Bartholomewtown is an independent news and interview podcast exploring Rhode Island through conversations with the people driving politics, culture, business, and public life. Hosted by journalist Bill Bartholomew, the show delivers insightful interviews, original reporting, and clear-eyed analysis from New England's smallest state—with stories that often resonate far beyond it.
Bryant’s Global Trade Summit at a volatile moment for international business
Bill Bartholomew speaks with Jason Kelly, director of the Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University, about the 40th anniversary of the Global Trade Summit and why it matters during a period of tariff uncertainty, policy shifts, and supply chain pressure. The conversation focuses on how Bryant is positioning itself as a practical resource for Rhode Island companies that need customized support, not just broad-stroke advice. Kelly also explains Bryant’s new role as the official World Trade Center designee in Rhode Island, and how that designation expands training, international connections, and branding for local businesses.
Key topics
The 40th anniversary of the Global Trade Summit and why Bryant sees this year as especially timely given global trade disruption
Jason Kelly’s background in the private sector, including how World Trade Day first connected him to Bryant and eventually led him to the Chafee Center role
Why the current trade environment makes the summit more relevant, especially around tariffs, supply chain uncertainty, and international market shifts
What Rhode Island businesses need most right now — interdisciplinary support that combines business expertise, academic resources, and practical consulting
Bryant’s role as a statewide differentiator, with Kelly emphasizing the university’s rare intersection of higher education, economic development, and innovation
Conference highlights for September 24, including a conversation with Canada’s Consul General Bernadette Jordan and a panel featuring a Blue Economy robotics company
Economic and technical expertise on the agenda, including a Moody’s economist, an AI panel, logistics experts, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and trade attorneys
The new World Trade Center Rhode Island designation, and how it gives the Chafee Center access to a global network, stronger branding, and more training opportunities
The biggest challenges Rhode Island companies are facing, especially access to capital, talent shortages, and the need to manage AI-related disruption
How the Chafee Center scales customized support, using Bryant’s practicum programs to deliver company-specific consulting through student and faculty teams
Timestamps
(0:00) Why Bryant is revisiting the Global Trade Summit this year (1:39) Jason Kelly’s connection to Bryant through World Trade Day (2:36) Why he says this is the right time for the Chafee Center (4:02) Why Rhode Island businesses need interdisciplinary support (4:49) Higher education as an economic development asset (5:42) September 24 summit date and what attendees can expect (6:16) Canada, tariffs, and international business at the summit (7:12) Success stories from companies navigating uncertainty (7:42) Robotics, AI, and the summit’s technology-focused speakers (8:41) Monica Sattler and leadership through extreme challenge (9:09) Logistics, customs, and tariff refund issues (9:38) A day-long training session on September 23 (10:10) What the World Trade Center designation means (11:09) How the designation expands training and global connections (12:08) Building Rhode Island’s international business presence (13:40) What Rhode Island companies are asking for right now (16:02) Why companies want customized consulting, not generic training (17:27) The Bryant practicum model and how it scales support (18:21) Trade missions, innovation labs, and experiential learning (19:39) Bryant’s regional role in international trade over the next decade (20:43) Closing thoughts on the summit and Bryant’s impact
Notable quotes
Copy
“This was the most important time to lean into the unique assets that Bryant University offers Rhode Island companies.”
Copy
“Companies no longer wanted that awareness training. What they really needed were customized consulting engagements.”
Copy
“I really would like to hold on to the word regional because I think that that’s our sweet spot.”
All right. Well, it's been about 365 days on the dot since we uh gave you a podcast last year from Bryant University and the Chafee Center for International Business, uh, the Global Trade Summit. You may remember that last year. If you're interested, you can search wherever you're listening right now if you want to go back in time. But we're doing it again because Bryant continues to move the ball forward in terms of establishing through designation and really at this point just through putting a flag in the ground as just one of the, if not the uh consortium, if you will, for business in uh the academic world in this state, no question, and beyond. But also this event this year, it's so timely as we look at what has is no question a um a wild time in business and international relations. Jason Kelly joins us again this year. Um, just I'll give you Jason's background quickly. Here he was named the director of the at the Chafee Center for International Business back in 2024. The Global Trade Summit, it's described right here off the website as bringing together global business leaders, policymakers, educators, and innovators for one full day of insightful learning, high-level conversation, and strategic connection. This year's agenda is crafted to balance big picture context with actionable takeaways, helping uh attendees stay ahead of global market trends, policy shifts, supply chain challenges, and opportunities for international growth. Uh again, all of that in the context of what is a wild moment, Jason. Um with that being said, your initial thoughts on holding this summit in this moment of such great uncertainty on a global basis.
