The Leadership Lectures: A Conversation with Kimberly Reed

About the Lecture

In this Leadership Lecture, Kimberly Reed will share the story of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), its critical role in a democracy and the U.S. free market economy, and its connection to growing businesses and entrepreneurial success. 

Established by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1934 and now celebrating its 90^th anniversary, EXIM is the nation’s official export credit agency.  With the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports and a financing authority of $135 billion, this independent federal agency provides a variety of products and programs, including direct loans to foreign buyers of U.S. exports, loan guarantees, and export credit insurance, to ensure that EXIM—in Kimberly’s words—is “Keeping America Strong.”

As the first woman Chairman of EXIM (2019-21), Kimberly will outline how the agency helps U.S. businesses and workers succeed in the fiercely competitive global marketplace.  She also will discuss the immense challenges that she and her colleagues addressed, including reopening and transforming EXIM after four years of near closure (2015-19) due to government roadblocks, securing the longest Congressional reauthorization in the agency’s history, focusing in a transformational way when it came to America’s economic and national security and an ever-increasing “great power competition” with the People’s Republic of China.

Even during a time of great uncertainty—including during COVID-19 with its profound impact on U.S. exporters—Kimberly stayed the course and forged important relationships with American businesses both large and small and government officials and business leaders around the world. Her leadership insights will inspire audience members to think critically and strategically while being true to one's mission, take on big challenges, and embrace an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to business and life.

About Kimberly Reed

The Honorable Kimberly A. Reed served as the first woman Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and CEO of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)—the nation’s official $135 billion export credit agency—from 2019 to 2021 after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. She received the U.S. Department of Defense’s highest civilian award—the Medal for Distinguished Public Service—for her efforts to increase U.S. economic and national security. 

• Full bio

  The Honorable Kimberly A. Reed served as the first woman Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and CEO of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)—the nation’s official $135 billion export credit agency—from 2019 to 2021 after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. She received the U.S. Department of Defense’s highest civilian award—the Medal for Distinguished Public Service—for her efforts to increase U.S. economic and national security. 

  Ms. Reed currently serves on the Board of Directors of several public companies and the American Swiss Foundation. She also is a Senior Leadership Fellow at Florida International University’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom and Distinguished Fellow at both the Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center and the Council on Competitiveness.

  Earlier in her career, Ms. Reed was President of the International Food Information Council Foundation, Senior Advisor to U.S. Treasury Secretaries Henry Paulson and John Snow, CEO of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and Counsel to three committees of the U.S. Congress where she conducted oversight and investigations.

  Recognized as one of the “100 Women Leaders in STEM” and Washingtonian’s “Most Powerful Women in Washington,” Ms. Reed holds a J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law and a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in government from West Virginia Wesleyan College.