Photo Source: Katie Clark
By: Marley Weaver-Gabel, Editor in Chief
On February 5, Purnima Voria of the National U.S. India Chamber of Commerce (NUICC) joined Regis students and faculty as the guest speaker of the executive speaker series hosted by Anderson College of Business. Students, professors and faculty members gathered in the Mountain View Room for snacks, networking and conversation.
Associate Professor Luka Powanga kicked the night off and introduced the guest speaker, commenting, “It is all about networking, so make sure you don’t leave here without getting her business card.”
Purnima Voria is currently the Founder and CEO of the National U.S. India Chamber of Commerce and she has served on several advisory councils, including Governor Owens’s and Mayor Hickenlooper’s Asian Advisory council. Voria is also known for her motivational speaking, international business expertise and advocacy for small and medium-sized corporations.
In 2005, Voria founded the NUICC with the goal of deepening trade relations between India and the US. Voria works with thousands of businesses, advising, supporting, and guiding them through negotiations and logistics of bilateral trade between the two countries.
“India is going to lead the world in the 21st century,” Voria shares, explaining the focus of NUICC: promotion of global businesses to cross barriers and borders. “It is vital for Colorado to embrace global change and create opportunities for businesses by going to India,” she goes on to say, indicating her hope for Colorado under the administration of Governor Jared Polis.
“Who you know is very important,” she said. A large part of successful business partnerships in India comes down to networks and relationship building. In fact, relationships are a critical component of a business’ success around the globe, so the work that Voria does largely revolves around using her networks to connect U.S. businesses to Indian businesses.
“You make whatever you want out of your life,” Voria reflects in her closing. She moved to the United States in 1977 under a marriage visa and has since raised three children as a single mother. She started her own businesses, including NUICC, along the way. She embodies the spirit of hope and hard work and implores the audience “to be persistent and go after your dreams.”
The Anderson College of Business hosts several executive speaker nights throughout the year on a wide range of topics for students to attend and network. For more information regarding upcoming speakers, contact Jasmine Ralat, the Administrative Assistant in the college of business at jralat@regis.edu or follow Regis Anderson Business on Facebook.