The Honorable John Howard served as the 25th Prime Minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, and was the country's second-longest serving prime minister. He led the Liberal Party of Australia for a total of 16 years, was a member of the House of Representatives for 33 years, and served as the country's finance minister. As the leader of the most prominent Western stronghold in the Asian-Pacific Rim, he pursued broad pro-market economic policies. During his period in office, Australia experienced economic growth averaging 3.6 percent per year. In the face of criticism from many, Howard initiated unprecedented efforts to broker a free-trade agreement with China, paving the way for China's willingĀness to participate in a free market. Because of his work in developing ties with China, the country is now Australia's largest export market. In addition to his role in the global economy, Howard was known domestically for fiscal consolidation and tax reform. During his time in office, $96 billion of federal government debt was repaid. Today, the Australian government now has no net debt. Born in Sydney in 1939, he graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Laws in 1961.

Christopher A. Padilla
U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade

Since December 2007, Padilla has been responsible for leading the International Trade Administration, which participates in the development of U.S. trade policy and identifies and resolves market access and compliance issues. He administers U.S. trade laws and oversees the promotion of American competiĀtiveness and the strength of U.S. companies in the global economy. He has worked in the Bush AdminĀistration since 2002, with a particular focus on international trade and economic issues, most recently as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration. He has several years of experience in international economic matters, particularly those involving China, Latin America, and Sudan. He was involved in building support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement, and several other trade agreements and initiatives. He has more than fifteen years of international trade experience in the private sector, having held international positions at AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and Eastman Kodak Company. He holds both a B.A. and an M.A. in international studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Michael K. Young
President, University of Utah

An authority on international trade, Japanese law, and human rights, President Michael Young began his tenure as the 14th president of The University of Utah in August 2004. Prior to his appointment at Utah, he was dean and a member of faculty at George Washington University Law School for six years, and was as a member of the faculty at Columbia University over the course of 20 years. He is widely recogĀnized not only for his academic work on Japanese law and international trade, but also for his tireless advocacy on behalf of international human rights. During the George H. Bush administration, he served as Ambassador for Trade and Environmental Affairs, Deputy Under Secretary for Economic and AgriculĀtural Affairs, and Deputy Legal Adviser to the U.S. Department of State. He has published extensively on a broad range of topics, including the North American Free Trade Agreement and the General AgreeĀment on Tariffs and Trade. He holds a B.A. from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Matthew R. Simmons
Chairman, Simmons & Company International

Matthew Simmons oversees a specialized energy investment banking firm which has completed nearly 700 investment banking projects for worldwide energy clients at a combined dollar value in excess of $101.1 billion. After first launching a small investment bank/advisory firm in Boston, he was soon servĀing primarily oil companies by 1973. Following the 1973 Oil Shock, he created a Houston-based firm to concentrate on providing investment banking advice to the worldwide oil service industry. Over time, the specialization expanded into investment banking covering all aspects of the global energy industry. He is past chair of the National Ocean Industry Association and a current member of the National Petroleum Council, Council on Foreign Relations and the Atlantic Council of the United States. His recent book, Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy has been listed on the Wall Street Journal's best-seller list. He graduated cum laude from the University of Utah and received an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

Jeff Thredgold
President, Thredgold Economic Associates

Jeff Thredgold is President of Thredgold Economic Associates, an economic consulting and professional speaking company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jeff is the only economist in the world to have ever received the designation of CSP, or Certified Speaking Professional, the highest earned designation in professional speaking. His career includes 23 years with $100 billion banking giant KeyCorp, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. He now serves as "economic consultant" to $50 billion Zions Bancorporation, which has banks in 10 states. He also serves as economic consultant to various other clients. Jeff has appeared dozens of times on CNBC-TV...the nation's business network, as well as numerous appearances on CNN, and is quoted regularly in the nation's financial press. He is a monthly contributor for the national publication Blue Chip Financial Forecasts and quarterly USA TODAY economic forecast surveys. Jeff has been writing a weekly economic and financial newsletter, now entiĀtled the Tea Leaf, for 33 years. His latest book, econAmerica, was released in July 2007 by Wiley & Sons. Other books include A Parent's Letter to My Children in School; Economy by Thredgold; and On The One Hand...The Economist's Joke Book. He served as an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Utah for 16 years. He is a former member of both the Economic Advisory Committee of the American Bankers Association and the Economic Policy Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

A Scott Anderson
President and Chief Executive Officer, Zions Bank

Scott Anderson joined Zions Bank in 1991 as Executive Vice President of Retail Banking and assumed his current responsibilities in1998. Prior to joining Zions, he spent 17 years with Bank of America in San Francisco. He also spent seven years working in Bank of America's Asia Division, headquartered in Tokyo. He holds a master's degree in economics and international studies from Johns Hopkins UniverĀsity. He currently serves on the boards of several organizations, including: the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Utah Information Technology Association. He is also a director of the Salt Lake Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Mark Garfield
Senior Vice President, Zions Bank International Banking

In 2005, Mark Garfield joined Zions Bank to oversee its International Banking Division. He has over 16 years of experience in trade finance, foreign exchange, letters of credit, international payment systems and correspondent banking. He has expertise in the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Agriculture and Export-Import Bank programs that support foreign sales. Mark has served on various international trade organizations throughout the West. He z serves as President of the District Export Council and a board member of the Bankers' Association of Finance and Trade. Mark is also a member of the World Trade Association of Utah, the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College InterĀnational Advisory Boards. He holds a bachelor's degree in international business from the University of Colorado.

Global Pacesetter Award - Black Diamond Equipment LTD.
Peter Metcalf
CEO, President and Co-Founder

A company that began in 1957 with a backyard anvil and a hammer has since grown into a global business with offices on three continents. When Peter Metcalf recruited fellow employees to join him in buying the assets of the tiny and bankrupt Chouinard Equipment company out of bankruptcy in the late 1980s, he knew it was time for an American-based business to take the lead in an industry long dominated by European companies. Today, the company is the global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of equipment for rock climbing, alpinism and freeride skiing. By consistently building innovative products and actively preserving the mountain environment, Black Diamond has assumed a leadership role in the international outdoor community. Its products are sold through retailers in North America, Europe, South Africa and Asia.