New officers were sworn in at the Georgetown Business Association 2011 annual meeting and holiday reception, attended by members and elected officials.

   

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Franchising World January 2012

By: Beth Solomon

International Franchise Association members answered a call from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Nov. 15 to join an unprecedented Tunisia Partnerships Forum bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and franchise leaders to spur economic development in the nation that launched the so-called Arab Spring.

Johnny Rockets Senior Vice President, International Development Steve Devine, Hilton Worldwide Vice President and Senior Counsel Karen Satterlee, CFE, MSA Worldwide Managing Director Kay Ainsley, CFE, and HSBC Bank Vice President Rokas Beresniovas responded to the Secretary’s call to meet a Tunisian delegation   in support of the nation’s democratic transition.

These industry leaders fostered franchise partnerships at a special IFA session hosted by DLA Piper Senior Partner and IFA General Counsel Philip Zeidman, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the World Bank, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and other organizations that attended the unique event.

“Tunisia was never on the whiteboard,” said OPIC Chief Elizabeth Littlefield. “We had always seen it as a beautiful place where French investors go. Only 6 percent of the 1,300 foreign investments in Tunisia were American. We are definitely changing that, especially since Tunisia has a strategic location and a highly educated workforce,” she said.

When the Secretary’s office alerted IFA to Tunisian leaders’ focus on franchising, IFA believed it was important to respond. Franchising offers education, training, and small business ownership that can help people all over the world improve their lives and enhance global stability.

Recognizing the value of this unique American export, OPIC and other international investment organizations

O “HSBC Bank USA” viceprezidentas Rokas Beresniovas sako, kad, žvelgiant iš anapus Atlanto, išryšk?ja dar viena spraga, norint pritraukti investicij?, – tai informacijos, susijusios su investicijomis, importu ir eksportu, verslo k?rimu Lietuvoje stygius. Reik?t? išsamios, nuolat atnaujinamos vienos duomen? baz?s virtualioje erdv?je, kuri b?t? lengvai valdoma, naršoma ir prieinama visiems norintiesiems. Read more.

Photo by Rokas Beresniovas

Joe Giannino and Rokas Beresniovas

The Georgetown Business Association (GBA) elected their 2012 board members yesterday. “It tells you how much this organization has evolved in the past two years… ‘Fresh blood’, young, ambitious, energetic,” said incoming president, Rokas Beresniovas. Adding, “Karen and Janine – new board members, one year on the board and proved themselves to be great leaders with lots of energy and ideas in the community. Newly elected vice president Riyad Said, has been involved with GBA for the past three years, most recently as treasurer.

Beresniovas has been a GBA board member since 2007 and vice president for the past two years. He succeeds Joe Giannino as president.

President – Rokas Beresniovas, HSBC Bank USA
Vice President – Riyad Said, Wells Fargo Advisors
Treasurer – Karen S Ohri, Georgetown Floorcoverings
Secretary – Janine Schoonover, Serendipity3

Photo by The Georgetown Dish

Rokas and Christine Beresniovas at the CAG Russian Embassy annual gala last year

This Wednesday evening, the Board of the Georgetown Business Association (GBA) will meet to elect its officers for the coming year. Is this important to Georgetown businesses and residents? As I consider my own role, in the organization, a few thoughts draw my focus:

During first several meetings I attended as a new GBA board member in 2007, many members were debating whether or not GBA had outlived its usefulness in Georgetown. Membership had fallen dramatically. Board meetings seemed more like a chore than a privilege or responsibility. GBA events often attracted fewer than 15 people. It was clear to all of us that GBA was at a crossroads, and it either had to regroup and reconsider its mission and activities, or let other organizations take its place.

But many board members—I was one of them—were not ready to give up on GBA, as they still believed we could successfully achieve our mission of connecting Georgetown businesses with clients and advocating on behalf of the needs of the Georgetown business community. Subsequently, through the determination and the hard work of the GBA board, dedicated members of the Georgetown community, and elected officers, GBA successfully re-launched and rebranded itself into a thriving and vibrant business organization. Gone are the days when we had small turnouts for our networking events. Now, our monthly events have to be hosted in venues that can hold 100-150 people.

