Global Tennessee

Global Nashville with Karl Dean

A Conversation With

Senator Bob Corker

Join us for this important conversation with Senator Bob Corker who served in the Senate from 2009 to 20017. Corker served on the Foreign Relations Committee where he was Chairman from 2015-2019.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is proud to present one of Tennessee's and the country's most knowledgeable individuals on world affairs and the challenges the United States faces in the world.

March 18, 2021

7:00-8:00 PM CT

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Legacy: After becoming ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2013 and taking the reins as chairman in 2015, Senator Corker made restoring the committee’s power and status a top priority. To do so, he concentrated on three key goals: making the committee function again, focusing the committee’s work on core American interests, and making the committee genuinely matter to the American people and the rest of the world.

In his work to restore the committee’s functionality as a driving force for U.S. foreign policy and an effective check on the executive branch, Corker led a number of successful initiatives.

First State Department authorization bill in 14 years

Led the winning battle to ensure Congress had a say in determining whether President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal could move forward (he ultimately opposed the JCPOA)

CAATSA sanctions (Russia, North Korea, Iran)

Uncovered State’s system for evaluating progress in combatting human trafficking was subject to political interference, took steps to ensure the practice was ended

Critical oversight of United Nations, including the pervasive problem of sexual abuse and exploitation being committed by U.N. peacekeepers

Kept committee about the fray of the political rancor pervading Washington (tried to start every debate in a bipartisan manner)

Prevented Obama administration from sidestepping the Senate on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Got the Senate back on track in fulfilling its responsibility to review and ratify treaties

Bob Corker is a successful businessman, former United States Senator, and was previously named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. Corker represented Tennesseans in the Senate from 2007-2018, where he served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and became a national and global thought leader on fiscal, financial, and foreign policy issues. He was Tennessee’s commissioner of finance and mayor of Chattanooga before being elected to the Senate, but he spent most of his life in business. At the age of 25, Corker started his own construction company with $8,000 in savings, eventually expanding operations to 18 states across the country. He later purchased two of the largest and oldest real estate holding companies in Chattanooga. He and his wife, Elizabeth, call Chattanooga home.

Karl Dean was the sixth mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. He was elected on Sept. 11, 2007 and was re-elected on Aug. 4, 2011. He completed his second term in office on September 25, 2015. Dean first held public office when he was elected as Nashville’s Public Defender in 1990, a post he was re-elected to in 1994 and 1998. He served as Metro Law Director from 1999 to January 2007, when he resigned to run for the office of mayor. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt. Dean was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Tennessee in 2018. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee World Affairs Council.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council in association with Belmont University Center for International Business and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

Global Nashville with Karl Dean

A Conversation with Ralph Schulz, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce President

Tuesday, November 9th at 7:00pm CT

Ralph Schulz

President, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

Karl F. Dean

Global Nashville explores the issues and developments that mark the city and region as part of the global network. Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean talks with community leaders about their insights and perspectives.

Join him on November 9th as he talks with Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce President Ralph Schulz to talk about business developments in the region. We should mention here our thanks to Mr. Schulz for standing in as a guest host of the "Global Nashville" program. In August he interviewed Butch Spridon, head of the Nashville Convention and Visitor Corporation.

Mr. Schulz was a "Global Nashville" guest in January 2021 and in April 2020, talking about Nashville businesses' resilience in the face of Covid and new developments in the community from international investments to the prospects for immigration to the area.

On Tuesday, November 9th, Mr. Schulz will be back with updates on the broad array of business issues in the region and his insights and perspectives on the global agenda in Nashville.

Belmont University Center for International Business, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Japan-America Society of Tennessee and Sister Cities of Nashville

GLOBAL TOWN HALL

H.E. Koji Tomita

Ambassador of Japan to the United States

Join us for this special presentation by the World Affairs Council. Ambassador Koji Tomita is a seasoned diplomat -- 30 years in Japan's foreign service -- and he will talk about the U.S.-Japan relationship, economic developments, strategic challenges and much, much more.

Don't miss this chance to hear his insights and perspectives and pose your questions to the Ambassador.

Excerpt:

The United States has long been a Pacific power but is focusing new attention on the importance of the region – political, economic and in defense and security. In our State, meanwhile, the relationship with Japan is flourishing to the great benefit of both Tennesseans and our Japanese partners...

...On November 2nd, Nashville will host the Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Koji Tomita and his wife in a visit hosted by the Tennessee World Affairs Council. That evening he will talk with the community at a Global Town Hall at Belmont University about the depth and breadth of the U.S.-Japanese relationship, and everyone is invited.

