Public Speaking
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Channel Architect Moderates
Global Innovation Panel at University of California Riverside Diplomatic Event
July 17, 2025 – Riverside, California
Channel Architect proudly served as both panel moderator and co-organizer of a high-level diplomacy event hosted at the University of California, Riverside, featuring members of the Los Angeles Consular Corps — one of the world’s largest diplomatic communities.
The gathering brought together foreign diplomats, university leaders, and economic development officials from the City of Riverside and Riverside County for timely dialogue on “International Collaboration, Foreign Direct Investment, and the Strategic Role of Universities in Driving Global Innovation.”
Tom Hanson, Principal at Channel Architect, guided the panel conversation exploring how subnational diplomacy—between regions, cities, and universities—continues to drive resilient global engagement. The program also included facility tours and site visits to showcase the Riverside region’s expanding role in international trade and innovation.
🌍 ProVisors Guest Speaker:
Global Trade Hot Spots, Tariffs & Trade, & Trouble Zones
ProVisors is a North American network of 10,000+ Trusted Advisors, belonging to regional home groups and industry-specific affinity groups.
As a ProVisors member and advisor to manufacturing and tech clients across North America, Brazil, and Eastern Europe, I have been invited to speak on issues related to the complex global environment.
June 2025 – Orange County, California
“Tariffs and Trade”
October 2024 – Ontario, California
“Global Affairs Hot Spots”
July 2024 – Santa Barbara, California
“Building Channel Partnerships”
🎧 Podcast Guest Speaker:
Exporting for Small Businesses
July 1, 2025 – Tom Hanson was guest speaker on Building Up Your Business, speaking with podcast host Erica Dill of Operationally Up to unpack the power of brand cachet and how U.S.-based companies can use it to win in international markets.
Brand cachet is about more than just marketing: it’s the perception, prestige, and trust that comes with American-made innovation. Whether selling wellness products, tech gadgets, or TV shows, a brand’s origin story matters more than we think.
Erica and Tom discussed how even small businesses can tap into the global demand for American culture, creativity, and quality and how brand identity can land the biggest exports.
💡 Tom noted, “For companies looking to grow globally, it might not be about changing your product… but changing the way the world sees your brand.”
🎧 Podcast Guest Speaker:
Resiliency & Adaptability in international trade
February 19, 2025 – Tom Hanson joined Infortal Worldwide’s Christopher Mason on their podcast “Navigating New Diplomacy Trade Winds” to discuss dealing with the face of shifting global diplomacy and trade relations.
Tom provided invaluable insights into strategic market entry and the current challenges and opportunities in international business:
➡️ Navigating North American Trade: USMCA and Beyond
➡️ The European Equation: Economic and Geopolitical Challenges
➡️ Strategic Resilience: The Key to Future-Proofing Business
As geopolitical landscapes shift, resiliency becomes invaluable in maintaining competitiveness and ensuring sustained growth.
Tom noted, “Recent developments point to the importance of partnerships in establishing new channels for international commerce.” The episode emphasized how companies that build strong partnerships and adaptive strategies are better positioned to weather international uncertainty and capitalize on opportunities.”
A recurring theme emerged: business resiliency is key.
Diplomatic Outreach:
🇲🇩 🇺🇸
US–Moldova Joint Commercial Commission
March 28, 2023 – As Commercial Officer for the US Foreign Commercial Service, Tom Hanson spoke at the annual US–Moldova Joint Commercial Commission, a bilateral engagement organized by the US Trade Representative Office and hosted by Moldova’s Minister of Economy.
Considering Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine in early 2022, this venue provided a forum for frank dialogue on free and open trade to ensure flow of vital supply chains, ensure food and water security, and to assist Moldova to forestall cyberattacks by malign actors against the country’s data sovereignty.
Diplomatic Outreach:
🇷🇴 🇺🇸 International Conference on Cyber Diplomacy
April 25, 2023 – While serving as Commercial Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce serving in Romania, the Government of Romania invited Tom Hanson to speak on behalf of the US Government on a multinational panel during its International Conference on Cyber Diplomacy. Tom’s presentation highlighted progressive technologies from American providers and the evolution of data sovereignty in European Union member nations.
This successfully positioned US technology providers to win competitive tenders issued by the government to define Romania’s sovereign data cloud.
Diplomatic Outreach:
Anatomy of a Deal: Modernizing Nuclear Power
Joining fellow US diplomats from the Departments of Commerce, State, Energy, and US Trade and Development, Tom Hanson discussed how US government agencies unite to score strategic commercial wins.
Our audience learned how one interagency program helped a US-based energy company win a multi-billion-dollar contract to build and deploy the first-ever, small modular reactor in EU member nation Romania.
Panelists laid out the Anatomy of the Deal that took place amid geopolitical discord and facing threats of malign influence.
🌍 Webinar Host:
The World Is Your Market
Tom Hanson teams up to create and host webinar series for California small businesses.
As certified international trade advisor for the University of California Merced’s Small Business Development Center, Tom’s mandate is to support new-to-export businesses, especially in the state’s underserved and rural communities. He teamed up to co-organize and co-host a webinar series titled The World Is Your Market.
ABOUT Central California Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Administered by the University of California Merced, the Central California SBDC is a regional network that provides expert consulting, training, market research, access to capital, and other tools at low to no cost assistance to help businesses launch, grow, transition, or innovate.
In 2024, the Central California Network SBDC helped create over 800 new local jobs and launch 264 new ventures, while unlocking nearly $60 million in capital investments that support businesses and communities through the 14 counties we serve in both Central and Coastal California.
The Center is part of a statewide SBDC system, and is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Advising Louisiana Governments
on Trade and Investment Initiatives
2019-2020 – While serving as a commercial service officer on assignment in New Orleans, Tom Hanson held outreach events throughout the state on such diverse topics as attracting foreign direct investment and promoting travel and tourism, and its powerful river and sea port infrastructure. This fulfilled Louisiana’s mandate to develop robust trade and investment links for business, local government, and communities statewide.
Tom addressed the needs of Louisiana’s underserved rural regions, and spoke at the state’s leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