SPEAKER_01
Bill, thanks for having me on again. Uh the experience last year was a lot of fun, and I got a lot of good uh feedback uh since since uh you really brought the best out of Bryant. So thank you for that. Uh so when I when I was in the private sector, I first connected with Bryant University because of uh World Trade Day, which we which has been uh rebranded as the Global Trade Summit. And it was so valuable to me because I knew, you know, as a C-suite professional that this event was gonna tell me really what I needed to know at the time. And I ended up chairing the event and uh for a couple of years, and uh and then I and then I, you know, that led to a deeper relationship with Brian and working on the Capstrone Practica programs. So when I when I left the private sector a couple of years ago and the position came up, I was so excited to uh to apply because, you know, for for one reason, because of this event and and how and uh how much I enjoyed uh participating in the event. Uh so this year is our 40th anniversary. And Bill, as we talked about last year, you know, I got this job, and then boom, President Trump gave us Liberation Day. And it was a really um disruptive time uh in the world of trade. And a lot of people said to me, Boy, you you took this job at the wrong time. Uh and of course, the answer was just the opposite, that this was the most important time uh to lean into the unique assets that Bryant U University offers, uh, Rhode Island companies. And, you know, I mean, just the amount of time we've spent on tariff mitigation strategies uh over the last year, I think has warranted the the investment that Brian's put in.
Bill Bartholomew
Yeah, and I think that also helps to continue this effort that institutions, uh certainly here on this show, anywhere, uh localizing the realities of, as you put it, put it, liberation day and just the moment that we're in right now on a hyper local basis. So with that being said, this being the 40th anniversary of the summit and and uh again for the millionth time I've said it on this episode, in this crazy moment, how does what why does this matter to round businesses right now?
SPEAKER_01
Well, I I think that Rhode Island businesses um they they need interdisciplinary support from business professionals and academics to be able to achieve the results that they that they do deserve to reach um to achieve. Yeah.
Bill Bartholomew
And honestly, that seems to be a space that is there's so much confusion. And obviously on a fiduciary level, on an individual basis, maybe there's advisory. But how important is it for from your standpoint to be that central uh leader in this space right now in this moment for Rhode Island businesses?
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, well, you know, we we talked uh before about how you know there's a state trade director in every state, but we're the only state that we're domiciled in a prestigious, you know, private sector institution. And that intersection between higher education and economic development and innovation is really, I think, critical uh for for Rhode Islanders to have. Um recently there was some concern that some federal trade support programs were gonna go by the wayside. And uh many, many states were were struggling. And because we're so much more than just the federal programs, uh, we've been benchmarked. And a lot of that just focuses around Bryant University and all of the assets that that connect Bryant University to economic development. It's a real economic development differentiator for the state.
Bill Bartholomew
Yes. All right, let's talk uh here just in in with specificity, September 24th. That's the date of the Global Trade Summit. Probably should have noted that right at the top, but here it is, September 24th, that'll be that 40th anniversary. So um anybody that's interested in attending it, it's global-trade-summit.bryant.edu. And I'll link that as well wherever you're listening right now. That's where you can get all the information about it uh if you want to attend. But what can people expect without necessarily running through the entire agenda, but thematically and from key takeaways, what can people expect if they attend?
SPEAKER_01
Well, I'll just build on the discussion that we had before about it being an interesting year. So we have Council General from Canada, uh Bernadette Jordan, who will be, you know, basically having an hour-long conversation with our ecosystem. She's bringing um a Blue Economy uh robotics company down uh to be part of that discussion. But what's really exciting is that even though, like, so even though mom and dad aren't getting along, say the federal governments, the kids are getting along really well. There's a lot happening on the state level and on the province level. So I'm, you know, I think it's going to be great for Rhode Island companies to have an opportunity to really hear some direct um talk from the council general and and and to digest that uh relative to their, to, you know, to their situations, but also hearing about some success stories and how those companies uh were able to do things like mitigate tariffs or actually increase business during this uncertain time. So that's that's on the you know, on the Canada side and on the tariff side. And I would say that um, you know, another thing that uh you know our participants really like is that we bring in top economists. We we've got one uh global thought leader on the macro tariff side coming in from uh Moody's uh to speak. And and I always get great input from Rhode Island companies on that opportunity. We have uh a gentleman named Mike Santora. He owns a company, uh a robotics company Logic in Massachusetts. And he is doing things that potentially could lead to him working with SpaceX to load and unload cargo on the moon. So I think listening, uh that you know, that's really I think going to be really interesting for Rhode Island companies to um to meet a thought leader in that space. Uh would would would love it if um he could also operate in Rhode Island. Uh maybe we can talk to him about that. We we we've got a fantastic AI panel. Um I I think that the the speakers on it are going to bring something that's gonna be original uh and and and quite valuable. Uh we we also have one of the the globe's and it's and she's a Brian alum, uh, C-suite coaches, uh Monica Sattler, and she's just summited 30 mountains in Europe, and she has uh just a fantastic way of connecting her experiences and motivation and and leadership in companies. And so she'll wrap up the day for us. So that's just a taste of um we have a logistics panel with top freight forwarders and customs brokers and trade attorneys that can really get in and talk about things like the AIPA refunds. As you know, that the President Trump's tariffs were struck down, and now there's billions that we need to get back. So Rhode Island companies want to connect with, you know, this is a very Byzantine area, you know, complicated to work in. So we provide that connection with um, you know, with that. And I and and I should say that, you know, we uh uh you'll probably ask me about the World Trade Center. The day before on the 23rd, we're holding a training, uh, a very r robust training program inspired by a World Trade Organization uh uh program where we're having a day-long training uh for Rhode Island companies uh, you know, on several issues that are you know pertinent to their business right now. Tariffs, of course.
