Gordon Dobie Serves as U.S. Honorary Chairman of the Midwest States-Japan Conference

Winston & Strawn Partner Gordon Dobie served as U.S. Honorary Chairman of the Midwest States-Japan Conference in Omaha, Nebraska on September 9-11, 2018. For almost five decades, business and political leaders from the Midwest region of the United States and Japan have met on an annual basis to discuss the growth and progress of economic relations of the American Midwest and Japan.

High-ranking government officials in attendance from the U.S. and Japan included Gov. Pete Ricketts, State of Nebraska; Gov. Bruce Rauner, State of Illinois; Gov. Scott Walker, State of Wisconsin;  Gov. Jeff Colyer, State of Kansas; Gov. Ikuo Kabashima, Kumamoto Prefecture; Gov. Eric J. Holcomb, State of Indiana; Gov. Taizo Mikazuki, Shiga Prefecture; Gov. Kiyoshi Ueda, Saitama Prefecture; Governor Kim Reynolds, State of Iowa; Gov. Rick Snyder, State of Michigan; and Governor Doug Burgum, State of North Dakota. Diplomats included his Excellency Ambassador to the United States Shinsuke Sugiyama and Ambassador Gregg Doud (USTR), and from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Chairman and CEO Hiroyuki Ishige. Attendees and speakers included government officials and executives from some of the most prominent companies in U.S. and Japan, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.; Marubeni Corporation; Kikkoman; Toyota Motor North America; Union Pacific Railroad; ANA Holdings, Inc.; and Teijin Limited, among many others.