SLU International Business Now: Conversations That Matter

Boeing Institute of International Business
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This podcast series has been developed by the Boeing Institute of International Business in the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University to extend the impact of our programs. In this series, critical thought leaders from around the world address current key business issues. Series guests share their expert perspectives on a variety of topics ranging from post-Brexit Europe to Covid Market Recovery, Geo-Economic Strategies, the Green Deal, and much more. Through the Podcast format, these unique business conversations will reach beyond the classroom to a global audience. Academic and business listeners will have immediate access to first-hand insights and assessments, with the aim of promoting future discussion across these listener communities and encouraging community action. To learn more about the Boeing Institute of International Business and international business academic programs in the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University, please visit biib.slu.edu.

  1. Episode 37: Rooted in Nature

    11/11/2025

    Episode 37: Rooted in Nature

    Featuring Cultivo Co-Founder & CEO, Dr. Manuel Piñuela Join host Todd Hovermale and guest Dr. Manuel Piñuela, Co-Founder and CEO of Cultivo in a discussion about the company’s early years, building a team for a resilient future, and staying rooted in nature.  Dr Manuel Piñuela is a nature advocate, technology, health and science entrepreneur, and recipient of multiple awards, including MIT Technology Review Innovator of the Year under 35. He is Co-founder of Cultivo, Drayson Tech. and SENS.L. Experienced in nature restoration and investments, private equity, venture investment, IPOs, M&A and technology commercialization. Manuel believes that land regeneration is one of the most valuable solutions needed to ensure resilience for current and future generations.  Creating Cultivo allows him to focus and amplify nature’s impact as well as position nature as an attractive infrastructure-like investment opportunity.   Visit Guest Dr. Manuel Piñuela LinkedIn Profile

    39 min
  2. Episode 36: Real International Business Challenges from Real Companies

    09/09/2025

    Episode 36: Real International Business Challenges from Real Companies

    Featuring X-Culture Program Founder and Coordinator, Dr. Vas Taras Join host Chris Carril and guest Dr. Vas Taras, founder and coordinator of the X-Culture Project, as they discuss the X-Culture and its mission.  X-Culture is a large-scale international experiential learning project that involves over 6,500 MBA and business students from 150 universities from 70 countries on six continents every semester. As of 2024, over 115,000 students have completed the X-Culture Program. The students are placed in global virtual teams of about seven, each student coming from a different country. Working with people from around the globe and dealing with cultural differences, time-zone dispersion, and global communication challenges, the teams complete a consulting project for a multi-national company.  Dr. Vas Taras is an Associate Professor of International Business at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is the founder and coordinator of the X-Culture Project which he launched in 2010. He received his PhD in Human Resource Management and Organizational Dynamics from the University of Calgary, Canada and his Master’s in Political Economy from the University of Texas at Dallas. He teaches International Business at the Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His research revolves around cross-cultural and global virtual teams and experiential approaches to international business education. His research team is particularly interested in the potential of large and diverse crowds of amateurs in solving complex business problems. He is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, and the Editorial Board member of Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Journal of International Management, and Management Research Review. He is a recipient of numerous research and teaching awards for his work in International Business. He has lived, worked and studied in half a dozen countries and has experience as a manager, businessman, and business consultant. Visit Guest Dr. Vas Taras’ LinkedIn Profile

    25 min
  3. Episode 35: Providing Flavor Solutions

    08/12/2025

    Episode 35: Providing Flavor Solutions

    Featuring Sensient’s President, Steve Morris Join host Jeff Klopfenstein and guest Steve Morris, President of Sensient Flavors and Extracts, as they discuss adapting to mega trends in flavors, meeting global challenges head on, and what is driving growth at the company.  Steve Morris joined Sensient’s Color Group in June 2007 and served as Sales Director of Food Colors US. He served as General Manager, Food Colors from October 2012 through August 2017, during which time his oversight progressively expanded from the US to North America, and ultimately to the Americas. Mr. Morris has held his current role as General Manager, Sweet & Beverage Flavors North America since August 2017. Prior to joining Sensient, Mr. Morris held various commercial leadership roles at DuPont (Solae) and operations management roles at Unilever. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University and an MBA from Washington University’s Olin School of Business. Mr. Morris was born and raised in Iowa and is married with three adult children. Sensient Technologies Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of colors, flavors, and other specialty ingredients. Sensient uses advanced technologies and robust global supply chain capabilities to develop specialized solutions for food and beverages, as well as products that serve the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and personal care industries. Sensient’s customers range in size from small entrepreneurial businesses to major international manufacturers representing some of the world’s best-known brands. Sensient is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Visit Guest Steve Morris’ LinkedIn

    26 min
  4. Episode 34: Tariffs and Board Game Publishing

    06/10/2025

    Episode 34: Tariffs and Board Game Publishing

    Join host Nick Coffman and guest Jamey Stegmaier as they discuss tariffs on China, their effects on board game publishers, and how the industry is approaching a future full of uncertainties.  Jamey Stegmaier (he/him) is the co-founder, lead designer, and president at Stonemaier Games (St. Louis, Missouri). He also handles development, marketing, content creation, project management, and direct-to-consumer sales. Jamey designed Viticulture, Euphoria, Scythe, Charterstone, Tapestry, Red Rising, Rolling Realms, Smitten, Expeditions, and Vantage, and he has had a lifelong passion for playing and designing board games. He shares his insights, mistakes, and lessons learned on the Stonemaier Games blog. Jamey grew up in Virginia playing games like chess, Scotland Yard, Labyrinth, Milles Bourne, poker, Risk, Key to the Kingdom, Monopoly, Magic, Stratego, Dragon Dice, and hearts (and designing games like these). He attended Washington University in St. Louis and studied abroad for a year in Kyoto. He currently lives in St. Louis with his partner (Megan) and his cat (Walter). In addition to playing and designing games, his other hobbies include playing disc golf, reading, writing, blogging, and watching movies and sports. His passion for crowdfunding led him to write A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide, a book about crowdfunding, entrepreneurship, and putting customers’ needs before your own as you form a community. You can subscribe to Jamey’s game design YouTube channel, follow him on Instagram, or e-mail him at jamey@stonemaier.com.

