DAN CURRAN
Worley Companies Cedar Rapids, IA
Academic History
• MBA, University of Northern Iowa, 2008
• BA Business Administration, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI, 1993
Current & Prior Positions
• Adjunct Lecturer, Entrepreneurship, Henry B. Tippie College of Business, The University of Iowa, August 2012 - Present
• Director, Business Development; Facilities Manager, Worley Companies, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2002 - Present
• Director, Supply Chain Management; Manager, Distribution, Customer Services, and Textile Business Manager, Penford Products Co., Cedar Rapids, IA, 1995 - 2002
• Manager of Distribution, TexPar Energy, Waukesha, WI, 1994 - 1995
• Operations Planning Manager, Canadian Pacific Rail System, 1991 - 1993
• Manager, Operations Planning, Canadian Pacific Rail System, 1990 - 1991
• Assistant Division Manager - Transp, Canadian Pacific Rail System, 1986 - 1990
JESS HEWITT, CHAIRMAN/CEO
Gulf Hydrocarbon, Inc. Houston, TX
Jess Hewitt is Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Hydrocarbon, Inc, the premier provider of biodiesel to the petroleum industry. Hewitt has many years of oil and gas experience in marketing and trading for companies such as Transco Energy (now Williams Energy), Coast Gas (Now Cornerstone Propane), Hydrocarbon Processing, Equiva Trading, and Enron Energy Services.
From 2008 until 2010 he served as Chairman of the National Biodiesel Board Marketing Committee, the board’s largest committee. At the same time, he also led the Biodiesel Coalition of Texas. He served on the advisory board for the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) propane and natural gas contracts and is currently a member of the National Biodiesel Board. He is a member of the ASTM committee governing petroleum products as well as biodiesel.
He has published articles on fuel and trading in Biodiesel Magazine, Oil and Gas Journal, NYMEX in the News, Houston Business Journal and Propane Vehicle Magazine and has been quoted by the Fuel Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Houston Business Journal, Houston Post, and Houston Chronicle newspapers.
He is also a long-time member of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and for many years has served on the SCCA Houston Region Board of Directors and is a former Regional Executive. He has raced in Solo2, Formula Ford, Spec Racer Renault and Spec Racer Ford as well as Formula Mazda in SCCA club races. He has also sponsored and organized professional motorsports events in Houston. Hewitt is a third generation Houstonian and holds a BS degree in Economics from University of Houston.
LAURA ORTEGA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Laura is a Bi-lingual EU Counsel with cross-cultural communication skills, expertise in Government Relations and International Public Policy with an emphasis in Multi-jurisdiction, Consular Affairs, International Client Management and Strategic Partnerships with a working knowledge of Common Law and Civil Code systems.
With the objective of increasing global trading opportunities for Illinois and bringing Foreign Direct Investment, jobs and revenue to Illinois, Laura recently accepted the role as Executive Director of International Business Council (IBC) at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. As an attorney licensed to practice law in Madrid, her most recent position prior to the IBC was with the Spain Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation at the Legal Office for Consular Affairs where she supported diplomats in conducting legal matters relative to Spanish nationals abroad and foreign government’s offices throughout the world.
Laura is also the founder and President of Lexpaña, and international consulting concern. Some of her previous work includes heading the Immigration and Naturalization Services at the Consulate General of Spain-Chicago, working as European Union of Counsel with Delaney Law and teaching for McCormac and Triton Colleges.
In addition to her roles with the IBC, Lexpaña, and Delaney Law, Laura is a State Delegate Chair for the USGLC Illinois Advisory Committee and member of Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth’s Advisory Committee on Small Business. She is also very active in immigration issues working closely with the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugees Rights.