KENTUCKY DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL

Member of the National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC)

---

RICHARD GRANA – KENTUCKY DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL CHAIRMAN

Richard J. Grana is president of IMPEX, providing Export Management Company (EMC) global services to conveyor accessories and bulk material equipment manufacturers. He has more than 35 years of experience in manufacturing, materials management (with Heublein, Genex, Chris Craft Yachts, and Aladdin Industries) in sales (domestic and international), marketing, global purchasing, distribution, and plant start-up.

Appointments:

KY District Export Council (KDEC)–Member since 2003, Vice Chair in 2006, and Chair in 2022 to Present.

NADEC–Associate Member from 2012- 2020; Co-Chair of the Trade Policy Committee 2017-2019); Advisory Board from 2020-2023. NADEC-Board Member -Great Lakes Regional Representative-2023-Present.

KEDFA– (KY Economic Development Finance Authority) Member 2005-2012.

World Trade Center of KY–Board Member 2015-2017.

In 2008, the US Secretary of Commerce and the USTR appointed him to the ITAC 11/9 Committee. His activities include being a member and presenter with the US Delegation to various US-UK Dialogues and EU-U.S. SME Workshops in the framework of the Transatlantic Economic Council. He received his BA degree from the University of KY and is a US Army Armor Veteran. www.rgrana.com.

SUSAN PARKER – KDEC CO-VICE CHAIR/ CORPORATE SECRETARY

Susan Parker is the Vice President of Supply Chain for Kenmark Eyewear. Ms. Parker began her career at Kenmark in 1983 as a warehouse associate and throughout her time with the organization has been instrumental in the development and alignment of several departments within the organization.

Since 1993, Parker has expanded corporate social responsibility initiatives, developed a strong supplier audit and evaluation program, and helped Kenmark obtain their ISCC certification. She currently oversees all aspects of Kenmark’s global trade initiatives, domestic logistics, and supplier compliance processes. She also is responsible for all sustainability efforts and supports demand planning and forecasting functions for select brands.

susanparker@kenmarkeyewear.com

DEBRA DUDLEY – KENTUCKY DISTICT EXPORT COUNCIL VICE CHAIR

Formerly an aspiring singer and song writer, Debra Dudley was climbing the country music charts with a series of top 40s hits, dreaming about performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. During one of her performances, Reg Dudley, her late husband, was in the audience. Instantly smitten, he became her partner in life and ultimately in business. Together they invented a collection of disposable and porcelain coated steel grilling accessories manufactured in Bonnieville, Kentucky, called Oscarware® grill toppers toppers. As co-founder and president of Oscarware®, Inc., Debra has now achieved stardom as an outdoor grilling guru.
Reg was a pioneer in the satellite dish industry until it imploded due to competition from cable. The first house they lived in did not have a kitchen stove. The outdoor gas grill was a great solution but made it difficult to grill certain foods so Reg placed a rectangle sheet of the expanded metal fashioned from the same material as their satellite dish on top of the grill grates. This made it possible to grill delicate fish, pizza, fresh vegetables. Little did they know this ingenious product would change outdoor grilling forever.

A close friend and member of the Grand Ole Opry, Oscar Sullivan, asked the couple to make these to sell at his Singing Hills campground located only two miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. The eponymous Oscarware® grill toppers were born. Among the early enthusiasts were the famous backstage family Debra adopted at the Opry – singers Roy Acuff, Porter Wagoner and Jack Greene. Owing to their endorsement visibility exploded. Made in the USA Oscarware® products are currently available across the US — at Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Wegmans, Publix and Albertsons – and 14 other countries thru ASDA and AAFES. The products are also available on Amazon.com, and www.oscarwareinc.com; global expansion is underway.

Debra has received national recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration, was honored as Kentucky’s Small Businessperson of the Year, and received numerous tributes including the Kentucky SBDC Pacesetter Award. As a successful woman-owned business, she was recognized as the WBENC Southeast Woman Owned Business of the Year. Debra was the 2024 recipient of the Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership®.

On May 14, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce honored Oscarware®, Inc. with the President’s “E” Award recognizing their contribution to increasing U.S. exports. Created in 1961 by Executive Order of the President, the President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition a U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. U.S. companies that have successfully grown their exports in overseas markets. along with companies or organizations that have facilitated the exports of others, are nominated by the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) U.S. Commercial Service, within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For more information about Oscarware®, please visit our website, check us out on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

BLANCA RAMIREZ-GUTIERREZ – TREASURER

Blanca Ramirez-Gutierrez moved from Guadalajara, Mexico to Kentucky in 2004 when she joined Lectrodryer as International Sales manager. Previously, she was a Trade Specialist at the Kentucky Trade Office in Mexico where she assisted Kentucky companies to export to that market. During her tenure at Lectrodryer, she has supported export initiatives from the US Commercial Service, World Trade Center – KY and educational institution at all levels that promote exports. Today, Ramirez-Gutierrez leads the Green Energy Solutions for Lectrodryer, a product line that adapts Lectrodryer’s technology to the needs of the ongoing Energy Transition with a focus on Hydrogen and Biogas. The export challenges to Lectrodryer’s technology were one of the motivations for her to join the District Export Council so that the voice of the small manufacturers could be heard in Washington.  Blanca is passionate about being part of a positive change and enjoys empowering others in matters of trade and leadership.

KDEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Richard Grana – President – IMPEX – KDEC Chairman
• Mona Musa – Director – US Commercial Service – KDEC Executive Secretary
• Susan Parker – Vice President of Supply Chain – Kenmark Eyewear – KDEC Co-Vice Chair and Corporate Secretary
• Debra Dudley – Co-Founder and President, Oscarware – KDEC Co-Vice Chair
• Blanca Ramirez-Gutierrez – Green Hydrogen Solutions Manager – Lectrodryer – KDEC Treasurer
• Kelly Watkins – President – Expressive Concepts – Past NADEC Great Lakes Representative – Education and Outreach Committee
• Mona Chorera – Executive Director of International Affairs – Midway University – KDEC Education Committee Chair
• Tim Hughes – CEO – Accentuating Stewardship, LLC
• Omar Ayyash – President & CEO – World Trade Center Kentucky
• Rick Clevinger – Senior International Account Executive – FedEx
• Devanny King – Executive Director – Women’s Business Center of Kentucky
• Suhas Kulkami – Principal – Kulkarni Business Advisors
• Sally Lawler – President – Valley Vista Ski Products / SkiSkootys
• Will Snell – Extension Professor – College of Agriculture, Food and Environment – University of Kentucky
• R.C. “Buck” Wheeler – President / CEO – Wheeler Enterprises Inc. dba EZ Animal Products

 

GOVERNMENT EX OFFICIO – FRIENDS OF KDEC

• Brian Miller – Senior International Trade Specialist – US Commercial Service
• Sara Moreno – International Trade Specialist – US Commercial Service
• Joseph Doyle – International Trade Specialist – US Commercial Service
• Dana Winston – Lender Relations Specialist / District International Trade Officer – U.S. Small Business Administration
• Robert Coffey – District Director – U.S. Small Business Administration
• Mark Klein – Regional Director – Export-Import Bank of the United States
• Jonathan Van Balen – Import/Export Advisor – Kentucky Department of Agriculture
• Mary NeCamp – Program Manager, State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Director
• Kyle Alexander – Business Development – V. Alexander & Co., Inc.