Steven K. Lanier
President

Mr. Lanier has been involved in international marketing and business development since 1985. Since founding American World Services in 1993, he has worked with hundreds of companies and organizations developing their international marketing activities and has become a frequent speaker and presenter on export and investment promotion topics speaking at international conferences and industry events in Europe and Asia. Mr. Lanier brings year's of expertise in providing personalized strategy development to each of AWS' clients.

Previous to founding AWS, he was vice president of commercial marketing and procurement at NCE Group, Inc., a marketing and sales group with revenues of over $10 million. Mr. Lanier also served as a marketing manager for an export trading company active in the Middle East and as an intern at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he worked on export promotion issues. Mr. Lanier has an M.A. in international affairs (with a trade and development concentration) from American University in Washington, D.C., and a B.A. in communication from Bethel University in Minnesota.

Michelle J. Abboud
Vice President & Partner

Ms. Abboud functions as a Vice President and Partner at American World Services, bringing extensive experience in export and investment promotion activities given her long-standing with the firm. Ms. Abboud has personally completed and managed hundreds projects, in both export and investment, and has developed relationships with thousands of US/Canadian business development executives. Ms. Abboud's industry specialties and interests lie in health sciences, high tech industries, financial services, tourism and logistics. Ms. Abboud's 15 years experience with the firm has also afforded concrete experience in food processing, automotive and plastics. Ms. Abboud is spearheading business development activities for the firm in the Middle East, South/Central America and select regions in Europe and Asia.

Prior to joining AWS, Ms. Abboud co-founded an Italian skin care products line. In this capacity she functioned as marketing manager, building the company's distributor base to a national level. She has a Magna Cum Laude M.A. in Foreign Service concentrating in International Business from Georgetown University, Washington, DC, and a Summa Cum Laude B.A. in Physics from Fairfield University of Connecticut.

Ben Lazarus
Project Manager

With experience in both marketing and international affairs, Ben Lazarus manages export marketing and investment promotion projects for AWS, working mainly with the renewable energy, biomaterials, and food sectors. Mr. Lazarus is also responsible for business development activities in Eastern Europe and Central Eurasia.

Before joining AWS in 2008, Mr. Lazarus held positions at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., and at Burness Communications in Bethesda, Md. He has an M.A. degree in Eurasian, Russian, and East European studies (with a concentration in economic development in Turkey and the Caucasus region) from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. He also has a B.S. degree in foreign service from Georgetown.

Gregory Ranque
Project Manager

Mr. Ranque came to AWS in 2009 from a software services company in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he worked as an international sales and marketing manager. At AWS, Mr. Ranque manages investment promotion and export marketing projects, develops and implements direct marketing programs in the investment promotion area, and designs market entry strategies on behalf of our export clients. Mr. Ranque is also responsible for business development activities in Europe, the Middle East and South America.

Mr. Ranque offers multicultural and international experience, along with knowledge of European corporate culture and business practices. He previously served as corporate development assistant for Bosch GmbH in Spain, where he helped improve international standardization service quality. He holds a master's degree in international business and strategic information (with a focus on marketing and foreign languages) from the University of Aix-en-Provence as well as an Industrial Technician diploma.

Amanda Augustine
Research Assistant

Ms. Augustine brings a keen sense of project management to the AWS team, contributing to both our investment promotion and export promotion projects. Her areas of interest are diverse, but include special emphasis on Latin America and India (having fluency in languages from both continents). Prior to joining AWS, Ms. Augustine held international trade positions at a variety of firms including Manchester Trade and JBC International where she garnered experience in export regulations, legislation, and cross-border management challenges. Ms. Augustine holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Spanish Language and Culture Studies and a minor in Economics.

Carolina Gutierrez
Project Coordinator

Ms.Gutierrez is responsible for investment promotion and export marketing projects for AWS. German and Spanish fluency enables her to provide specific assistance to clients in Switzerland, Germany and throughout Latin America. Ms. Gutierrez is assisting AWS in new business development in various parts of Latin America, Australia, and parts of Europe. Prior to joining AWS, Ms. Gutierrez worked in the private sector in technical industries and has lived in Germany, the US, Australia and Colombia prior to settling in Washington, DC with our firm in February 2010. Ms. Gutierrez holds an M.B.A. in International Business from Deakin University (Australia) and a B.A degree in Business Management from C.E.S.A University (USA).

Carlene Hastings
Project Coordinator

Ms. Hastings coordinates a number of projects in the AWS export marketing division. Ms. Hastings is a graduate of Georgetown University, Washington DC with a B.S. in business administration with a concentration both in finance and international business. She has also completed courses at the University of China in Hong Kong and is an alumna of the Georgetown chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, the professional business fraternity.

David Lonardo
Project Coordinator

Mr. Lonardo coordinates a number of investment projects for AWS, with specific focus in renewable energy and infrastructure development. Mr. Lonardo also assists in business development activities related to Eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Prior to joining AWS in January, 2010, Mr. Lonardo held positions at the Eurasian Strategy Project in Washington, D.C., and at the US Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan. He has an M.A. degree in Eurasian, Russian, and East European studies (with a concentration on Russian security and global energy markets) from Georgetown University, Washington DC. He also has a B.A. degree in international relations and Russian Studies from Bates College, Lewiston, ME.

Jules Briant
Research Assistant

Mr. Briant is a 2010 French-American intern currently pursuing a BA in International Affairs as well as a BS in Psychology from George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs. Mr. Briant is bilingual with prior intern experience at the French Embassy in Washington D.C and the French-American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco.

Da Cui
Research Assistant

Da Cui, a 2010 intern and a fluent Chinese speaker, is pursuing a BA Degree in Economics from Grinnell College. Mr. Cui is an entrepreneur at heart and has co-founded Besthelp Co. Ltd which provides services to foreigners visiting China and has held a management position for the Forum of Sino-American Liberal Arts Education Exchange in Beijing. Mr. Cui assists AWS in strategic company research, industry market research and is also contributing to the firm's Asia business development activities.

Eugene Imas
Research Assistant

Mr. Imas is a 2010 intern currently pursuing an MA Degree in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington DC. His experience and travel throughout in the Russian and Eurasian region includes courses at Moscow State University, a teaching position at Krasnoyarsk State University (now Siberian Federal), and service in the U.S. Peace Corps Kyrgyzstan (Naryn State University). Mr. Imas speaks fluent Russian.