Friday October 3, 2025
8am Registration Opens – 9am Introductory Remarks -5pm Networking
Central Asia: A New Awakening
17th ANNUAL CHICAGO SILK ROAD CONFERENCE
Northern Illinois University, NIU Outreach Conference Center
1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville ILL 60563
Focusing on Bilateral Business, Trade and Investments in the Caucasus
and an Introduction to Exporting
Organized by: Central Asian Productivity Research Center (CAPRC)
Co-sponsored by: College of Business, Northern Illinois University (NIU)
REGISTRATION Cost $45 Associates; $55 Non-Associates; Later Registry $65
Please email your Name and Address to:
[email protected]
or mail to
CAPRC
407 East Madison St.
Dodgeville, WI 53533
The First 50 registrations will receive a FREE copy of
“Guide To International Marketing”
Central Asia Comes to Chicago, the Heart of the Midwest, USA!
Join us at this largest conference of its kind in the U.S., outside Washington D.C.
Explore the recent economic development, growing business partnership and trade opportunities, and global economic impact of the Central Asia region!
What to expect:
● Formal presentations by prominent international experts, government representatives
● Interactive panel discussions with participant Q&A
● Networking and pre-arranged one-on-one meeting opportunities
● Special luncheon program to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of CAPRC by Professor Harry Lepinske, who still leads the organization
What you will gain:
● A deeper understanding and appreciation of Central Asia and other countries wielding significant influence upon the region, including Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Russia, China, Iran, the European Union, and the United States
● New business connections and bilateral trade opportunities
● Opportunity to exhibit your projects if you are looking for partners, or products and services you want to sell
Who is the audience:
Conference attendees, guest speakers, and exhibitors will include experts on recent developments; government representatives; policy and business leaders; academicians; economic development organizations; and small to medium size entrepreneurs looking for partnership, collaboration, and business development between Central Asia and Caucasus regions and the US and beyond.
Purpose of the 2025 Silk Road Conference:
The Silk Road Conference is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of Central Asia and the Caucuses, with the objective of fostering business and bi-lateral trade opportunities in Central Asian countries and beyond. The Conference program will combine formal presentations, audience-participative panel discussions, and informal networking opportunities to cover areas of current activity, specific needs, and the overall business and economic climate of the region.
In addition to practical and actionable information and networking, participants will gain an appreciation of the forces that are transforming Central Asia and their actual and potential effects, allowing intelligent assessment of current and potential opportunities and risks. To provide the most complete picture, the discussions will also touch upon the roles of nations beyond the region wielding significant influence on Central Asia, including Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, Iran, the European Union, and the United States.
Full day conference includes a special luncheon is included in the program to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of CAPRC by Professor Harry Lepinske, who still leads the organization.
Why Central Asia:
Central Asia, officially defined as comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, has long been of great geopolitical importance due to its strategic location, natural resources, literate workforce, and diverse culture.
However, a new era has begun in this region. Significant changes have occurred over the last decade driven by developments both inside and outside the region. New strategic alliances have formed, creating new challenges and opportunities to existing security arrangements and the overall geostrategic balance.
These included China’s Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI), the Middle Corridor (MC) transport projects linking Chinese and European markets via Central Asia and the South Caucasus, the increasing pace of Russia and Iran’s development of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INTSC), new political leadership in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan building a logistics hub in Afghanistan; Kazakhstan joining ongoing efforts to build railway lines across Afghanistan; and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The traditional business opportunities in Central Asia, including energy, agribusiness, and infrastructure development, continue as before. However, the Central Asia business and economic climate has changed, including new challenges that must be understood and accounted for in any business or commercial enterprise. These include political stability and security, economic diversity, overall demographics, social issues such as youth unemployment and socioeconomic inequality, emerging influences, environmental degradation, and government corruption.
New and unprecedented opportunities for small and medium size foreign investors have emerged in the areas of education and training, renewable energy, agro-tech and food security, urban development and smart cities, the digital economy, healthcare innovation, cultural exports, and even tourism.
Central Asia Productivity Research Center (CAPRC)
For more than 25 years, the Central Asia Productivity Research Center (CAPRC) has been dedicated to studying the Central Asia and Caucasus regions, with a particular focus on promoting bilateral trade. CAPRC has provided valuable, practical insights and has fostered productive relationships for business leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Its signature event, the Silk Road Conference, has been hailed as one of the top conferences of its kind in the U.S., outside of Washington, D.C.
REGISTRATION Cost $45 Associates; $55 Non-Associates; Later Registry $65
Please email or mail your Name and Address to:
[email protected]
or
CAPRC
407 East Madison St.
Dodgeville, WI 53533
The First 50 registrations will receive a FREE copy of
“Guide To International Marketing”
AGENDA
08:00 Exhibit set-up
08:15 Registration/Networking/Refreshments
08:45 Ribbon-cutting
09:00 Introductory Remarks
Bennett Piscopo, Director of Operations.
Graduate Programs and Global Initiatives
09:05 Official Welcome to NIU
Anthony Prescott, PhD Senior Assistant Dean, College of Business
Welcome to the Annual Silk Road Conference
Professor Harry C. Lepinske CAPRC Chairman, Retired Business Executive
09:15 Introduction To The Central Asia Market
Tanner Johnson, U.S. Department of Commerce Washington. D.C.
09:30 China and The Belt and Road Initiative
Consul General Baodong Wang
Consulate General of Chicago, Peoples Republic of China
10:00 BREAK
10:15 Pakistan: Gateway to Afghanistan and Beyond
Hon. Tariq Karim, Consul General
Consulate of Pakistan, Chicago
10:45 Hon. Tahir Bora Atatanir, Consul General
Consulate of Turkiye, Chicago
11:15 Productivity In Central Asia
Professor Ronald Melka, Chairman CAPRC Productivity Committee;
Retired government executive and formerly with the IIT Stuart Graduate
11:45 The Belt and Road Initiative and Hong Kong
Curtis Louie, Director Chicago / New York
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
12:00 The Gray Market
Professor Gregory Boyan, CAPRC Vice Chairman Indiana Tech
Consultant, Innovation Centers and Business Incubators
12:15 Working Lunch
World Academy of Productivity Science
Anita Tang, Vice President
13:00 ZOOM Discussion with businessmen in Uzbekistan
13:30 China’s Belt and Road Initiative – Connectivity and Economic Development
Anita Tang, Managing Director Royal Roots Global, Inc.
Vice President World Academy of Productivity Science
14:00 The Logistics Challenges Of An Exporter
Panel discussion Focusing On Logistics
MODERATOR
Richard Paullin, Executive Director
International Trade Association Of Greater Chicago
Panelists:
Capt. Shahid Naseer, Master Mariner And CEO SAARS International,
Larry, Bajmakovich, Solutions Team Executive BDG International
14:45 Understanding Trade Barriers
David G. Forgue, Partner Barnes, Richardson,& Colburn LLP
15:15 ZOOM Discussion with Businessmen In Afghanistan
15:45 Malaysia
Muhamed Haikal Samsudin, Deputy Director
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)
16:15 Understanding The Cultural Aspects For International Business
Professor Harry Lepinske
16:45 Concluding Remarks
H. Mark Lepinske, CAPRC Advisory Board Member
17:00 Mocktails/Networking Session
For CAPRC programs and to get involved please contact, Harry Lepinske at: [email protected]
For questions about the 2025 Silk Road Conference contact Harry Lepinske at: [email protected]
Last updated on September 20, 2025 by Michael Alexander Krzyston
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