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| Public & Private Sector Notable Projects |
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| Armenia,
Central Bank of Armenia,
Bank Supervision, Project
Phase II |
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|  In
support of USAID's initiative
for Central and Eastern Europe
and the "New Independent
State-Banking Supervision Assistance
Project", IMMA Ltd provided
advisory and logistical support
services for the Central Bank
of Armenia (CBA) as a subcontractor
to BearingPoint (formerly Barents
Group/KPMG Consulting). IMMA Ltd's commitment
provided management advisory,
logistical support services
for the training participants
in Seattle,
Washington with the
Department of Financial Institutions
in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas
with the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporate negotiated and developed
the training agreement with
the National Bank of Poland
NBP) in Warsaw, Poland. This
training focused on the practical
application of the banking system
on an integrated basis designed
for both classroom instruction
and study tours providing
opportunities for professional
exchange. Following client
evaluation surveys, IMMA was
credited with providing an outstanding
framework for successful learning
outcomes, and the participants
judged the program a complete
success.
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| Bulgaria,
Media Associations |
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Under USAID's strategic objectives in support of Bulgaria's media associations, IMMA Ltd developed
a powerful technical and management program conducted in both Washington D.C. and San Francisco and tailored
to meet specific U.S. Government criteria
objectives
to develop post Soviet independent media organizations and to broaden the technical expertise of Bulgarian media professionals. These principal objectives were to increase independent media industry, ensuring public access to multiple information sources and improve better-informed citizen
participation in public policy
decision-making. The IMMA Ltd high-level program included significant meetings with U.S. media CEOs and managers of
the Association of America's Public Television Stations, National Association of Broadcasters, the Alliance for Community Media, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National, the National Writers Union, ABC7 Television News, Media Alliance, and National Federation of Community Broadcasters. This dynamic national project focused on the complex
issues facing radio and television
media associations in the emerging
democracies. (View Project Photos) |
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| Ukraine,
Moldova & Belarus, Women
Entrepreneurs |
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IMMA Ltd developed
and implemented a USAID-sponsored
Regional Country Project "Women
Entrepreneurship" business skill
development program for a delegation
of women small business owners
from the Ukraine, Moldova and
Belarus. In addition to developing
the skills necessary for the expansion
of participants' businesses, including
one-on-one practical SME business
development counseling and exposure
to western concepts of entrepreneurship,
the specialized program resulted
in the creation of the first regional
professional women's business
association in Ukraine. IMMA Ltd also
developed project and program
management consulting and training
services for the USAID project,
"Creating Economic Opportunities
for Women," for women entrepreneurs
from Ukraine and Belarus. Conducted
by IMMA Ltd in Chicago, San Francisco,
and Washington, D.C., the program
served as the basis for a 9-part
TV documentary series that aired
nationally in Ukraine. These projects
contribute to women's economic
empowerment, which in turn builds
greater regional economic stability. |
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| Albania,
Sustainable Farming/Integrated Pest Management
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IMMA Ltd was
responsible for development and implementation
of the USAID specialized program
to help draft legislation in Albania
to establish standards for integrated
farm produce using reduced amounts
of chemicals and establish certification
mechanisms for produce. The program was designed to provide
project management, one-on-one
SME agribusiness development counseling
and technical assistance for a
USAID-sponsored delegation of
Albania agricultural specialists.
Among the visiting group were members of
the Albanian Parliament, the president of the
Agricultural University of Tirana, directors
of key Albanian research institutes, and
members of the Albanian Organic
Agricultural Association. Technical
training focused on sustainable
farming and integrated pest management
for the Albanian Olive
Oil industry.
The highly successful program
resulted in the creation
of an Organic Agriculture Conference
in Tirana and national legislation for
organic certification
infrastructure and procedures
in Albania. The visiting specialists were introduced to the certification process of California organic farmers and the standards for food processing. |
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Lithuania,
USAID/IMMA Ltd Energy
Sector Reform, Regulation
and Restructuring Report
During
the first years of independence,
Lithuania moved quickly
to create a market-oriented
economy. To reduce
the government's role
managing the monolithic
energy sector, considerable
legislative and institutional
change was required.
