Michael Pechony

Michael Pechony is the President and co-founder of the American Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Being born in Kiev, Ukraine he has moved to Chicago in his youth where he has completed his education and achieved a B.S. in Finance and Computer Science at the Northeastern Illinois University.

He developed his financial skill-set working as a trading assistant for a leading market maker at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE)

Michael has a strong track-record as a successful entrepreneur, raising capital and managing a number of US and foreign SMEs which were bought out or went pubic.

In 2004 he opened a commercial mortgage practice, raising over 120 million in debt and equity for commercial real estate projects in the US and abroad.

He currently holds a position of Managing Director at iStreet Global with a major focus on international trade finance.

Mr. Michael Pechony is the Director of the ICC Ukraine in the USA, and manages the day to day operations of AUCCI.



Igor Zhizhin

Mr. Igor Zhizhin has successfully demonstrated over a decade of experience overseeing the financial interests of boutique firms in multiple sectors. His diverse background includes raising financing for a film production company in Chicago, real estate investment trust in California, and a medical transportation company in New York.

Currently , he manges a number structured finance advisory firms representing family funds and high net worth clients for equity and debt financing unavailable through conventional means. Having successfully closed over $160M in deals, the company continues to offer high leverage financing to real estate driven projects globally. Mr. Zhizhin has recently opened the Alternative Fund, LLC, a hedge fund specializing in investing in non-conforming real estate projects.

In 2008, Mr. Zhizhin has partnered with the principal of American Street Mortgage Company, a highly successfully residential mortgage company in Chicago, to launch American Street Capital . AMC is a full-service commercial lending brokerage specializing in income producing properties nationally with a focus on multi-family, office, and retail.

Mr. Zhizhin is most proud of co-founding the American Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce & industry (“ A native of Odessa, and having emigrated from Ukraine as an infant, he always dreamed of creating an organization that would link the business needs of both countries. As the current chairman, he oversees securing sponsorships and the involvement of US corporations to support the strategy of AUCCI and the needs of its members. Under his leadership, the organization continues to be a leading advisor to companies looking for business partnerships and international financing for Ukraine based projects.

Mr. Zhizhin’s academic acheivements include graduating with Honors from the University of Chicago in psychology, master equivilant certifice in Organiztional Behavior and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, and graduating with Honors from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business with a double major in finance and strategy.

Mr. Zhizhin is also actively involved with the Lymphoma Foundation, American Cancer Society, United Way, Lincoln Park Community Shelter, and LUCHA.




Svitlana Mefford

Ms. Svitlana Mefford is a co-founder and a Program Director of the American Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

She has relocated from Kiev, Ukraine to Chicago in 2004 and developed a successful translation and interpreter services firm certified by the American Translators Association. She is actively involved in the Chicago cultural environment and is a certified journalist with the City of Chicago Mayor Office of Protocol.

Ms. Mefford is an experienced international relations and translation professional having worked with USAID and senior public officials from the US and Ukraine during political functions and election proceedings.

In Ukraine Ms. Mefford held various senior positions with domestic and international insurance firms where she assessed, appraised, and processed risk contracts and legal documentation.

Ms. Mefford holds a Masters Degree in World Culture, Archeology and Foreign Languages from the National University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy.

Vik Malik

Vik Malik is a results-oriented Healthcare Executive & Consultant with over 15 years of collective Healthcare sector experience with the development & commercialization of complex scientific concepts & cutting-edge technologies for companies specializing in the: Medical-Device, Biopharmaceutical, Diagnostic & Healthcare IT industries, with penetrating new & emerging Healthcare markets.

Mr. Malik is the founder of Malix Development Group, aprivately-held Healthcare Industry consulting firm advising Medical Inventors, Entrepreneurs, PE Investors and Financiers with: due-diligence research & analysis, IP valuation models, infrastructure development, process & performance solutions and human-capital/operations support for start-up, growth & distressed U.S. and International Healthcare companies.

In addition, Mr. Malik serves as a regular-guest with an In Time T.V. segment to discuss ongoing emerging medical-technologies & healthcare start-up strategies with the On the Edge weekly medical talk-show.

He has also served as a Continuing Education Speaker for the Licensing Executives Society & Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago and served as Track Co-Chair at the Biotechnology Industry Organization BIO 2006 lnternational Conference.




Aditya Nath

Aditya Nath is CEO and Founding Partner of CGN & Associates - a highly successful global Business Performance Consulting firm. He is an expert in the field of corporate strategy, global operations, marketing and business development.

