The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) proudly participated in World Trade Week NYC 2025, an annual initiative hosted by the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of trade organizations committed to promoting international business and economic growth. Representing NVBDC was Advisory Board Member David Brazda, who received a warm welcome from members of the export community during the event held May 7 at Baruch College.
Brazda actively engaged in discussions surrounding global trade, veteran entrepreneurship, and the importance of strategic partnerships to advance inclusive economic development. He shared NVBDC’s commitment to helping Service-Disabled and Veteran-Owned Businesses (SD/VOBs) succeed in global markets through strategic collaborations with the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM).
Throughout the day, Brazda connected with several key stakeholders, including Joan Kanlian, Director at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Jean-Paul Richer, a Coast Guard veteran and Vice President of the Port Authority Veterans Association (PAVA). He also met the owners of ASAK Solutions, a veteran-owned exporter expressing interest in NVBDC certification.
Additional conversations included Edward Dorian, President of Dorian Drake, a major export management company serving the NYC region, and Kinda Younes, Executive Director of ITAC, which supports manufacturers across New York City in developing and executing export strategies. NVBDC will be continuing conversations with these and other organizations to strengthen its global expansion efforts on behalf of certified veteran businesses.
As part of NVBDC’s contribution to the event, Brazda also had the honor of awarding $1,200 scholarships to five undergraduate students from Baruch College, FIT, and Queens College. These students are pursuing studies in international business and trade, including one recipient who helped launch a new student-led global trade case competition. The scholarships, administered by Peter Bengston of the New York Public Library and a member of the World Trade Week NYC Steering Committee and New York District Export Council, celebrate the next generation of international commerce leaders.
NVBDC is proud to support initiatives that connect veteran-owned businesses with global opportunities and is committed to ensuring veterans play a central role in the future of international trade. The organization stands firmly alongside World Trade Week NYC’s mission of advancing inclusive global economic development.
