{UAH} Trade and Investment Expo at UNAA Seattle Convention

Community Members.

 

After 23 continuous years of service to UNAA in a variety of leadership capacities, I retired from the organization in 2014 and sought to apply my particular skills and attributes to other endeavors.  In that time, I moderated the Business Forum at 3 UNAA conventions and coordinated the Trade and Investments Forum at 4 others.

 

For those of you who do not know me, I immigrated to the US from Uganda over 40 years ago and currently live in California.  I am a registered Professional Engineer and President of a consulting engineering firm I founded almost 30 years ago.  Over the years, one of my proudest achievements has been the employment of over 100 Ugandans (at different times) in the US and 6 currently in my Kampala office.

 

Over the 23-year span, many people asked me what it was that drew and kept me in UNAA.  Above all else, I found and made many new friends through UNAA.  I also made many business contacts and was exposed to numerous investment opportunities.  Allow me to describe to you just a few such opportunities.

 

At the 2004 UNAA Convention in Seattle, I moderated what was then known as the Business Forum.  At the end of this forum, I challenged the attendees to join me in the formation of a partnership and invest in the purchase of property in Uganda.  In less than 10 minutes we raised over $100,000.00 in commitments and the next year the partnership we formed purchased a commercial building in Kampala.  This partnership still exists today with all of its original members.

 

During the Trade and Investments Forum at the 2012 UNAA Convention, a presentation was made by officials from Post Bank Uganda on various investment options offered by the bank.  Being very familiar with the very low rates of return being offered by banks in the US, I persuaded the same members of the partnership described above to invest in one of the investment options offered by Post Bank.  In the very first year, our investment yielded a return of 13%.  We have since made additional investments with the bank.

 

Over the past 14 or so years, I have engaged in a side venture whereby I buy, renovate and sell properties (more commonly known as "flipping") here in the US.  My portfolio to date numbers 10 such projects.  In 6 of those ventures, I partnered with people I had met over the years at UNAA conventions for the financing.  On average, the rate of return on investment was 10% over a 6 month period.

 

A very good friend of mine, and long-time UNAA member, attended the Trade and Investments Forum at the 2012 UNAA Convention in Philadelphia where he learned of investment opportunities in Gulu from the President of Gulu University.  Today my friend is the proud owner of two student-housing hostels in that city and actively pursuing other opportunities he has since discovered.

 

I note these examples to highlight the fact that in addition to the multitude of tourist and entertainment attractions offered at UNAA conventions, the organization has a very serious side for those who want and actively seek to participate in it.

 

As such, it is my pleasure to announce that at the invitation of the UNAA Executive Committee, led by its President Mr. Monday Atigo, I have agree to return to the organization and once again coordinate what is now called the Trade and Investments Expo at this year's convention in Seattle.  I will share this role with my friend Mr. David Mureeba of Dallas, TX.

 

I will be going to Uganda in May to better assess the current investment climate and, hopefully, seek out potential opportunities that I will present in Seattle.

 

Sincerely,

 

Moses R. Wilson PE

President – WILTEC

UNAA President 2009-2011

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