James McGregor in Portland, OR, on April 11, 2006; Lillian Tsai on April 25, 2006

The NW China Council, in conjunction with the World Affairs Council of Oregon and Portland State University, is putting on a speech by James McGregor on Monday, April 10, 2006, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at The University Club of Portland, main dining room, 2nd floor, 1225 SW 6th Ave., Portland, OR.  Go here to register online.  McGregor, author of the widely acclaimed book on China Business, One Billion Customers, will, in this speech, "walk the audience into the middle of the Chinese business world while sharing his insider's perspective on the politics, the people and China's changing place in the world order." 

I expect this speech will be both interesting and informative and if I were not scheduled to be on an airplane flying into Seattle when it will be going on, I would be making the three hour drive to Portland to see it.  In particular, I would like to ask Mr. McGregor if he thinks the situations that befell the large companies he chronicles in his book are less likely to occur to smaller companies seeking to do business in China. 

Lillian Tsai, NW China Council's Board President, alerted me to this event.  Ms. Tsai is a driving force behind the NW China Council, which is one of the best organizations of its kind in the United States.  In addition to this, she owns and runs Tsaicomms, a leading Asian marketing and communications company. 

On April 25, 2006, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Ms. Tsai will be part of an American Marketing Association workshop on "America's Ethnic Buying Power."  Click here for more information on that event.