On June 1, 1996, the ARCCI and the Greater Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce (GRACC) hosted an executive briefing: "Investment Climate and Business Opportunities in Russia" for business community leaders from Northern Illinois. Featured speakers were Trevor Gunn, Deputy Director of the Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, Sergei Kouzmine, President of the American-Russian/NIS Trade & Investment Center, and Steve Morreim, President of Q.E.D. and Dryer Sales & Manufacturing, Inc.
The briefing, originally scheduled as a two-hour breakfast meeting, extended into a five-hour discussion as participants analyzed prospects for trade and investment in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. The ARCCI and the GRACC would like to extend special thanks for active participation to representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration; the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce; Abacus International; E.D. Etnyre; F. Franke & Co.; Honeywell Microswitch; Hydro-Line, Inc.; JACA Export Associates, Ltd.; Pacolet; Rockford Products and Williams & McCartney.