Northern Ohio DEC Member, Star USA, hosts Elevate+ Summit

On Friday, November 14, at Fat Head’s Brewery in Middleburg Heights, OH, Star USA hosted the inaugural Elevate+ Summit: Climbing Together, a sold-out event created to inspire, connect, and equip women in international trade.

The summit featured a dynamic lineup of seasoned trade professionals, including Peggy Easton, Founder of Star USA; Linda Caro, former Import Compliance Manager; Mariah Hauser, International Trade Specialist at the Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Youngstown State University (YSU); and Rissa Harris, Senior International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service Cleveland Office. The program was led and moderated by Melissa Merkle, Star USA’s Manager for Education and Outreach.

Over the course of the half-day event, participants explored opportunities to advance their careers in international trade through sessions on mentorship, education, personal branding, job transitions, and more. The Elevate+ Summit offered a unique space for women across the field to learn, network, and grow—perfectly capturing the event’s core motto: “We reach the highest heights by climbing together!”