ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This program will explore the history and future of Pennsylvania’s industry, business, finance, and economic growth, with a focus on Philadelphia’s role as a gateway to the world. By examining the city’s and region’s economic engine, the program will demonstrate how regional industries are connected to global markets and how infrastructure plays a critical role in driving economic opportunity.
This is a free program.
Meet the Moderator & Panelists
Lauren Swartz, President and CEO, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
Lauren is the President & CEO of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, the region’s largest and longest-running international nonprofit. World Affairs opens doors between Philadelphia and the world. From powerful speaker events and international exchanges to youth education, to professional development and curated travel programs, this is where continents, cultures, and ideas connect.
Previously, she was Deputy Commerce Director of International Business & Global Strategy for the City of Philadelphia. With a focus on global business attraction, foreign direct investment, and promoting exports, her work created jobs and strengthened the local economy. She crafted the global strategy for Philadelphia and hosted thousands of delegations, diplomats, businesses and investors.
Lauren has also served as the Deputy Director at the trade association, Food Export USA – Northeast, promoting U.S. exports in over 40 countries. Lauren has experience running her own consulting firm specializing in international project management and food marketing. She has lived and worked abroad in Copenhagen and London.
Lauren is the Honorary Consul of Sweden for Pennsylvania. Lauren serves as a Board Member for the following organizations: Leadership Philadelphia; Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Satell Institute, and Global Philadelphia Association. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, Sunday Breakfast Club and the Forum of Executive Women. She also serves on Pennsylvania Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. She earned a B.A. in Communications at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College with minors in Business Economics, Spanish and Philosophy. Lauren is an accomplished speaker at conferences and events around the world. Awards include: 2023 City & State Above & Beyond, 2023 Titan 100, 2023 Philadelphia Business Journal Women of Influence, 2019 “40 Under 40” from the Philadelphia Business Journal and Temple University’s Fox School of Business International Business Partner of the Year in 2016-2017.
Joseph Berquist, Chief Commercial Officer, Quaker Houghton
Joseph Berquist is the Chief Commercial Officer at Quaker Houghton, a global leader in developing, producing, and marketing specialty products for range of industrial and manufacturing applications. Berquist has been with the
organization for 27+ years, and under his leadership, share price has improved from $13 to $300+, revenues have grown at double digit CAGR, and the organization has been voted a Top Place to Work seven times by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Berquist has been a key acquisitions team member – leading and/or collaborating on >15 M&As – and was the Integration Leader following a large-scale merger of Quaker Chemical and Houghton (2017). Other acquisitions have included United
Lubricants, Vulcan, DA Stuart AHRO, MacDermid (Specialty Plating), Tecniquimia, GW Smith, Summit Lubricants, Norman Hay, Lubricor, Coral, and ECLI.
Since joining the company as a Technical Service Specialist in 1997, Berquist has followed a rapid trajectory of upward mobility. He was quickly promoted into a Site Manager role for Chemical Management Services and was elevated
through program coordinator and product manager roles before joining the Industrial Metalworking organization as a Sales Manager in 2004. Berquist was promoted to Industry Business Director for Metalworking USA in 2006, and in 2009 was again promoted to Sr. Director, North America Commercial. From 2010 – 2019, Berquist served as Vice President and Managing Director, North America. Reporting directly to the CEO, he led ~10 direct reports across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in metals and metalworking verticals overseeing all operations, EHS, quality, and procurement for two plants in the U.S. and one in Mexico. Notably, he transformed the underperforming region to top-performer – growing revenues 98%, from $191M (‘10) to $379M (‘18), while doubling operating income.
From 2019 – 2021, Berquist served as Senior Vice President, Global Specialty Businesses and Chief Strategy Officer and in 2021, he was named Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, and Managing Director, Global Specialty Businesses. He created broad strategic plans for commercial business segments, ensuring execution plans are aligned across all regions, and held operational oversight of strategic portfolio management, business and key account development, strategic marketing, global marketing communications, mergers and acquisitions, corporate sustainability, and IT. In 2023, his responsibilities were elevated to Chief Commercial Officer with oversight of $2Bn Commercial activities globally.
Previously, Berquist was a technical manager at AK Steel in Middletown, Ohio. He holds a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Youngstown State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.
Outside of work, Berquist remains actively involved in his community. He serves as a volunteer athletic director at his children’s school, and he has also served as a Board Member and Education Chair for the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia since 2016.
Aaron Suh, Partner, Co-Lead-Global M&A, Morgan Lewis LLP
Event sponsors
Special thanks to Mike Jackson, SJU ’71