Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT) event features high-caliber speakers as group celebrates 25 years of supporting New England’s international trade community Top policymakers and industry experts will share their perspectives at the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade’s (CONECT) 20th Annual Northeast Trade & Transportation Conference, April 12–14 at the Newport Marriott Hotel in Newport, R.I. Over 250 importers, exporters, government officials, legal experts, and providers of international trade and transportation services are expected to attend the conference, which will feature nearly a dozen educational sessions and keynote presentations as well as networking opportunities, roundtable discussions, and exhibits. CONECT is also celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2016. As part of the festivities, the organization will also host a special 25th Anniversary Gala dinner at Rosecliff, the historic Newport mansion, on Wednesday, April 13. The high caliber of speakers is indicative of the importance of this conference within the New England trade and transportation community. On Wednesday, April 13, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection R. Gil Kerlikowske will deliver the keynote address on Customs’ Trade Transformation initiative. On Thursday, April 14, Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero will address the changing business and regulatory environment for ocean cargo carriers. Also on Thursday, Hun Quach, Vice President for International Trade at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), who is recognized as one of the most powerful insiders in Washington, will articulate private-sector positions on critical trade matters. Other timely and important topics to be covered by panels of industry experts throughout the conference include: U.S. Customs regulations, free trade agreements (FTAs), Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) shipping requirements, China trade policy, port productivity and labor, the vital role of railroads in port throughput, ocean carrier alliances, export compliance, and the global economic outlook. Peter Friedmann, CONECT’s Washington Counsel, will present the ever-popular “Off the Record” and Washington forecast sessions.\