GBA membership has finally returned to the levels from before 2008, and in this year alone, 40 new members have joined.  GBA has also joined the social media revolution on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Additionally, our partnerships with local media outlets in Georgetown have given GBA more visibility, and GBA has become more respected on a city-wide level, having hosted events for Mayor Vincent Gray, Councilmember Vincent Orange (At-large) and Council Chairman Kwame Brown.

GBA also hosts quarterly events to foster conversations and collaboration between Georgetown organizations, such as CAG, the BID, Georgetown University, and the ANC. GBA has also made an arrangement with the D.C. Chamber of Commerce so that GBA members can become members the local Chamber for a nominal fee. Moreover, we are working with the Small Business Development Corporation, which has been charged by the government to help with loans to small businesses in the community.

We have also brought back some former GBA favorites, such as the GBA Annual Senior Advisory Luncheons, which include former GBA board members and recognize the contributions of some of the longest-standing businesses in the Georgetown community.

None of this could have been accomplished without the dedication and hard work of every single GBA board member who has stepped up this year whether as chair of or participant in a committee. We have all worked hard to make GBA a vibrant business organization that offers real value to its membership. I would be remiss if I did not single out Joe Giannino, outgoing GBA President who has demonstrated great leadership skills in moving the organization forward and creating an organization in which everyone plays a role.

Building on my participation as a board member, as Vice President of GBA for the past two years, I have been encouraged by my colleagues to consider running for GBA President. As I reflect on how much GBA has accomplished in the last few years and how proud I am of what we have done, I would be honored to continue my service with such a great organization.

It is the leadership of Joe Giannino and others that I hope to emulate and build upon if I become GBA President.

In 2012, legislation will be the number one-priority for the GBA because of the need to reestablish a strong lobbying organization for local interests. We will also continue collaborating with other Georgetown groups—indeed such cooperation is currently underway—to develop ideas about how to make Georgetown the most competitive shopping destination in Washington, D.C. while also respecting the needs of local residents.

Additionally, we will continue to build on the momentum already achieved by GBA in reaching out to new members, supporting the varied needs of our current members, and developing a stronger social media presence online. We also plan to continue streamlining GBA operations to ensure that processes are more efficient for our members. For example, next year we hope to implement an automated membership management system that will make it easier for members to pay their dues online. Finally, because networking is one of the most important activities for GBA members, we will continue to host a variety of our most popular activities, including new “members only” events.

I am proud to have been a part of such exciting developments with GBA, and I can’t wait to see what the New Year brings. Thank you for your ongoing leadership and participation in this important endeavor for our community and our nation’s capital.

3 Comments For This Article

Kaunietis Rokas Beresniovas ? Amerik? atvyko pagal studentišk? kult?rini? main? program? „Work and Travel USA”. Kaip daugeliui jaun? žmoni?, savo vert? sve?ioje šalyje jam teko ?rodin?ti ir dirbant padav?ju, ir studijuojant. Baig?s tarptautinio verslo ir prekybos studijas Richland College Dallas, TX, Rokas pamažu ?m? kilti karjeros laiptais. HSBC banko Washington, DC viceprezidentas Rokas Beresniovas neseniai išrinktas susivienijimo Georgetown Business Association (GBA) prezidentu. Šia proga jis maloniai sutiko atsakyti ? kelet? klausim?.

– Sveikiname su naujomis pareigomis – esate išrinktas Georgetown Business Association prezidentu. Ar toks paaukštinimas pareigose Jums buvo netik?tas?

