With 20 years of experience in the global business sector, an MBA from Georgetown University, and expertise serving on non-profit boards, Eddie serves as the CEO of the World Trade Center Institute (WTCI), one of the largest international business networking organizations in the mid-Atlantic region. During his 17-year tenure at WTCI, Eddie has been instrumental in launching and growing many new initiatives for the organization, including several international business and diplomacy fellowships and conferences, the annual Global Economic Outlook Report, World-Lens Podcast, and the Maryland Innovation Lab – a first-in-the-nation initiative that connects corporations with startups from around the world. Prior to WTCI, Eddie worked with TESSCO Technologies Inc., a leading global supplier of wireless communications products. He also played a central role in the development of Gems of the Earth, a nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic development in the rural communities of Brazil, making modern technology accessible to all. Eddie and his family migrated to the United States from Brazil when he was 11. He is an advocate for human rights issues, and today serves as the chairman of the board at New American Careers, a social enterprise that connects immigrant professionals to employment opportunities in the U.S. He previously served as vice chair of the board of its parent company, Global Refuge. In 2023, Eddie was recognized as one of Maryland’s Most Influential Leaders by the Daily Record.