Archive: Business & Technology

11 Marketing Directors from Russia were guests at the Lansing Rotary Club's regular lunch meeting last Tuesday (9/13) at the Ramada Inn on Triphammer Road.  These business people are in Ithaca for three weeks as part of the Center for Citizen Initiatives' Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP).  The four men and seven women are visiting local concerns each day to learn about American business practices and see a variety of local enterprises.

Americans and Russians pose for a group picture

Lansing Rotarians were pleased to host the lunch.  Some had traveled to Russia and were anxious to learn how things had changed since their visits.  They also asked their guests' take on the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  One replied, "New Orleans will be restored.  This is a strong country."  They noted that Russia had sent two planes to Louisiana with donations for humanitarian assistance for the displaced victims.  They were not surprised that the US suffers natural disasters but said they were shocked when we were attacked on September 11, 2001.

Galena Startseva (left) facilitated the introductions, translating when needed, while Ann Marie Hautaniemi hosted the meeting.

The marketing directors were accompanied by Galena Startseva of St. Petersburg, the group's facilitator, and translator Slava Stepashkin.  Mr. Stepashkin currently lives in El Paso and works as an interpreter.  Ms. Startseva, a member of the "White Nights St. Petersburg" Rotary Club, is fluent in English and also served as an interpreter at the lunch.  She said the group arrived on Saturday, giving them the weekend to get settled and recover from jet lag.

Yelena Kokareva tells about herself, saying that she is from Tyumen, Russia.  Tyumen is in Siberia.  She called it "the capital of oil and gas.  It's a big region."

She interpreted as each member of the delegation introduced him or herself.  Some speak English, while others needed Ms. Stepashkin to interpret.  They come from all over Russia and work for many different kinds of businesses, large and small.  Yelena Kokareva is the marketing director of KOP, a chain of drug stores with 47 employees based in Tyumen in Siberia.  Timofey Shishkin works for Dial-NN, a medical equipment wholesaler.  The youngest member of the group, he is responsible for developing his company's marketing strategy and for marketing research.  Svetlana Mikhaylenko if the Marketing Director of Poobedaem Ltd., a cafe located in a business center that specializes in Russian and European cuisine and business lunches.

Other visitor's companies include a service company that provides professional nurses, governesses, tutors and other services, a fast food chain, a food wholesaler, two supermarket chains, a clothing and uniform manufacturer, an advertising and marketing firm, and a cosmetic company.

Svetlana Mikhaylenko (right) presents AnnMarie Hautaniemi with items from her home region

Some of the visitors had gifts for the Rotary Club, including a decorative cutting board, banners with the crests of their regions of Russia, and a traditional doll.  Marina Skobeltsyna presented a pen with her company's Web site address printed on it.  Several of the Russians also participated in the club's "Happy/Sad" ritual, where a member puts a dollar into a fish bowl for each happy or sad announcement they wish to share with the group.  The money goes toward the club's philanthropic works.  "I think people should help each other," said one guest, placing a dollar into the bowl.  "It is a symbol."

The Center for Citizen Initiatives is a San Francisco based organization that gets Rotary and Kiwanis clubs to sponsor programs to expose Russian entrepreneurs to American business methodologies.  They implement programs that assist Russian citizens in securing economic and political reforms and promotes cooperative partnerships between the U.S. and Russia.  Ms. Startseva told us that since the PEP program was established in 1995 more than 4,600 Russians have participated.  65% are men and 35% women, though that ratio was reversed in this group.  The Russian business people have visited 45 American states.  689 Rotary Clubs and 190 Kiwanis Clubs have participated.

The group has a busy itinerary during the three weeks they are here.  Before the Rotary lunch they had spent the morning at Tompkins Trust Company.  The lunch was a successful melding of two cultures, with an engaged interchange of ideas.  They looked forward to spending the afternoon visiting Cornell University. 

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