Make valuable Japanese business connections at the 2026 Southeast U.S./Japan Annual Joint Meeting. Register to join the State of North Carolina official delegation for this high-impact business meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, October 25-27, 2026.
Formally known as the 48th Annual Joint Meeting between the Southeast U.S./Japan Association (SEUS/Japan) and its Japanese counterpart, the Japan/U.S. Southeast Association (Japan/USSE), the conference encourages foreign direct investment (FDI) from Japanese companies and aims to strengthen export ties for North Carolina and other Southeastern companies selling goods in Japan.
For more information about joining the North Carolina delegation, contact:
Patrice Gist
State Coordinator for North Carolina, SEUS/Japan Association and
Communications Director
North Carolina Department of Commerce
(919) 814-4612
patrice.gist@commerce.nc.gov
If you're not a North Carolina resident, contact the coordinator from your state.
SEUS/Japan Association State Coordinators List
| SEUS State | State Coordinator |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Christina Stimpson Director, Office of International Trade Alabama Department of Commerce 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 630 Montgomery, AL 36104 Office: (334) 549-7955 Email: christina.stimpson@commerce.alabama.gov Web site: madeinalabama.com |
| Florida | Dave Woodward Executive Director Florida Delegation, Southeast U.S./Japan. P.O. Box 226647 Miami, FL 33222-6647 Office: (305) 594-7745 E-Mail: dwoodward@fl-seusjapan.org Web site: fl-seusjapan.org |
| Georgia | Mary Waters Chief Administrative Officer Georgia Department of Economic Development 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30308 Office: (404) 962-4120 E-mail: mwaters@georgia.org Web site: georgia.org |
| Mississippi | Vickie Watters Director, International Trade Office Mississippi Development Authority P.O. Box 849 Jackson, MS 39205 Office: (601) 359-2070 E-Mail: vwatters@mississippi.org Web site: mississippi.org |
| South Carolina | Clarke Thompson Chief Protocol Officer/International Relations South Carolina Department of Commerce 1201 Main Street, Capitol Center Tower, Suite 1600 Columbia, SC 29201-3200 E-mail: cthompson@SCcommerce.com Web site: SCcommerce.com |
| Tennessee | Karel Abboud Global Director of FDI and Trade Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Tennessee Tower, 27th Floor 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave. Nashville, TN 37243 E-mail: karel.abboud@tn.gov Web site: tnecd.com |