– Naujas pareigas GBA aš priimu kaip dar didesn? atsakomyb? ir kaip šio susivienijimo darbuotoj?  pasitik?jimo manimi ženkl?. Su GBA dirbu jau daugiau nei 3 metai. Per š? laikotarp? sureng?me ne vien? dešimt? rengini? Washington, DC ir tarptautinei bendruomenei. 2008 metai GBA buvo labai sunk?s. At?j?s ? susivienijimo taryb?, stengiausi, kad  kiti nariai nenuleist? rank?, skatinau stiprinti organizacijos autoritet? ir veikl?, ruošti s?kmingus renginius. Surinkome puiki? žmoni? komand?, kuri savo tik?jimu, nesavanaudišku darbu ir l?kes?i? pateisinimu pad?jo GBA augti ir pasiekti užsibr?žtus tikslus. Šiuo metu ši pelno nesiekianti organizacija yra viena iš svarbiausi? verslo susivienijim? Washington, DC, kurio ?taka jau?iama politikoje, versle ir kult?riniame miesto gyvenime.

– J?s? karjeros pasiekim? gali pavyd?ti ne tik imigrantai, bet ir amerikie?iai. Kaip pasisek? ,,pagauti amerikietišk?j? svajon?”?

– Nesistengiu sav?s lyginti su kitais žmon?mis ar tenkintis tikru ar ?sivaizduojamu pranašumu. Kaip  min?jau, visuomet ma?iau tiksl?, d?l kurio su užsidegimu dirbau pats ir stengiausi suburti bendramin?ius šiam tikslui pasiekti. Matymas, kad mano su bendramin?iais atlikti darbai teigiamai paveik? kit? žmoni? gyvenimus, suk?r? jiems galimybes augti, man yra pats geriausias atlygis už darb?. Gyvendamas JAV pats patyriau daugelio geranorišk? žmoni? pasitik?jim?, pagalb? ir dabar stengiuosi tuo pa?iu atsilyginti kitiems.

– Kas buvo sunkiausia šiame kelyje?

– Sunkiausia yra neprarasti drausm?s ir nenuleisti rank?. Sunki buvo ir pati pradžia – atsid?rus svetimame krašte, kitoje kult?rin?je aplinkoje, be paž?stam? ir draug?. Esu d?kingas sutiktiems amerikie?i? d?stytojams – jie mane išmok? ne tik kritinio m?stymo, bet ir nebijoti klausti.

– Dažnai gr?žtate ? Lietuv?. Koki? j? matote? Ar tikite, kad Lietuva kada nors taps klestin?ia valstybe?

– Valstyb?s „klest?jimas” man ir mano bendramin?iams vis? pirma yra m?stymo kaita, demokratišk?, tolerantišk? sieki?, veiksm? ?sigal?jimas visuomenin?je s?mon?je, aktyvaus, veiklaus jaunimo, nauj? vadov? atsiradimas ir j? skatinimas dirbti.

Šitie dalykai sukurs terp? galim? ateities konkurencing? produkt? – kult?rini? ir fizini? – atsiradimui.

– Nors jau daugiau nei 10 met? gyvenate JAV, J?s? su draugais 2010 m. ?kurtas tarptautinis socialinis tinklas ,,Global Lithuanian Leaders” (GLL) rodo, kad per tiek met? meil? gimtai šaliai neužgeso. Kod?l Jums taip r?pi ta maža šalel??

– Aš sieju save su Lietuva, su jos spar?iai besikei?ian?ia kult?ra, gyvenimu. Mano ir Lietuvoje gyvenan?i? žmoni? m?stymas kartais skiriasi, ta?iau jau?iu poreik? perduoti savo ir kit? JAV ?sitvirtinusi? lietuvi? profesional? žinias ir patirt? perspektyviam Lietuvos jaunimui ir taip prisid?ti prie Lietuvos vystymosi ir ateities. Aš jau?iuosi lietuvis, nes esu lietuvis ne vien d?l to, kad turiu pas?. Negyvenu Lietuvoje, bet dažnai ? j? gr?žtu, nesu nutol?s nuo šalies realyb?s, ji mano gimtasis kraštas.

– Š? ruden? lank?t?s Lietuvos Seime. Ar Lietuvos valdžia supranta J?s? ?kurto tinklo siekius?