And to separate energy
policy and regulation
from the commercial function
of energy companies, an
independent regulatory
body became necessary.
Thus, in 1995 a new National
Control Commission for
Energy Prices and Energy
Activities (NCC) was created, with
the USAID stepping in
to initiate an in-country
bilateral program to strengthen
the new institution with
an energy safety policy
program. Jointly,
IMMA Ltd programmed its
support with USAID to
achieve the
objectives of NCC by facilitating a management and organizational training program which included
advisory services, institutional restructuring legal and regulatory issues of the energy sector, tariff setting, public relations, the implementation of strategic plans,
and policy support for
NCC members. In
four years the NCC developed
into a major institutional
player realizing considerable
progress rationalizing
energy pricing, removing
subsidies, and bringing
prices closer to a actual
costs. Today,
the NCC is one of the
most advanced new regulatory
institutions in Central
and Eastern Europe. The partnership between
the U.S. and Lithuania
continues today, far beyond
formal projects, providing
a valuable asset in future
work. -- USAID/Lithuania Energy Program Report.
Fourth
Group of Seven (G-7) West-East
Conference - IMMA Ltd Official
Republic of Poland Delegate
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In 1996
IMMA Ltd 's CEO, Caroline Krawiec Brownstone,
served as an official delegate
of the Republic of Poland Ministry
of Foreign Economic Relations
at The Fourth West-East Conference
of Ministers of Economy, Industry
and Trade of G-7 (Canada, Germany,
France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom,
United States), and Reforming
Countries (Belarus, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic Estonia, European
Union, Hungary, Kazakstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russian
Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia,
and Ukraine). Business leaders
called for a reduction in direct
government involvement, an increase
in government-business communication,
an improved public understanding
of the role of foreign investment,
a strengthened judicial system,
reduction in bureaucratic obstruction
in decision making, improved management
training and privatization techniques,
a liberalized access to markets,
and an increased reliance on international
product standards and approval
procedures. Conference summary
recommendations reflected the
vibrant need for business-government
communication, cooperation, and
improved government attention
to the requirements of business. |
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| Poland,
Republic of Poland, Ministry
of Foreign Economic Relations,
Trade Delegation |
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| IMMA Ltd organized
and directed a ministerial level
trade delegation for the Polish
Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations
in Warsaw. This senior Polish
trade and investment delegation
traveled to California, including
the following Polish government
officials and business leaders:
Minister of Foreign Economic Relations;
Undersecretary of State, Central
Office of Planning; Minister-Counselor
for Economic Affairs, Embassy,
Washington D.C.; Director, Department
of Foreign Economic Relations;
Chair of Polish Agency for Foreign
Investors and Vice President,
Elektrim S.A.; and Editor of Nowe
Zycie Gospolarcze (Poland's
leading national economic newspaper).
Meetings included representatives
from the following California-based
organizations: Heller, Ehrman,
White & McAuliffe, Esq.; San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce;
Hewlett-Packard Company; Attorney
General, State of California;
Sacramento World Trade Center;
The Hoover Institute; Failure
Analysis Assoc. (now Exponent,
Inc.); International Cargo Services
Corporation; and California Manufacturing
Corporation. |
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| Poland,
Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Berlin, Central
and Eastern Europe (CEE) and World Affairs Council
Comparative Study Program
conducted on site |
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| In a unique
political and economic climate in 1986,
IMMA Ltd provided leadership and management
expertise in Central/Eastern Europe by creating successful
development, organization, and
implementation of the Comparative
Study Program conducted on-site
in the former Eastern Bloc of
the former Soviet Union for a
delegation from the World Affairs
Council of Northern California.
This ministerial-level program
was designed in the U.S. and delivered
on-site in Poland, Hungary, the
former Czechoslovakia and the
German Democratic Republic (GDR)
of that time. This foundation
strongly facilitates IMMA Ltd's expertise
in the region today. The study
areas included pro-democracy movements,
entrepreneurship, and rebirth
of civil society. |
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