Who We Are

Marideth Joy Sandler Marideth Sandler is the Chief Executive Officer and International Trade Advisor of Sandler Trade LLC, a certified woman-owned small business.  Ms. Sandler’s work is fueled by her passion to make international trade really happen – especially with developing-country producers and U.S. artisans.  She has a unique combination of unparalleled knowledge of U.S. import preference programs and import/export overall, hands-on experience with more than 95 emerging markets, effective public speaking on an international basis, and advanced training and trainer certification in microfinance.  She also brings to the firm high-level and successful advocacy experience in Congress and within the Executive Branch as well as project management and policy development expertise in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Ms. Sandler’s projects at Sandler Trade LLC include:

  • Serves as strategic international trade advisor and advocate to governments, embassies, and companies seeking to maintain eligibility in U.S. trade preference programs, needing to address worker rights and intellectual property rights issues, U.S. tax policies, and seeking to expand bilateral trade and investment;
  • Chosen as the “go-to” logistics expert to emerging-market companies for accessing the U.S. market. This requires identifying the most cost-effective shipment services; ensuring exports meet consumer safety product, U.S. Customs, Federal Drug Administration, agricultural, and other U.S. requirements; and assisting both the exporters and U.S. importers to use available duty-free opportunities;
  • Organized and facilitated in 2011, and again in 2013, the first-ever Alliance of GSP Countries to advocate GSP continuation to the U.S. Congress. The Alliance includes 17 emerging markets working together to highlight the tangible importance of the GSP to their 3.8 billion residents as well as the thousands of U.S. importers that import basic inputs and other products duty-free because of the program;
  • Formed and represented the Coalition of Small Batch Importers at the Consumer Product Safety Commission whose efforts resulted in less-expensive product testing protocols;
  • Identifies markets, helps design products to meet market trends and import requirements, obtains capital, locates buyers, and works to ensure regulatory compliance for developing-country producers of artisanal and agricultural items;
  • Is a pioneer in advising microfinance institutions on how to help clients expand their markets through exporting. Also links artisans seeking to export to new internet-based loan support;
  • Provides highly praised workshops on logistics, product safety compliance, and how small and growing businesses can sustainably export, and U.S. trade policymaking. Recent venues include the Global Microcredit Summit (Spain), exporters’ groups in Thailand and Indonesia, World Crafts Council, and the Fair Trade Federation;
  • Obtained financing for Caribbean Crafts, a socially conscious artisan production and marketing firm in Haiti, to rebuilding its production facilities after the January 2010 earthquake;
  • Advocated on behalf of Indonesian, Brazilian, and other international exporter and their U.S. importers to retain the duty-free treatment of the products. This included providing written comments, testimony, and analyses to U.S. federal agencies and Congressional staff;
  • Assisted Aid to Artisans, a globally recognized organization with a sustained track record of helping artisans access global markets, to evaluate the tangible impacts of its assistance and to provide microfinance and Fair Trade expertise;
  • As part of the Clinton Foundation’s Haitian Artisans Initiative, prepared a plan to rebuild and strengthen the sector;
  • Provided strategic marketing assistance to Sorrell Custom Boots (Guthrie, OK), an award-winning custom bootmaker of Western boots.
  • Worked with the Embassy of Kosovo and wine reviewers from Virginia Wine Time to conduct a live tasting of Kosovo wines via Twitter

Prior to her return to the private sector in 2010, Ms. Sandler served as the Executive Director of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) in the President’s Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under both President Bush and President Obama.  As Executive Director, Ms. Sandler managed the U.S. program that provided duty-free entry for an annual average of $27.5 billion in imports, during her tenure, from two-thirds of the world’s economies.  Ms. Sandler made outreach to producers, artisans, and government an essential aspect of her work and worked to ensure that the GSP played a vital role for U.S. manufacturers and wholesalers as well as for U.S. companies seeking to export their inputs, equipment, and products abroad. Ms. Sandler is an honors graduate of Harvard University with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.  She holds a second Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University.  Ms. Sandler is also a globally certified (with distinction) advisor to microfinance institutions.

Anna Rose OttMs. Anna Rose Ott is a Production Specialist with Sandler Trade LLC. Ms. Ott is part of the firm’s team that focuses on improving international market access for small and medium artisan enterprises (SME). She identifies and examines constraints and opportunities experienced by artisan craft producers working to successfully sell their finished products in the United States. Prior to joining Sandler Trade, Ms. Ott lived in Ghana and worked for a fair trade organization that helps artisans create sustainable incomes by providing access to global markets.  She designed capacity building programs and led training for women-owned micro-enterprises, including business leadership, production management, quality control and other topics.

Ms. Ott holds a B.A. in Psychology and Global Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.

Mrs. Tracy Simmons
is the Director of Project Administration with Sandler Trade LLC. Mrs. Simmons is part of the firm’s team that focuses on non-technical project management and administrative support services for the firm’s contracted projects. She is responsible for the oversight of the firm’s contracts, consultant agreements, and all project related activities and budgets. Prior to joining Sandler Trade LLC, Mrs. Simmons worked in both the public and private sectors as a program and project manager delivering information technology (IT) services and products to customers. She has provided oversight to programs and projects to ensure better performance management, transparency, and effective service delivery. As a Project Management Professional (PMP)®, Mrs. Simmons has also served as the co-chair for the Federal Chief Information Officer’s (CIO) IT Federal Community of Project Managers and was designated as the IT lead for best practices while at her post in the federal government.

Mrs. Simmons holds a M.S. in Information Technology with a specialization in Project Management from Capella University, a second M.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland University College, and a B.S in Accounting from Hampton University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Information Technology from Northcentral University.

IN MEMORIAM

Martin N. Sandler, father of Marideth J. Sandler, served as President Emeritus of Sandler Trade LLC until his death on November 24, 2011. Mr. Sandler initiated the concept of trade, not aid, when he founded the American Israel Chamber of Commerce in 1958 to develop business and ongoing commercial relationships between Israel and the United States.  The Chamber, under by Mr. Sandler’s leadership, has grown into a national network of what is now 12 state and regional offices across the United States. In 1959, Mr. Sandler also created the Hotel Corporation of Israel to fund and construct the first four-star hotel in Israel and signed on Sheraton Hotels to manage it as the company’s first overseas property.   Mr. Sandler graduated in accounting from the University of Minnesota, after which he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Lieutenant JG and Gunnery Officer.  Mr. Sandler also served as President of ERO Industries, Inc., founded the Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation (GIRF), and supported Thresholds, a mental health service organization, by purchasing a vocational facility for disabled adults in Rockford, IL.

 

For more information, call us at 1.202.350.4303, or email Marideth Sandler at sandler@sandlertrade.com or Tracy Simmons at tracysimmons@sandlertrade.com

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