Aditya Nath has nearly 20 years of experience in Management Consulting with Fortune 500 companies. He is an alumnus of the Kellogg School of Management Executive Program at Northwestern University. Prior, he received an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from IIT Roorkee, India.





Volodymyr Shelkunov Phd

Mr. Volodymyr Shchelkunov is the Chairman of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) which is the 1st National Committee to be established in the space of post-Soviet Republics after having obtained, in 1998, a unanimous support of the delegates of ICC World Council meeting in Paris.

It is non-profitable, non-commercial public organization, and, in conformity with its Articles of Association, is registered as Association of Enterprises. It views its principal tasks in promoting nationally rules, norms, standards and ethics of conducting todays international business.

ICC Ukraine membership is currently totaling at 143 powerful national enterprises and non-residents representing big businesses.

ICC Ukraine has established till present its Regional Offices in 24 districts of Ukraine and in 17 foreign countries.

ICC Ukraine, only through 2000 2006, professionally organized and held 27 business forums in foreign countries which resulted in specific arrangements, contracts and agreements on cooperation and partnerships with chambers of commerce and industry and other National Committees.

ICC Ukraine gave its support to the World Business Organization initiative joining in its BASCAP Program (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy).

It has joined the 10 UN Principles of the Global Compact and received a relevant Certificate whereof.

ICC Ukraine, by official recognition of ICC top management, stands among the dozen, most dynamically progressing National Committees.

Mr. Volodymyr Shchelkunov graduated from the Mining university of Kryvyj Rig, worked at mining enterprises, state executive bodies and hold the position of the First Vice-Chairman of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

He is the Co-Chairman of the Ukrainian Union of Scientific and Technical Intellectuals, the Director of the Institute of Economics and Management of the National Aviation University, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor, Honoured economist of Ukraine and the Academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.



Ron Hagemann

Ron Hagemann is the owner of New Composite Partners, is an Edgerton, Wisconsin biocomposite plastic technology company.

Mr. Hagemann\'s collaborative capabilities allow for possible product research and development relationships utilizing the skill set of The International Biopolymer Network, The National Composite Center, Scion, Iowa State, University Of Nebraska, Winona State (Minnesota),Illinois State and The Biobased Products Coalition. The Coalition was established to develop and implement a comprehensive and pro-active federal policy strategy to advance the interests of biobased manufacturers and their industry partners.

On May 14th, 2008, after a four year process, Mr. Hagemann was awarded the designation of a \"Bio-Preferred Provider\" under the United States Farm Security and Rural Investment Act. This designation means that Mr. Hagemann can work with companies who use biofeedstock to post items for sale in the USDA catalog for purchase by Federal agencies.

Mr. Hagemann is also involved with several state officials in the establishment of BioPreferred programs, University training of a future workforce, as well as training for both the public and private sector industry on the bioplastic composite industry. This includes Mr. Hagemann being named Director of The National Biobased Plastics Educational Expo, a national show formed for the purpose of disseminating education of biobased plastics.





Vladimir Shalaev

Vladimir Shalaev is the founder and CEO of the Uvecon group of companies and the Chairman of the Ukrainian Appraisal Association.

«UVECON» is certified by the Fund of State Property of Ukraine and Ukrainian Society of Appraisers and has rights to conduct independent expert valuation of business assets and non-property rights on the territory of Ukraine.

Uvecon has international certificates in «Evaluation and Privatization» from the International Agency of Development of the USA and the Leipzig Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Uvecon also holds certificates from TEGOVA in accordance to the European standards of estimation and valuation.

Uvecon has received awards of «Deserved appraiser of Ukraine» and the «Leading expert-appraiser» qualification

The company worked in the United States of America, Germany, France, Hungary, Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, Poland.

«Uvecon» actively co-operates and conducts joint projects with leading international consulting and auditing companies: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst&Young, Deloitte and KPMG.

in the 17 years of work Uvecon companies have collectively evaluated assets of more than 200 large corporations, enterprises, factories and plants, more than 1000 middle market and small enterprises and more completed more than 16 000 other appraisal and evaluation jobs.




Vladyslav Dovhopiat

Vladyslav Dovhopiat is the Deputy Head of Trade and Economic Mission of Ukraine at the Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago.

Mr. Dovhopiat is responsible for business relations development between the Midwest and Ukraine.

From September 2003 through February 2006, he served as a Senior Specialist and Director for the Exhibition and Trade Shows Sector of the Department of Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.

In 2003 Mr. Dovhopiat received his Masters Degree in International Business Management from the Kyiv National Economic University (Ukraine).