    23 min
  5. Episode 33: Sustainability and Leveraging AI

    05/20/2025

    Episode 33: Sustainability and Leveraging AI

    Join guest host Chris Carril with guests Matt Blakely and Dr. Jeff Heaton as they discuss RGA’s sustainability efforts, responsibility to its community and stakeholders, and leveraging AI to help in those efforts.  Matt Blakely leads RGA’s global philanthropic, volunteerism, and sustainability reporting efforts. Since joining RGA in 2020, Matt and his team have developed and executed enterprise strategies that have enhanced the company’s environmental sustainability and corporate citizenship. As of 2024, more than 60% of RGA employees participate in volunteerism, philanthropy, or sustainability causes. Additionally, RGA offsets 90% of its 2023 Scope 1 and 2 emissions globally.   Jeff Heaton, Vice President, AI Innovation, has over 23 years of experience in insurance underwriting, retrocession, and predictive analytics. He leads a team focused on fueling generative AI (GenAI) innovation across RGA, chairs the AI Council, and provides global advisory expertise on AI adoption. A recognized industry thought leader, Jeff publishes the RGA GenAI Quarterly Update and frequently speaks at SOA, GUAA, and IEEE events. He represents RGA as a board member of Washington University’s Center for Analytics and Business Insights (CABI) and has contributed to academic and medical research.

    18 min

  6. 04/15/2025

    Episode 32: Reissue - Leading During Chaotic Times

    This month's episode is a reissue of a previous episode from April 2022.  International Business Disruptions:  Leading During Chaotic Times with  A.C. Marchionne The international business landscape has been disrupted by COVID-19 for nearly 2 years, and now a war in Europe is creating chaos.  Join host Todd Hovermale, Advisory Board Member in the Boeing Institute of Business, as he discusses strategies on leading during chaotic times with A.C. Marchionne, President of Sales & Marketing and Board Chairman at Greiner Bio-One North America.  The international business disruptions experienced by Greiner have created a need for stronger leaders.  Together, Todd and A.C. engage in a discussion on the need for strong International Business Leadership and the skills necessary to motivate and lead teams to success during highly chaotic times.     A.C. previously lead a team of 450 at Greiner Bio-One North America, which is a privately held plastic manufacturing company located in Monroe, NC whose three divisions manufacture a variety of products for the medical and research fields. As an international manufacturer with global reach, Greiner Bio-One provides the manufacturing, distribution logistics and product application support to the world’s largest hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations.

    28 min
  7. Episode 31: Flavor, Fragrance, and AI

    03/11/2025

    Episode 31: Flavor, Fragrance, and AI

    Join guest host Lin Hemings with guest Rich Puskarich, Workplace Production Vice President, Digital at International Flavors & Fragrances as they discuss what caramel macchiato, Chanel #5, and LLMs like ChatGPT all have in common at IFF.

    29 min
  8. Episode 30: Franchising: Navigating Political and Ethical Minefields with Peter Smith and Dr. Mamoun Benmamoun

    02/18/2025

    Episode 30: Franchising: Navigating Political and Ethical Minefields with Peter Smith and Dr. Mamoun Benmamoun

    Join guest host Matthew Wilcox with guest Peter Smith, former VP of Global Franchising at Enterprise Mobility, and Dr. Mamoun Benmamoun, Saint Louis University, IB professor, as they discuss international franchising and the many challenges of business abroad. Peter Smith oversaw Enterprise Mobility’s worldwide franchise operations and expansion efforts up until his retirement in 2024. Dr. Mamoun Benmamoun is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Business at Saint Louis University. His research focuses on international e-business strategy, the application of AI and analytics in international decision-making, and the political economy of international trade and finance. Dr. Bemamoun’s article, McDonald's in the Middle East: Navigating Political and Ethical Minefields, can be found in Volume 12 of The Journal of Business Ethics Education. View Guest Peter Smith’s LinkedIn View Guest Dr. Mamoun Benmamoun’s LinkedIn

    23 min
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About

This podcast series has been developed by the Boeing Institute of International Business in the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University to extend the impact of our programs. In this series, critical thought leaders from around the world address current key business issues. Series guests share their expert perspectives on a variety of topics ranging from post-Brexit Europe to Covid Market Recovery, Geo-Economic Strategies, the Green Deal, and much more. Through the Podcast format, these unique business conversations will reach beyond the classroom to a global audience. Academic and business listeners will have immediate access to first-hand insights and assessments, with the aim of promoting future discussion across these listener communities and encouraging community action. To learn more about the Boeing Institute of International Business and international business academic programs in the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University, please visit biib.slu.edu.

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