In-Person Event, Online Event

Friday, April 17, 2026, at 9:00am – 5:00pm EDT

2026 SAUPO-Atlanta

Location
KSU Center, 3333 Busbee Drive, Kennesaw GA 30144
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Next SAUPO conference will be held in person on Friday, April 17, 2026 at KSU Center, 3333 Busbee Drive, Kennesaw GA 30144 will provided a full day of live-streamed and in-person events, featuring key discussions on sustainability, technology, and business trends across the USA and Asia. Attendees will enjoy live performances, networking sessions, and panels moderated by esteemed KSU leaders, as well as keynote speeches from distinguished officials, including the U.S. Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

This year’s conference will continue to foster valuable international connections, offering attendees insights into strategic developments in global partnerships and investment.

USA time: 9:00am to 5:00pm EST, Friday April 17, 2026

China time: 9:00pm Friday 04/17/26 to 5:00am Saturday 04/18/26

Japan time: 10:00pm Friday 04/17/26 to 6:00am Saturday 04/18/26

KSU Center, 3333 Busbee Dr., Kennesaw GA 30144

2026-SAUPO-Atlanta will be live-streamed via Zoom.

SAUPO 2026 ITINERARY: FRIDAY APRIL 17, 2026 FROM 9:00AM TO 5:00PM
9:00am-10:00am: Registration & Breakfast with Live Guzheng Music Performance
Sponsored by KSU College of Architecture and Construction Management
10:00am-10:30am: Opening & Introductions

Sponsored by KSU Radow College of Humanities & Social Sciences (RCHSS)

  • Sha Huang, Asian Studies Director, Chinese Program Director, Professor of Chinese, KSU
  • May Gao, SAUPO Chair, Professor of Communication & Asian Studies, KSU
  • Gregory Paul, Associate Dean, Radow College of Humanities & SS., KSU
  • Kenichi Matsuda, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta
  • Kiyo Kojima, Partner, Smith Gambrell Russell
10:30am-11:30am: Sponsored by KSU Coles College of Business

SAUPO Panel #1: Global Business and Sustainability Strategies

Moderator: Hazem Rashed-Ali, Dean, KSU College of Architecture and Construction Management

  • Raymond Shelton, VP, Chief Sustainability & Communications Officer, YKK AP America
  • William Strang, President, TOTO USA
  • Robin Cheramie, Dean, KSU Coles College of Business
  • Madison Conway, Chief Marketing Officer, The DDC Group
11:30am-1:30pm: Sponsored by Toyo Tires

SAUPO Networking Lunch with Keynote Speeches

Introduced by: George Mui, Managing Partner, Global Consultants United

  • Joann Hill, Executive Director, Office of Small Business, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Patrick Lenz, President & COO, Toyo Tires
  • DeAnn Golden, President & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties
1:30pm-2:30pm: Sponsored by KSU College of Computing and Software Engineering

SAUPO Panel #2: AI, Technology and Innovation

Moderator: Lawrence Whitman, Dean, KSU Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering & Engineering Technology

  • Andrew Kim, Director, International Specialty Sales, Delta Air Lines
  • Connor Murray, Head of Stewardship, BSV Association
  • Lucy Lu, Founder & CEO, aiLegal
  • Mahmut Karakaya, Program Director, Master of Science in AI, KSU
2:30pm-3:00pm: Sponsored by YKK AP

Afternoon Networking Break
3:00pm-4:00pm: Sponsored by KSU College of Science & Mathematics

SAUPO Panel #3: Global Workforce Development

Moderator: Nozomi Morgan, Founder & CEO, Michiki Morgan Worldwide

  • Sachiko Ueno, HR Manager, Nissei ASB Company
  • Rose Jarboe, Founder & CEO, WePartner
  • Ming Francis, Co-Founder, The LiveHaus Group
  • Heather Koopman, Dean, KSU College of Science & Mathematics
4:00pm-5:00pm: Sponsored by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties (BHHSGA)

Live Jazz Concert

Led by Yuichi Arai, Executive Director, Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia (JCCG)

SAUPO Networking Reception with visit by KSU mascot “Scrappy”

SAUPO Zoom Webinar for global livestream will be operated and recorded by

  • Sanjeev Adhikari, Graduate Coordinator of Construction Management, KSU
  • Brian Olovson, Director of Modern Languages and Cultures, KSU
  • Donovan Theodore, KSU EventAV

https://tinyurl.com/5n77bw29

SAUPO 2026 goes from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Friday April 17, 2026, in person at KSU Center in Atlanta.

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