Africa & Middle East International Consultants
"African Expertise for African Development"

Dr. Sherman received his BA (Economics) from Cuttington College (Liberia); MIM (Master
of International Management) from Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International
Management in Glendale, Arizona; MBA & Ph.D. (Business Administration) from Arizona State
University with a major in Finance and minors in Economics and Global Business.  He is a former
Assistant Minister of Finance for Banking of Liberia.

Dr. Sherman is a founding member and first president of both the African Finance & Economics
Association of North America (AFEA) and the African Association of Arizona (AFASA).  Both
associations have organized impressive international conferences on Africa that have brought together
key representatives from the African Business Roundtable, African Development Bank, The World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Africa Bureau, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African diplomats accredited
to the U.S. and U.N., African Academicians, U.S. and African private sector representatives as well 
as various federal, state and local entities, including the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce,
Energy, State, Treasury, USAID, OPIC, and the EX-IM Bank among others.

Dr. Sherman was a Visiting Scholar to the African Development Bank and the International Finance
Corporation of the World Bank.  He has also consulted for the Africa Bureau of the United Nations
Development Programme on private sector development in Africa.  He has participated in several
activities organized by the Constituency for Africa, the National Summit on Africa and the International
Foundation for Self-Help & Education (IFESH).

Dr. Sherman is actively involved in community services.  He is a current Board member of the World 
Affairs Council of Arizona, a member of the Phoenix Commission on the Economy, a member of the
Maricopa Community College District Bond Advisory Council, and a member of the Africa-American
Advisory Council of Arizona.

Dr. Sherman is an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Global Business at the University of Phoenix.  He
has won numerous academic and community awards.  He has presented papers and has organized,
moderated and participated in numerous conferences on African development and his views are often
sought on related isssues.


Innocent Abiaka, Ph.D. (Executive Vice-President)

Dr. Abiaka is Executive Vice-President of AMI Consultants, and AMI Business and Trade Promotions,
Inc..  He was born in Nigeria and attended Baptist High School in Portharcourt.  Following his 
graduation, and the General Certification of Education diploma, he worked for Radio Nigeria in Kaduna
and Sokoto before coming to the United States for further studies. Dr. Abiaka did his undergraduate 
studies at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.  His graduate programs were undertaken at 
Thunderbird - The American Graduate School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona and 
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.

With over 20 years experience in banking, investments and international business, Dr. Abiaka is very
knowledgable on programs provided by U.S. Export-Import Bank, OPIC, USAID, and various 
approaches to export financing.  His professional activities include banking functions at Valley National
Bank (now Bank One Arizona), where he held several positions, leading to increasing responsibility and
ultimately as Vice-President and Director of investment research.

Following banking, Dr. Abiaka engaged in consulting work, helping U.S. companies develop business
opportunities and markets in Sub-Sahara Africa.  He is one of the founding members of AMI
Consultants and plays a key role in the firm's highly recognized conference series and workshops on 
business and trade opportunites in Africa.

Dr. Abiaka also teaches finance and international business at the University of Phoenix, and Western
International University.  He has provided consulting services and seminars to major U.S. firms as 
well as business executives from Mainland China and Taiwan.  He maintains close relationships with
key officials in both public and private sectors in Africa and travels frequently to the continent.  He is
a member of the African Finance and Economic Association of North American and other trade and
professional organizations.