For more than four decades, the John H. Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University has served as Rhode Island's designated agency for international trade and export assistance, helping local companies compete in the global marketplace. As the center celebrates the 40th anniversary of its signature conference, the Global Trade Summit, this year, it also marks another major milestone: the launch of World Trade Center Rhode Island,
Below, Jason Kelly, director of the Chafee Center, discusses how the new World Trade Center designation will help expand opportunities for Rhode Island businesses, why partnerships with higher education are reshaping economic development, and what attendees can expect from this year's summit.
Bryant News: Why is this an important moment for the Chafee Center and Rhode Island's business community?
Jason Kelly: The work we're doing has never been more relevant. Over the past several years, we've spent a great deal of time listening to businesses and stakeholders across the region and one of our biggest takeaways is that companies today need robust consulting and strategic guidance — not just introductory trade education. Businesses can no longer rely solely on internal expertise. They need to look externally for innovation, new partnerships, and global opportunities.
The launch of World Trade Center Rhode Island allows us to meet those needs in a completely new way. Through the World Trade Center Association, we now have access to a global network of experts in more than 300 cities in more than 90 countries around the world to help Rhode Island’s business find the expertise they need.
We may not have the same physical resources as larger states, but by activating this global network, we can truly punch above our weight.
Bryant News: How does the World Trade Center Rhode Island designation position the Chafee Center for future growth?
Kelly: We've spent more than 40 years building the Chafee Center's reputation for excellence and delivering results. We've assembled a fantastic team, including our assistant director, Benjamin Weinstein, our education and programming manager, Jill Rasmussen, and our office and budget coordinator, Catherine Fontaine, but aligning with the World Trade Center Association elevates our work to an entirely new level by giving us global brand recognition and access to an unparalleled international network.
I believe this is an inflection point for the Chafee Center.
Other states are already looking at what we've built here at the intersection of higher education, economic development, and innovation. Activating the World Trade Center Rhode Island brand allows us to demonstrate how far we've come while showcasing everything Rhode Island has to offer.
Bryant University and the Chafee Center are becoming known as the center of an international business cluster. By fully activating our World Trade Center connections, we’ll be able to really plant our flag as a regional leader and use those connections for further growth, creating even more opportunities for businesses across the state.
Bryant News: What role does Bryant play in the Chafee Center's success?
Kelly: One of our greatest strengths is our connection to Bryant University. I believe partnerships with higher education will become an increasingly important driver of economic development, and it's difficult to overstate how valuable world-class education and training are for Rhode Island companies.
Our practicum programs are a perfect example. Undergraduate and MBA students work directly with businesses on real-world consulting projects that generate meaningful results for companies in Rhode Island and around the world. Bryant is nationally recognized for both industry engagement and experiential education, and those practicums are one of the strongest examples of experiential learning anywhere. In fact, when we began evaluating the opportunity to activate the World Trade Center brand, we had Bryant practicum students help assess the possibilities.
The World Trade Center Association has been very enthusiastic in this area, and I believe that there's going to be a lot of opportunities for us to shine within the international trade community.
As we move forward, I'm looking forward to getting results for both companies and for students.
Bryant News: This year marks the 40th Global Trade Summit. What makes the event so valuable?
Kelly: One of the things that has helped make the Global Trade Summit so successful over the years is the connections that attendees, including industry, government, and academic leaders, are able to make. The biggest paradox in business right now is that even as technology, AI in particular, is revolutionizing the way that we're looking at business, personal, face-to-face connections are more important than ever.
When people attend a conference, the biggest thing they want is: What do I need to know and what can I use? We really looked at the program this year through that lens. What are the most important things C-suite executives need to know about international business right now, in this moment in time?
This year’s Global Trade Summit will also be the official launch of the World Trade Center Road Island. We'll be partnering with the World Trade Center Association on a day-long training session on the 23rd, the day before the summit, where we’ll have a wide range of specialists share their expertise.
Together, the training and the summit represent an exciting new chapter for the Chafee Center and for Rhode Island's global business community.