Ambassador Tomita is likely to speak to more than the importance of national security and business relations. A key strength is the people-to-people ties. Whether it’s the Southern hospitality shown Japanese business people and their families in Tennessee cities and towns, the exchanges of students and teachers, or the gift of cherry trees, symbolizing the bonds of friendship, there are scores of ways Tennesseans and Japanese are connected.

Our welcome for Ambassador and Mrs. Tomita on November 2nd will be one more expression of that friendship and you should join us at the Town Hall to make that welcome.

Ambassador John Kornblum

Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed crosshairs on Ukraine, a country he sees as linked to Russia and the people of Ukraine as “one people” with Russians. To back up this fixation with repairing a “historic injustice” Moscow has amassed a force of over 100,000 troops and supporting armor and aircraft along the border with Ukraine. Leading the West’s response, President Biden has threatened “massive consequences” if Russia invades Ukraine.

American and Russian diplomats are meeting this week. However, the lines are drawn: Putin is demanding an end to NATO’s eastward expansion, to include Ukraine, and Biden and the West say there will be a very high economic price to pay as well as increased deployments on NATO’s eastern flank.

What is the context for this provocation and what are the U.S. and Allies prepared to do? Join the American Council on Germany and the Tennessee World Affairs Council for a discussion with Ambassador John Kornblum about the crisis. Joining us from Berlin, he will also discuss how we got to where we are and what the possible courses of action for the U.S. and Europe might be. The conversation will be led by Dr. Thomas Schwartz, Distinguished Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. This event is held in cooperation with the Belmont University Center for International Business and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

October 28, 2021 - TNWAC Global Dialogue +

In "Home, Land, Security: Deradicalization and the Journey Back from Extremism," Carla Power explores what draws young people to violent extremism and what could bring them back to society. Through a series of interviews with mothers of young men who joined ISIS, a Canadian imam running a "jihadi detox program," a former neo-Nazi who now deradicalizes white supremacists, and many more, Carla explores what lies beyond the stereotypes and headlines.

TNWAC President Patrick Ryan, former military intelligence terrorism analyst, talked with Carla Power about "Home, Land, Security," and how militants are radicalized and some of the efforts at deradicalization.

October 28, 2021 - TNWAC Global Dialogue +

In "Home, Land, Security: Deradicalization and the Journey Back from Extremism," Carla Power explores what draws young people to violent extremism and what could bring them back to society. Through a series of interviews with mothers of young men who joined ISIS, a Canadian imam running a "jihadi detox program," a former neo-Nazi who now deradicalizes white supremacists, and many more, Carla explores what lies beyond the stereotypes and headlines.

TNWAC President Patrick Ryan, former military intelligence terrorism analyst, talked with Carla Power about "Home, Land, Security," and how militants are radicalized and some of the efforts at deradicalization.

October 27, 2021

Do you wonder what jobs and careers there are in international affairs? There’s more than you think. On October 27th we had a conversation with a distinguished panel of women working in global business fields. They shared what preparation they undertook to pursue their careers, what the day to day life is like in their jobs and the pros and cons of the work they undertake.

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Lucy Buck, Moderator

Beth-Ann Martorello, Senior VP, Chief Audit Officer, Alliance Bernstein (AB)

Masami Tyson, Global Director of FDI and Trade, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD)

Lulu Lim Copeland, Executive Director TN-China Network; Independent Economic and Workforce Development Consultant

Robin Reliford, Head of Health and Safety, WorldStrides

Check out the complete biographies of the panel to learn about their experiences and achievements.

https://bit.ly/3bjp8wT

The Tennessee World Affairs Council in association with Belmont University Center for International Business and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

Global Nashville with Karl Dean

A Conversation with Belmont University President L. Gregory Jones

Global Nashville explores the issues and developments that mark the city and region as part of the global network. Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean talks with community leaders about their insights and perspectives.

Join him on October 26th as he talks with Belmont University's new President, Dr. L. Gregory Jones, about his ideas on global engagement and the mission of Belmont to produce citizens ready for the world.

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About Dr. L. Gregory Jones

Known for his entrepreneurial leadership and fundraising ability, Dr. Greg Jones served as the longtime dean of Duke Divinity School from 1997-2010 and again from 2018 until becoming Belmont’s president on June 1, 2021. Between 2010 and 2018, he served in a variety of roles, including vice president and vice provost for global strategy at Duke University and also as provost and executive vice president of Baylor University. In addition, he has served in advisory and strategic roles with several foundations and educational institutions in the United States as well as in Armenia.

