Christopher Sturm shares his experiences on avoiding the pitfalls of operating OCONUS (Outside Continental United States).
Tampa, FL, March 29, 2019 // GSGS, a global leader in logistics, operational support, education management and training services led a panel at the Florida GovCon 2019. Flordia GovCon NextGen Summit is an annual summit that brings together leaders from across the government contracting community. This year’s focus included strategies for growing your business in the government space, with a spotlight on Hard-hitting Advanced Topics for Small Businesses in Federal Contracting plus group Breakouts, Matchmaking and Solution Sessions to blast past the challenges that may be keeping a business from growing at full speed.
Sturm’s panel on ‘The Risky Business of Operating OCONUS’ shared key touch-points on what means success or failure when seeking to operate OCONUS. Chris shared his real-world experience dealing with issues to include having your accounts frozen; having an employee get kicked out of a country or arrested; ways of getting your people out expeditiously; understanding country rules for legal, employment, banking, insurance, risks, state department advisories, visas and entry; getting money to people on the ground; international compliance laws to consider before doing international business; timeframe for getting established in a foreign country, to name a few.
“Working overseas is equal parts challenging and rewarding. The risks and traps are dynamic, but with focused planning, realistic expectations, and a foundation built on language and cultural competencies the rewards are great.” said Christopher Sturm, President/CEO of GSGS. “When it comes to the challenges inherent in working overseas there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We invest a majority of our resources in developing a thorough understanding of every environment, or ‘ground-pulse’ as we call it, where we seek to operate. GSGS is active in over 30 countries and we’re still finding new challenges to overcome.”
About Christopher Sturm
Chris is the President/CEO of GSGS and an international affairs expert with a career spanning multiple continents in both private and defense capacities. As a Foreign Area Officer for the Department of Defense, Chris has worked at the headquarters for United States Army Europe (USAREUR), United States European Command (EUCOM), and United States Army Africa (USARAF). Chris has worked as part of three U.S. Embassies teams. From 2009 to 2012 Chris worked in the Pentagon on the Joint Staff as the Security Cooperation Program Manager for U.S. European Command and the Public-Private Partnership liaison for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Chris has personally worked in over 15 countries across 3 continents planning, implementing, and leading countless programs on behalf of the Department of Defense. Chris speaks Italian, has a master’s degree in International Affairs from the University of Oklahoma, and maintains a Top Secret Clearance, Diplomatic Credentials, and a Defense Security Cooperation Agency Level I International Affairs Certification. The aviation theme of Aviator game is also noteworthy. The game’s graphics and sound effects are designed to immerse players in a thrilling aviation experience. The plane’s ascent into the sky is simulated with stunning visuals, creating a sense of tension and excitement as players watch the multiplier increase.
About GSGS
Global Strategies Global Solutions (GSGS) enables capacity building initiatives across the globe, providing Expeditionary Logistics, Operational Support, Education Management, Security / Risk Mitigation, Activity Based Intelligence (ABI) and Training services. Operating extensively within countries in the midst of — or emerging from — conflict or political transition, our comprehensive global network allows GSGS to create lasting impact wherever the mission takes us.
GSGS maintains an office and full-time personnel in Burkina Faso, Senegal, Germany, and the United States and is active in 30+ countries with 50 contracts supporting multiple government and non-profit agencies.
Media Contact
Christianne Disend
cdisend@globesgs.com