gagarin and American Astronaut John Glenn

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On October 15, 2012, the USRCC Chair and Executive Director attended the official dedication of artworks in honor of Russian Cosmonaut Yuriy Gagarin and American Astronaut John Glenn.

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The dedication, which was held at the first headquarters of NASA in Houston, was attended by Mayor Annise Parker, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Alexander Darchiev, Director of the North America Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Galina Gagarina and Yuri Gagarin, daughter and grandson of Cosmonaut Gagarin, among others. The artworks were donated to the City of Houston in commemoration of the 50th anniversary in 2011 of Cosmonaut Gagarin’s orbit in space and the 50th anniversary in 2012 of Astronaut Glenn’s orbit in space. The gift of the artworks was made possible by the Moscow‐based International Charity Public Fund Dialogue of Cultures – United World and the Russkiy Mir Foundation of Russia. Mr. Ruslan Bayramov and Ms. Sophya Tabarovsky represented the donor organizations.

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Upcoming events

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The 2nd Annual Welcome Reception Honoring the Russian Delegation to the Breakbulk Americas 2012

The 2nd Annual Welcome Reception Honoring the Russian Delegation to the Breakbulk Americas 2012

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On October 10, 2012, the U.S.- Russia Chamber of Commerce (“USRCC”) hosted a reception for the Russian delegation to Breakbulk Americas 2012 Conference and Exhibition, the largest shipping and logistics conference held in Houston every two years.

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The reception, whose sponsors included: UCL Holding and Universal Forwarder (platinum), American Shipping and Chartering (bronze), and Belomortrans (bronze), was attended by approximately 70 people, including many members of USRCC. Following remarks by the USRCC Chair and the Port of Houston Authority, representatives of Universal Cargo Logistics (UCL) Holding made a presentation on their company, which is an international transportation group.

Companies within the holding perform transportation of cargo by rail and river‐sea transport, handling of cargo in Russian ports, render logistical services, and also perform cruise activities. The holding consolidates several railway operators, stevedoring companies, and a number of shipping and logistic assets. UCL Holding and Universal Forwarder operate the commercial port of St. Petersburg as well as several other ports in Russia. The reception provided an excellent opportunity for networking and business development among participants.

Thanks to the generosity of USRCC member American Shipping and Chartering, USRCC was also able to share space in the American Shipping and Chartering booth at Breakbulk Americas 2012. This brought more visibility to the Chamber and allowed for additional outreach to companies involved in the exhibition. Our thanks to American Shipping and Chartering for affording us such an opportunity!

 

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Grand Opening of the TMK IPSCO R&D Facility in Houston

Grand Opening of the TMK IPSCO R&D Facility in Houston

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The USRCC helped to organize the Grand Opening of the TMK IPSCO R&D Facility in Houston. The event took place on October 1, 2012.

 

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TMK IPSCO’s new state‐of‐the‐art R&D Center serves as the heart of the company’s innovation initiatives‐new product design and development, experimental and validation testing, and advanced metallurgical research‐ and is a key part of the company’s long‐term strategy to drive growth in oil and gas markets. In addition to key customers and suppliers, the event also included important government officials, including Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade, Texas Senator Rodney Ellis, and Houston City Council Members Oliver Pennington and Helena Brown, and the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Houston, Alexander Zakharov. They were joined by representatives from the Port of Houston Authority, Greater Houston Partnership, and other organizations. In addition to the R&D Facility, TMK IPSCO is moving its North America Headquarters from Chicago to Houston, and the move will be complete by the end of 2013. This momentous occasion was recognized by Governor Rick Perry in a welcome letter presented to the organization in which the Governor noted, “With our business-friendly tax system, skilled workforce, proximity to strategic markets, and predictable regulatory climate, Texas is proud to offer companies like TMK IPSCO an unparalleled competitive edge. We relish the opportunity to not only bring new jobs and investment to our communities but also to foster expansion and prosperity for businesses large and small. I hope this relocation will be a boon for TMK IPSCO and the Houston community as a whole.” USRCC also helped facilitate a meeting between senior TMK officials, including Dmitry Pumpyansky, the President of TMK in Russia and Houston Mayor Annise Parker during the visit to Houston.

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Invest in Russian Regions: Sakhalin Region

Invest in Russian Regions: Sakhalin Region

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On September 18, 2012, the USRCC Chairman and Executive Director met with a delegation from Sakhalin, Russia. The delegation was headed by Sergey V. Khotochkin, Vice Governor and Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region.

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Other delegates included Ekaterina Kotova, Minister of Investment and External Relations of the Sakhalin Oblast; Olga Alekseyeva, Leading Advisor in the Ministry of Investment and External Relations of the Sakhalin Oblast; and Aleksandr Averyanov, Commercial Director of OAO Sakhalin Shipping Company. During the meeting, participants discussed possible cooperation between USRCC and Sakhalin as well as a potential visit to Houston in 2013, which would afford opportunities for USRCC members to meet with Sakhalin officials.

 

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USRCC Member Networking Reception on the U.S.‐Russia Visa Agreement

USRCC Member Networking Reception on the U.S.‐Russia Visa Agreement

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[vc_column_text]On September 24, 2012, the USRCC Member Networking Reception on the U.S.‐Russia Visa Agreement was held at the offices of Adams and Reese, LLP. The networking reception, sponsored by Adams and Reese, LLP and Dunbar Harder, PLLC, focused on the new visa agreement between the U.S. and Russia, which entered into force on September 9, 2012.

Speakers included Alexander Zakharov, Consul General of the Russian Federation to Houston and Kenneth Harder, Partner, Dunbar Harder, PLLC. Speakers addressed changes to the visa regime, including the introduction of three-year multi-entry visas for both U.S. and Russian travelers. The agreement will facilitate travel and establish stronger ties between Russia and the United States, as it will benefit business travelers and tourists. Russian and American travelers for business or tourism are eligible to receive visas valid for multiple entries during a period of 36 months. The agreement also outlines other simplifications in the bilateral visa regime and eases visa processing times. No formal invitation will be required to apply for a business or tourism visa, although applicants seeking Russian visas must continue to hold lodging reservations and arrangements with a tour operator. The session was very well‐received, with a number of questions from attendees. Our thanks to Adams and Reese, LLP for hosting the event![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space]

Upcoming events

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