During his time at Duke Divinity, Jones strengthened the School’s financial trajectory, diversified the faculty and staff and led a strategic planning process that garnered great enthusiasm for the school’s future, all while setting new records for gifts to the Annual Fund and to the Divinity School overall. In addition, he currently serves as a senior fellow at Leadership Education, which he founded, and senior fellow at the Fuqua-Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics, both at Duke University. He is passionate about re-shaping cultures within and across organizations and has coined the term “traditioned innovation” to capture how he re-frames complex challenges to seize significant opportunities.

Jones’ tenures as dean were marked by significant growth in Duke Divinity School. More than $102 million was raised under his leadership in The Campaign for Duke (1998-2003), and major new initiatives begun during his tenure include the Center for Reconciliation, the Thriving Rural Communities Program, the Duke Youth Academy for Christian Formation, the Clergy Health Initiative, the Reynolds Program in Church Leadership and numerous international partnerships, especially with the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, the United Methodist Church in Cote d’Ivoire, and the Center for Reconciliation’s Great Lakes Initiative which embraces the central-east African region. As Duke’s Global Strategist, he led initiatives in China and India as well as helped to engage work in Singapore.

China Town Hall | Local Connections, National Reflections | Oct 19 by Tennessee World Affairs Council

On October 7, 2021, TNWAC President Patrick Ryan talked with Ambassador of Colombia to the United States Juan Carlos Pinzón in Nashville for the Global Dialogue + Webinar/"Global Tennessee" series Podcast, about: U.S.-Colombian relations, regional issues, developments in Colombia, commercial relations with the U.S. and Tennessee, and the people to people connections between the countries.

Join the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC.org/join) and support with your gift (TNWAC.org/donate) to ensure these quality programs continue. Thanks!

Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzón

On July 26, 2021, President Iván Duque swore in Juan Carlos Pinzón as Ambassador of Colombia to the United States.

​Pinzón previously served as Colombia's Ambassador to Washington from 2015 to 2017. During his tenure, he oversaw the approval of “Peace Colombia or Plan Colombia II” ($450 million per year) that increased the U.S. funding package for security and development. Additionally, he helped establish the “CEO U.S.-Colombia Business Council” at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Atlantic Council's "Colombia Task Force" with the report on the future of the U.S.-Colombia relationship. The accession of the avocado Hass to the U.S. market was an important highlight. While in office, the Colombian Embassy was recognized as the best diplomatic delegation in Washington by the World Affairs Council in Washington, DC.

Prior to that, Ambassador Pinzón served as Minister of Defense of Colombia for nearly four years. Under his leadership, the Colombian Armed Forces dealt the most severe blows in history to terrorist organizations – FARC and ELN – and Criminal Bands, highly degrading their logistics, structure and leadership. Pinzón also strengthened all capabilities of the Colombian armed forces and established Colombia as a regional cooperation leader. By the end of his period, he left the

Armed Forces at its historical peak in manpower, capabilities, welfare, technology and budget.

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Throughout his career, Pinzón has been a leader in both the public and private sectors. Between 2018 and 2021, Pinzón was appointed President of the Foundation for the Progress of the Capital Region – ProBogotá, a private non-profit for the promotion of common good, public policy and long-term strategic projects for the capital region of Colombia. He is currently a member of several corporate advisory boards and NGOs.

In July 2017, Ambassador Pinzón launched a bid for president with the support of the civic citizens’ movement “Colombia Above All.” In March 2018, he became vice presidential candidate.

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Additional previous positions include Chief of Staff to the President of Colombia; Deputy Minister of Defense; Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank; Vice President of the Colombian Banking Association; Assistant Vice President of Investment Banking at Citigroup; Private Secretary and Chief of Staff for the Finance and Public Credit Ministry; and Economist for Colombia at Citigroup.

Pinzón received an honorable mention for his outstanding academic performance while earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. He also holds three Master degrees. A Master of Science in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. A Master in Public Policy from Princeton University (scholarship awarded). And a Master’s degree (honoris causa) in Defense and National Security from Colombia’s National War College. Pinzón also completed advanced courses in international relations and strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University, in science and technology policy at Harvard University, and smart cities at Nanyang Technological University-Singapore.

Ambassador Pinzón was born in Bogotá on December 22, 1971. He is married to Pilar Lozano and has two children, Natalia and Juan Pablo.