Bill Bartholomew
Yeah, well, I I do want to note that because recently the Chafee Center at Bryant University became the official designee um for the World Trade Center in Rhode Island. So what does that even mean?
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, so um the World Trade Center Association is a global nonprofit organization uh that seeks to connect locations uh that are interested in uh in global business. So the World Trade Center Association has a fantastic brand, lots of gravitas. Uh they operate in 90 countries, over 300 World Trade Centers in those 90 countries. And and uh Ray Fogarty, who was really the founder of the of the Chafee Center, he had the option to license uh uh this years ago. And for a lot of reasons, it just didn't work out. And part of it was uh just the fact that back then the World Trade Center Association was was more focused on real estate, which was not really a need for us. Now the World Trade Center is offering some of the world's greatest training uh for people that are looking to export, people that are looking for global partnerships. So for the Chafee Center, we can really punch above our weight. Of course, we do our own training, but now we can connect uh Rhode Island companies with these incredible training programs. Uh I talked about how Byzantine and technical a lot of the needs that the Rhode Island companies have. Well, World Trade Centers are really good at attracting like technical talent that want to come in and volunteer their time. And I'm, you know, with with our team at Chafee, we're building an incredible um uh uh board of directors right now for the World Trade Center. Uh and um, you know, I I know that those people are gonna really step up and help companies as they as they become part of our system, uh, become our community. And then and then if I could just say that the state of Virginia has 21 uh brick and mortar economic development offices around the world, depending on how you measure it. Texas, 30. Rhode Island, we don't really have the resources to be able to do that. And of course, the face-to-face is important, but I think rather than complaining, we're we're activating this license and and we're going to use the World Trade Centers to assist us in flying the flag, the Rhode Island flag around the world. I think it's an innovative approach. And already I'm getting requests from Rhode Island companies and we're reaching out to the World Trade Center, and they're making it so much more efficient for me to make the connections for those uh companies that they need. Uh so we're just very bullish on on uh on the World Trade Center uh for Rhode Island and uh really excited to see how it's gonna help with training, it's gonna help with the connections uh internationally, it's gonna create the technical advisory board. And then finally, for our branding, you know, globally, it's a known brand. So we're still powered by the Chafee Center, but to present ourselves as World Trade Center, Rhode Island, I think uh gives us a gravitas and an opening now that'll create new opportunities.
Bill Bartholomew
Yeah, certainly makes sense. No question there. What do you hear from Rhode Island companies right now in terms of what they need to grow, to be able to compete regionally, to be able to compete internationally? I there there you I hear a lot of different things, whether it's through interviews or just through just conversations uh that sometimes are very specific, sometimes are very general. What are you hearing?
SPEAKER_01
That's uh that's a tough question. Uh because we're you know we're we're hearing a lot. Uh you know, access to access to capital uh is is is a theme that is always present in international business and and trade. And you know, I don't know, did we get a uh a rate height today? I think we were gonna hear. But uh, you know, just with the increase in cost and capital, that's something that's you know that's on the mind of many. Um many are uh being innovative and looking at things like foreign trade zones and how they might be able to support their cash flow by uh by utilizing these um you know these these these tools. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm hearing that uh talent is something that uh is really uh a challenge for a lot of companies. I I've in when I was in the private sector, I worked a lot in the in the blue economy and and the blue tech space. And just you know, trying to find qualified people is is is critical. And I, you know, that's one of the reasons why not only Bryant, but all of the the institutions of higher ed, this intersection with economic development, our practice, for example, is a great workforce development pipeline. So I I would say capital uh pipeline, of course, everybody is you know, I AI, you know, I don't I don't have to you know spend a lot of time on that, especially the over the last three weeks. Uh, you know, we went from worrying about whether we were going to be number one to whether, you know, to you know, what's what's what's what what what potentially could be disastrous.
