Andrew Gelfuso is a global business executive with demonstrated success growing client bases, developing business leads, and cultivating partnerships that drive top-line growth initiatives between city, state, national and foreign governments and the private sector.  He excels at building and leading high-performing teams focused on execution to impact economic development. Andrew is a frequent speaker with extensive governance experience.

Andrew has held senior leadership roles in business, government, and quasi-governmental organizations. Most recently he served as the Director of the John H. Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University where he expanded the client base and directed the State Trade Expansion Program which increased exports for small and midsized businesses.  The Center is the state international trade office and World Trade Center for the State of Rhode responsible for spearheading initiatives to increase exports and foreign direct investment. 

Prior to leading the Chafee Center, Andrew was the Vice President at Trade Center Management Associates at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRBITC). In this role, together with stakeholders, Andrew conceptualized, created, and implemented a robust and comprehensive trade program at the RRBITC while focusing on international business development, export promotion, global partnership development, trade counseling, government relations, and diplomatic affairs. Under Andrew’s leadership, the Center was successfully positioned as the nation’s focal point for a wide array of premier international trade, cultural, and educational programming and services.

Andrew began his career in the International Trade Administration at the US Department of Commerce where he rose through the ranks as an International Trade Specialist with a focus on advocacy, embassy operations, and assisting businesses grow their operations in Asia.

Andrew is a well-respected moderator and presenter and he developed interview series titled “Trade Talk” and “Perspectives on Trade” in which he interviewed ambassadors and high-level government officials about trade policy. Andrew has served on the board of the Embassy Series, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Corporate Committee for the National Trust for the Mall, the District Export Council of DC/VA and the District Export Council of Rhode Island. He also served as an advisor to USTR and the US Department of Commerce via the Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Trade Services (ITAC) appointed by three different the Secretaries of Commerce. He is a member of the Economic Club of Washington, DC.

He earned his MBA with a concentration in International Business from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Hobart College, with a B.A. degree in Political Science.