MLG & Associates 2002 - present
Marie Gaudette formed MLG & Associates, an international business development consulting firm. MLG focuses on developing trade linkages between foreign and regional economic development agencies as well as international industry associations and chambers of commerce. MLG’s core services include: international business development; marketing services; overseas marketing representation; product sourcing; trade mission management; international conference & corporate sponsorship management.

Marie Gaudette is also the executive director of the Midwest U.S. - Japan Association. The Midwest U.S.-Japan Association is comprised of ten member States including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. Membership in the Association is supported by State governments, usually represented by their Departments of Commerce or Economic Development. What started in 1967 as simply a meeting of farsighted businessmen from both sides of the Pacific Ocean has grown into the Annual Joint Meetings of the Midwest U.S.-Japan and Japan-Midwest U.S. Associations. The 38th Annual Joint Meeting, hosted in Indianapolis in September of 2006, attracted the governors of five Midwestern states and the Chairmen/CEOs from such companies as Eli Lilly, FedEx, Duke Nuclear, Lear Corporation, Northwest Airlines, Tokyo Stock Exchange and Toyota Motor North America. More information at www.midwest-japan.org.

World Trade Center Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) 1995 - 2002
Prior to MLG & Associates, Marie Gaudette was senior Vice President of the World Trade Center Chicago. She was directly responsible for Business Development and Programming for the World Trade Center Chicago. She developed business alliances with regional industry organizations, corporations, government agencies and overseas business partners in the targeted industries of WTCC. These partnerships were instrumental in the development and sponsorship of the Annual Program, including industry-driven symposiums, conferences, executive round table series, business matchmaking programs, sector research projects, international training programs and overseas trade missions.

Ms. Gaudette managed all outgoing and incoming trade missions between Chicago and targeted overseas markets for our business partners, including the Chicago Sister Cities International Program, the Chicago-Cook County International Division, the Consular Corps of Chicago, regional trade associations and the World Trade Center network. Ms. Gaudette has recently organized trade missions to Northern Ireland, Ireland, Italy, China and Hong Kong.

The LePon Group (Chicago, Illinois) 1993 - 1995
Prior to working with WTCC, Ms. Gaudette established the Chicago Office of the LePon Group, an international consulting firm, within the World Trade Center Chicago. Ms. Gaudette’s responsibilities were to develop distribution channels throughout China for U.S. firms in the automotive aftermarket industry. The LePon Group organized the first China-US Automotive Symposium, held in Chicago in 1994.

Japan Travel Bureau International (Chicago, Illinois) 1983 - 1993
Prior to the LePon Group, Ms. Gaudette worked for JTBI Chicago, the U.S. subsidiary of Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), a multinational Japanese travel corporation, in several senior management positions. During her ten years at JTB, Ms. Gaudette structured the Inbound Division, including the implementation of an extensive technical visit program for incoming Japanese delegations. Ms. Gaudette managed the Outbound Division, developing tailor-designed trade missions to Asia for the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, the Midwest-Japan Association, Chicago-area multinational firms and state economic development agencies. Ms. Gaudette also organized global conferences for major U.S. corporations and trade associations in Japan, including the Interflora World Cup for FTD in 1989.

Japan National Tourist Organization (Chicago, Illinois) 1981 - 1983
Prior to Japan Travel Bureau International, Ms. Gaudette worked for JNTO, the Chicago Branch office of JNTO-Japan, as a marketing director. Ms. Gaudette worked with regional tourism industry suppliers, developing comprehensive marketing programs for the U.S. marketplace. Additionally, Ms. Gaudette developed a training workshop program for U.S. tourism suppliers and global trade associations which were developing new chapters in Japan.


Affiliations:
Ms. Gaudette currently serves on the Board of Directors Hostelling International; the International Trade Club of Chicago; and the Founding Committee of the Irish Repertory of Chicago. She is currently a member of the Chicago Sister Cities China Committee and the Chicago-Cook County Ireland Committee and has served on the Boards of the Chicago Sister Cities International Program, the Chicago International Business’ Summer Internship Program and the Pacific Asia Travel Association.


Education:
Ms. Gaudette received a B.A. in political science and French at Clarke College. She studied in Aix-en-Provence, France and worked in Kyoto, Japan and is fluent in French and Japanese.