Bill Bartholomew
So are we gonna be is it matter who is number one because there'll be nothing but number zero is sort of where it seems like some of the warnings are recently. Yeah, that's that that all resonates. And I wonder from your standpoint then as looking at it through the lens of the Chafee Center and the resources that Bryant puts into the summit, I think that's critical to note as well. But then and then obviously your personal experience. But all of that being said, how does the Chafee Center uh or how do you aspire to have the Chafee Center positioned as a resource for companies, whether it's any of those things you just mentioned or anything else in Rhode Island, to really get like was ac economic development is like such a theoretical concept. And but what you're talking about here is actual the development of trying to turn problems into solutions, right? That's economic development at its most fundamental level. So how do you do that?
unknown
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01
So what when I came on, I was really lucky that uh Bryant and Commerce Rhode Island received uh monies to be able to do some um strategic planning. And we went through a year-long strategic planning process uh at Chafee. And I'll say that the the big outcome there was just hearing that companies no longer wanted that awareness training uh and kind of high-level training. What they really needed were customized consulting engagements. And and that's a really scary thing for a trade office because you're only a few people. How do you scale providing that type of um that type of need? And Brian has the Practica program where companies can hire a group of students uh in a professor and mentor-led process where they can have a 10-week engagement and and really get the type of support, customized support that that we're hearing that they that they need. Virginia, which is seen as one of the gold standards, has created a trade accelerator program that gives that type of customized service, and they've put in millions, and uh they're really proud that they can do 25 companies a year. The Bryant Practice is 50 companies a year. So we're so the Chafee Center manages that process, connects the Rhode Island companies with the appropriate practica. There's a supply chain practica, there's a international business practica, there's an MBA practical, which is more agnostic. Uh but as as the state trade expansion program looked like it might go away, many states didn't know what their state trade offices were going to do. And they were all uh grappling with this scaling issue. And I'm so proud to say that we're being benchmarked by over a dozen states that are really interested to see how this intersection of higher ed uh is shaping uh you know economic development. Um so that's that's one piece. And then this and then there are the traditional things that's that offices do, like manage the state trade expansion program, which provides small grants to Rhode Island companies that want to go on trade missions and trade shows. Um Bryant has incredible innovation labs and things that are outside the practica uh and in in many disciplines, uh, one of the best libraries in the country. So part of my job is to you know help commerce punch above our weight by applying, by connecting all of these Brian assets. And for Brian, their sweet spot is experiential learning and giving opportunities for students to do real-world work. So it's really a great marriage, so to speak.
Bill Bartholomew
Yeah. Again, the Global Trade Summit, I've linked it wherever you're listening right now. Um, it'll be right on the top of the show notes. That'll take you to the website that'll give you all the information if you want to attend anything else for that matter. Uh Jason, just uh last 30 seconds here as we we head out. Um, give me your your own view, if you will, sort of wishful thinking or maybe ambitious thinking, whatever it may be. What role do you see Bryant playing in the business ecosystem here in Rhode Island, regionally in sort of the New England slash tri-state, you know, sort of overlapping regions, and then globally, uh, what role could Bryant potentially have uh leading those conversations over the next decade?
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I think that I I I really would like to hold on to the word regional because I think that that that's that's our sweet spot. And you you talked before about what are companies doing? How are they mitigating these these challenges? How are they seizing the opportunity? There's a lot of regional cooperation going on right now. And I think that Bryant is really seen as a Northeast leader in the international trade space because of Bryant University. Uh, we almost have, so to speak, an international business cluster, just like there's a Blue Economy cluster and there's a life science cluster. So I I'd like to for Bryant to be continue to be in the center of the conversation about global opportunity for Rhode Islanders and also facilitating innovation regionally as well. And then naturally through our our new World Trade Center uh international network that we that we connect uh you know Rhode Island companies uh with with these opportunities in a in a more efficient and robust way.
Bill Bartholomew
Jason Kelly, Chafee Center, click that link wherever you're listening right now. Get to this summit. It's uh I went last year, it was awesome. And also credit where credit's due. You had some great vegan items on the breakfast buffet. So there you go. Great. Makes the day that much better.
SPEAKER_01
Thanks for everything. Thanks for everything you do with your podcast, and thanks for your continued interest in in Brian.
Bill Bartholomew
Yeah, it's a it's a huge it's a great resource.
SPEAKER_01
Hopefully I'll have a great update for you this time next year.
.jpeg)
