Ripon College to host panel on global trade, local impact Sept. 30

Ripon College’s Center for Politics and the People (CPP) and the Department of Economics and Business Management will co-sponsor a panel discussion on the evolving landscape of global commerce and its impact on Wisconsin businesses. The event will be held in Great Hall of Ripon College’s Harwood Memorial Union, Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m.

The panel titled “Global Trade, Local Stakes: Winners, Losers and What’s Next for Wisconsin,” will bring together trade experts and local voices.

Featured speakers include:

Sandi Siegel, President of M.E. Dey & Co., Co-host of the Talking Trade podcast

Siegel has more than 40 years of experience in the international trade business. She serves as the president, shareholder and managing director of M.E. Dey & Co., a customs broker and freight forwarder established in Wisconsin in 1907. The company serves importers and exporters in all areas of supply chain management, including logistics, transportation and trade compliance.

She is a licensed customs broker and certified customs specialist with expertise in import trade compliance, classification and customs regulations. Additionally, she is actively involved in her local community as a trade advisor, speaker and member of the Freight Advisory Committee.

Ken Wasylik, Managing Director of E.M. Wasylik Associates, Co-host of the Talking Trade podcast

Wasylik is a financial and international executive with more than 40 years of experience in developing businesses worldwide. He established E.M. Wasylik Associates in 1998 and has conducted business in more than 120 countries, gaining significant on-the-ground experience in more than 85 of them.

As a certified public accountant, he has held senior international financial executive roles with prominent global companies such as Fiskars Consumer Products and L3Harris Corporation. Throughout his career, Wasylik has successfully led and completed important strategic alliances, joint ventures and acquisitions with major global companies.

Soren Hauge, Professor of Economics at Ripon College

Hauge is an applied microeconomist with a liberal arts background, passionate about linking economic theories and data to broader societal contexts and ideas. His research trips across Latin America have helped inform his teaching of international and development economics courses.

In his work on environmental economics and the history of economic thought, he bridges economics with perspectives from the natural sciences and history. He engages students in examining overarching economic concepts and data in both principles of macroeconomics and intermediate macroeconomics classes.

Joshua Mechaelsen, Wisconsin Farmers Union District 8 Director

Mechaelsen is a regenerative agriculture practitioner and advocate, with a strong background in both practical application and policy across local, state, federal and international levels.

He holds a master of science degree in sustainable agriculture and food security from the Royal Agricultural University in the United Kingdom. His passion lies in integrating livestock with perennial pastures to provide ready-to-eat food, support a diverse range of essential ecosystem services and promote holistic sustainability for farmers and rural communities.

The panel will be moderated by Henrik Schatzinger, professor of political science, department chair and CPP director at Ripon College.

“As global trade policy evolves, its impact is seen in Wisconsin’s factories, farms and communities,” Schatzinger said. “This event gathers key voices from business, agriculture and academia to explore how international trends create local opportunities and challenges. It will provide valuable insights for those interested in Wisconsin’s economic future and global role.”