– GLL – nepolitin?, nevalstybin? organizacija, tai – socialinis tinklas, jungiantis tiek Lietuvoje, tiek užsienyje gyvenan?ius savo srities profesionalus, vadovus, neabejingus Lietuvai, jos žmon?ms, mokslui, kult?rai bei Lietuvos vietai pasaulyje. Per ?vairius socialinius, akademinius projektus GLL siekia tapti pasaulin?s patirties bei žini? tiltu ? T?vyn?. Jos tikslas skleisti pasauliui žini? apie  m?s? šalyje vyksian?ius renginius, paskatinti Lietuvoje ir užsienyje gyvenan?ius lietuvius pakviesti savo užsienie?ius draugus, draug? draugus ir paž?stamus aplankyti Lietuv?. Išvyk? Lietuvos sve?iai skleis žini? kitiems ir taps savotiškais „Lietuvos ambasadoriais”.

Su mumis kartu sutiko dirbti, kurti bendrus projektus, dalintis sumanymais keletas LR ministerij?. Reikia pasakyti, kad nemažai, ypa? jaunosios kartos, politik? yra dažni GLL rengini? sve?iai. Tarkime, 2011 m. gruodžio 28 d. GLL organizuojamoje konferencijoje dalyvaus premjeras Andrius Kubilius, o jo patar?jas Mykolas Majauskas yra nuolatinis GLL rengini? sve?ias.

Kol kas atsiliepimai apie m?s? veikl? buvo tiktai teigiami, ir tikim?s, kad ateityje atsiras vis daugiau bendradarbiavimo b?d?.

– K? J?s manote apie šiomis dienomis taip dažnai diskutuojam? dvigubos pilietyb?s klausim??

– Šis klausimas yra svarbus. Esu ?sitikin?s, kad dviguba pilietyb? yra reikalinga. Negalime sau leisti, kad Lietuva atstumt? išvykusius, darbš?ius, talentingus žmones, kuriems kitos valstyb?s si?lo pilietybes, pripažindamos j? vert?. Jeigu žmogus yra ver?iamas rinktis vien? pilietyb?, tai gal?damas tur?ti JAV, Didžiosios Britanijos, Kanados, Vokietijos ar kt. išsivys?iusios šalies pilietyb?  jis vien d?l savo ir savo šeimos gerov?s grei?iausiai rinksis ne Lietuvos pilietyb?. Manau, kad tokiu poelgiu  Lietuva atstumia daug puiki? lietuvi?. Gimtasis kraštas juos atstumia, o tie žmon?s tikrai daug gal?t? pad?ti jam.

– J?s ir J?s? draugai žinomi savo labdaros renginiais. Ar manote, kad labdara, kaip ir gerumas, išgelb?s pasaul??

– Labdara yra aukšto pilietinio s?moningumo ženklas. Tik dirbdami drauge galime sukurti geresn? ateit? visiems.

– J?s? žmona Christine – amerikiet?. Ar ji supranta J?s? lietuvišk? veikl?, ar neprieštarauja jai?

– Christine puikiai kalba lietuviškai, geriau už mane žino Lietuvos istorij?! Ji ne tik ne kart? lank?si Lietuvoje, bet ir šiuo metu su Fulbright stipendija studijuoja Vilniaus ir Kauno universitetuose.

– J?s? t?tis Vladimiras Beresniovas – žinomas Lietuvoje dailininkas karikat?ristas (2012 m. rugs?j? ?iurlionio galerijoje, Jaunimo centre, numatyta V. Beresniovo darb? paroda).  O gal pats taip pat piešiate karikat?ras?

– Tikrai taip, ir norintys gali pamatyti mano karikat?ras apsilank? Kauno ,,Velni? muziejuje”.

– Ar humoras padeda darbe, ar jis paveldimas?

– Nežinau, ar humoro jausmas yra paveldimas, ta?iau mano draugai jo tr?kumu nesiskundžia.

– Para turi 24 valandas? Kaip ,,ilginate” dien??

– Su kava (juokiasi).

– K? galite palink?ti tiems, kurie svajoja apie profesines aukštumas?

– „Vienas lauke – ne karys.” Labai svarbu ne tik nenuleisti rank? ir dirbti su užsispyrimu, bet ir ieškoti savo bendramin?i?, suburti žmones, su kuriais gali sieti ateities sumanymus ir dalintis bendrais ateities planais.

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