MWTC is please to introduce TechEx, an initiative that will help Montana businesses in industries such as cloud computing, photonics, and bioscience move to the forefront of technical exports by bringing together an experienced team in international trade and technical law and offering practical training based on the every-day experience of real Montana companies.
Meet the Tech Export Team
Justin Cook
Cook works with private businesses and universities in the U.S. and abroad to develop and maintain Export Compliance programs and help these entities obtain export licenses and agreements, as well as conduct program audits and training. His experience in export control includes six years as a Foreign Service Officer working in the State Department’s export control enforcement program. He also has five years experience in the United States Air Force as an Acquisition Program Manager for Satellite Communication and Satellite Ground Station systems and for the establishment of Montana State University’s research compliance program, which includes an Empowered Official position for export control and has a focus on optics, satellite research, and military research contracts. Cook is a Certified U.S. Export Compliance Officer and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.
Dr. Joel Henry
As senior counsel with Worden Thane P.C., Joel Henry brings PhD level computer science knowledge to the practice of law. He focuses in areas where technology and the law overlap— intellectual property, technology law, export control, electronic discovery, and digital evidence. Joel’s skills and experience in a broad range of technology fields allows him to develop and strengthen legal arguments. Conversely, his legal experience allows Joel to leverage technology to solve problems and support cases. He has the ability to work with lawyers, technical staff, clients, and the bench on a wide range of matters. Joel brings a proven history of successful business projects to bear as well, including his success in building Agile Data Solutions from a startup business to a technology company with assets of interest to national companies. Based in Missoula, Montana while working for one of the Missoula’s highly regarded legal firms, Joel brings experience in export control policies and legal requirements to the Tech Export Team. He has worked with both public and private organizations on export control challenges. Joel provides free initial consultations and then advises companies on cost-effective approaches to technology export activities.
Angela Marshall Hofmann
Hofmann is the founder and president of World Strategies, LLC and has served as a trusted advisor to members of the U.S. Congress and executive branch, as well as to CEOs and senior executives in complex, multi-national organizations. She has a history of developing innovative public-private partnerships in emerging markets and is known as a catalyst for change and a driver of social entrepreneurship. Hofmann has served as the vice president of International Corporate Affairs at Walmart Stores, Inc., where she led the company’s external engagement in 40-plus retail, e-commerce, and sourcing countries around the world. She also launched innovative public-private chain capacity building projects focused on transparency, building safety, agricultural development, and women’s economic empowerment in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Hofmann has also served as the international trade counsel on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee under Chairman Max Baucus.
Antoinette “Toni” Tease
Tease is a registered patent attorney who opened her own law firm in 2003 and who uses her experience with global technology companies to handle cases involving intellectual property, international patent and trademark protection, export licensing issues related to software and other technologies and agreements with international manufacture, distribution, and licensing of products and services. Tease also served as general counsel for the software development company Rocky Mountain Technology Group Inc. and has chaired every committee in the American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law having to do with software, hardware and databases, as well as the entire Information Technology division.
Dr. Udo Fluck
People from around the world engage in the creation and dissemination of technology—even high-tech, low-touch product companies benefit from strategies that enable the recognition and understanding of values, beliefs, customs, and behavior that other cultures bring to a human interaction or a business. Dr. Udo Fluck, founder of Intercultural and Global Competency Training and Consulting (IGCTC), is a German-born, cross-cultural researcher, educational entrepreneur, and award-winning instructor with over a decade of experience in educational program development, implementation, and assessment. Since 2003, Dr. Fluck maintains an active, nationally recognized research program and has taught intercultural awareness and global competence seminars in Montana’s class rooms and communities. He teaches in UM’s School of Business Administration, Global Engagement, the English Language Institute, and Inspired Classroom. He has developed and presented more than 650 seminars to date, including training’s for a variety of businesses, the health care industry, real estate, as well as non-profit organizations.
Sarah Massie
Meet Sarah Massie: a globally recognized export compliance expert, national speaker, trusted consultant, future author, and adventurous entrepreneur who runs her company from the beautiful country of France. Sarah is the President of S Massie Consulting LLC, where she specializes in export consulting, creating written processes and protocols for export and ITAR compliance programs, and training companies to navigate the complicated laws and regulations for U.S. exports. With almost 20 years of experience in international business, Sarah has organized promotions at international trade shows and Governor-led trade missions in over 10 countries around the world.
Before starting her own consulting company, Sarah Massie worked as a Senior International Trade Specialist for the Idaho Department of Commerce. Additionally, Sarah has volunteered as an Aerospace Liaison for the Idaho Manufacturing Alliance and served on the boards of the Idaho Aerospace Alliance and the Boise Cricket Club. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boise State University with a B.B.A. in International Business. Sarah is also the author of an upcoming book titled “The Two Lives I’ve Lived,” which uses her personal story to empower women to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams with confidence.
Learn more about S Massie Consulting LLC at www.smassie.com