International Trade and Development

US Team

Kenneth E. Wasylik

Managing Director

Ken, a skilled financial and international executive with more than 40 years of experience building businesses worldwide, founded E.M. Wasylik Associates in 1998. He has conducted business in 120+ countries and has extensive on-the-ground experience in 85+ countries. As a Certified Public Accountant, Ken previously worked as a senior financial executive with major international companies including Fiskars Consumer Products and L3Harris Corporation.

Ken has led and completed key strategic alliances, joint ventures, and acquisitions with major global companies. He also has an established track record of developing sales networks, evaluating and implementing business plans worldwide through acquisitions, joint ventures and start-up operations, and global financial management. Ken attained a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Marquette University and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Ken serves on the Wisconsin District Export Council and was the past president of the Madison International Trade Association.

Michael Stone

Senior International Business Developer

Michael is a seasoned trilingual business development specialist with a proven track record of driving market entry and growth strategies worldwide. He has established a global network of business relationships across six continents and diverse industries, including Healthcare, Telecommunications, Hospitality & Foodservice, Fitness & Wellness, Commercial HVAC, and Mining & Construction.

With a dynamic approach and creative problem-solving skills, Michael has successfully navigated complex international infrastructure projects. His professional experience also includes market research, government relations and direct sales.

Michael holds undergraduate degrees in Economics, Spanish, and French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a four-year member of UW’s Division 1 Varsity Rowing Team. He brings a relentless drive to every challenge, as well as a global perspective with a deep understanding of cultural nuances.

David Urintsev

Senior International Business Developer

David is a dynamic professional who develops and implements strategies for both companies entering the international market and those poised for global growth. His experience includes the creation, planning and execution of international market entry strategies as well as overseas operations management and global marketing initiatives. David has led client projects across six continents in a wide array of industries, such as Hospitality & Foodservice, Grocery & Retail, Sports & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, and Industrial Manufacturing. Prior to joining the EMW team, David held several positions in retail buying and marketing and gained experience in financial analysis, vendor management, competitive analysis, and product development.

Fluent in both Russian and Spanish, David has traveled to over 60 countries and is a skillful negotiator and navigator of different business cultures and situations. David graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Management, and International Business, while also earning Certificates in both Spanish and European Studies. David spent a semester studying abroad at the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain.

Shane Rieder

Global Market Intelligence Lead

A key member of the EMW team, Shane brings a strong international business and economics skill set to the firm’s clients. He possesses qualitative and quantitative skills in the form of statistics, finance, and analysis capabilities, presenting his findings concisely and succinctly to clients. Shane provides excellent research results in a variety of industries, including mining, construction, health care, and fitness. Through his studies and career, Shane has worked to develop strong skills in industrial structure and competitive strategy, and has a deep understanding of cultural differences and norms, as well as international relations.

Fluent in Spanish and with experience living overseas for extended periods of time, Shane utilizes his dual-language skills with clients, partners, distributors and other stakeholders. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA and major concentration in Economics and Spanish, and spent a semester abroad at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain).

Larissa Stenglein

International Business Development Associate

Larissa Stenglein brings valuable experience with trade commissions and an understanding of how to pull the different players together for an international business transaction to the EMW team. She also has strong research capabilities, plus is a fluent German speaker with a working knowledge of Arabic.

While previously working for the German American Chambers of Commerce as a Representative of German Business, Larissa fostered transatlantic business partnerships and economic opportunities between American and German stakeholders. She received dual degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Economics and International Studies, and studied at the Vienna School of Business and Economics. Her tenacity shines through her work—whether through her thorough market research reports, organization of valuable business-to-business meetings to advance economic opportunities, or her attitude towards expanding the horizon of her skills.

Virgil Global Trade

US-based Virgil Global Trade LLC understands the complexities of international trade and works with clients to navigate the challenges and opportunities of doing business in the global marketplace. The team, led by Kyle Wilson, has decades of experience in multiple industries spanning the globe plus an impressive track record of success optimizing the movement of goods across international borders.

EMW partners with Virgil Global Trade to provide an expanded range of services to clients. EMW and Virgil together simplify international expansion for companies by strengthening the global strategy of clients. As an outsourced team of international specialists, our work enables client employees to focus on their core business and related activities and carry on with day-to-day operations.

Virgil Global Trade specializes in international trade compliance, logistics, import / export regulations, product sourcing, and supply chain management. The firm, with experts in the mechanics and regulatory requirements for both imports and exports, focuses on efficiency and cost management to ensure Business Across Borders™ occurs uninterrupted between sellers and buyers.