Are your customers concerned about buying from you because of the Buy American provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? Or perhaps you are interested in taking advantage of the billions of dollars of stimulus money being injected into public works projects throughout the US? This workshop will focus on:

1. The implications of Buy American provisions in the Recovery Act for Canadian businesses
2. How businesses can be effective advocates on Buy American
3. Business opportunities from the U.S. Recovery Act and strategies to succeed in U.S. government contracting

Learn what you can do to help your company navigate the intricacies of this legislation and come out on top.

1. The implications of Buy American provisions in the Recovery Act for Canadian businesses

Jean-Philippe Linteau

Mr. Jean-Philippe Linteau is the Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Embassy in Washington where his team assists Canadian businesses to find commercial success in the United States. He has assisted a number of Canadian companies to understand and develop strategies to deal with the new Buy American provisions that were included in the stimulus package. He has also been intimately involved with the effort to find a solution that would provide access to the U.S. sub-federal procurement market in the United States for Canadian exporters.

Mr. Linteau joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1997 and was previously posted to South Korea and Malaysia as a Trade Commissioner helping Canadian businesses achieve commercial success in Asia. He also served as a political officer at the Canadian High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Linteau holds a Masters in Environmental Science from the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. in agriculture from McGill University in Montreal. Prior to joining the Canadian Government, Mr. Linteau managed an environmental NGO in Montreal.

2. How businesses can be effective advocates on Buy American

Brian McCready

Mr. Brian McCready is the Vice President of the Alberta and Saskatchewan divisions of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association (CME).

3. Business opportunities from the U.S. Recovery Act and strategies to succeed in U.S. government contracting

David J. Beightol

David Beightol serves as Managing Principal for Dutko Worldwide as well as Managing Director for Dutko Government Markets.

Prior to joining Dutko, Mr. Beightol was Director of Government Affairs for the large multinational corporation, Johnson Controls, Inc. Before opening Johnson Controls’ government affairs operation in 1993, David was Senior Associate/Partner at International Business Resources, Inc. From 1991 to 1992 Mr. Beightol served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs. In 1992, President Bush appointed David Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on the Los Angeles Recovery. From 1987 to 1991 he served as Director of Wisconsin Governor Tommy G Thompson’s Washington, DC office. Mr. Beightol began his political career in the U.S. House of Representatives, first in the office of Representative James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) followed by the Science, Space and Technology Committee. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Mr. Beightol is married with three children and resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland.