Presentation

A Luncheon Program featuring Amb. Juan B. Sosa President, U.S.-Panama Business Council  and Former Ambassador of Panama to the United States Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:00 Noon  (11:30 a.m. networking reception) Plimsoll Club, 30th Floor, WTC (Free validated parking in the WTC Garage)

About Panama

Panama’s vibrant economy makes it one of the best markets in Latin America for Louisiana companies to do business. The members of the 47-member Louisiana Trade Mission that traveled to Panama in January of this year can attest to the favorable business environment and the ease of doing business there, as well as the numerous opportunities for Louisiana companies in many sectors. The U.S. and Panama are currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement, which will further expand the opportunities for new business and for Louisiana exports of goods and services to Panama (see U.S. and Louisiana exports to Panama by industry at www.wtcno.org/tradestats/panama). 

Juan Sosa is a successful businessman, diplomat, and leader in U.S.-Panama trade development. He will discuss these subjects, as well as describe ExpoTrans 2005, a multimodal transportation expo conference being held in Panama City July 18-20 (www.us-panama.org). The Expo-Conference is being chaired by Panama’s Vice President and Minister of Foreign Relations Samuel Lewis Navarro and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater.

About Amb. Juan B. Sosa

Ambassador Sosa, a graduate in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma, has been in the private sector since 1963, having worked for Colgate Palmolive Company at the beginning of his career as an international marketing executive, and from 1969 to 1988 as Chairman of the Board of his own business and marketing consulting company specializing in market research, political polling, social forecasting, and media. From 1970-72 he was General Manager of Panama's Philip Morris licensee. Between 1985 and 1989 he served as Chairman of the Board of Air Panama, the national airline, and between 1987 and 1989 as ex-officio Member of the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Commission.

Juan B. Sosa arrived in Washington, D.C. in October 1987 as Ambassador of Panama to the White House representing the Government of President Delvalle. In February of 1988 he denounced Noriega's ousting of Delvalle and led a coalition of forces in the United States in a fight to overthrow the dictatorial regime of Noriega. He continued to be recognized by the United States as the legitimate Ambassador of Panama and served until August 1989 upon termination of President Delvalle's constitutional mandate. In the ensuing months, Ambassador Sosa continued to be involved in the struggle against the dictatorship, a chapter that culminated in the ousting of Noriega by U.S. military forces in December 1989.

At present Ambassador Sosa is President of Panamerica, a Washington-based firm specialized in public affairs and business development serving the U.S. market and Latin America. He also is President of the U.S.-Panama Business Council (www.us-panama.org), the U.S.-Central America Trade Council, board member of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber, and President, CEO and founder of the Greater America Business Coalition.