Oscar Neal Asbury is no stranger to the world of international trade. Involved in exporting highquality US products since 1979, Asbury is a business leader not only in South Florida, but also around the globe. As founder and President of Greenfield World Trade, Inc., he oversees a global trading company that sells and services American manufactured food service equipment to over 130 countries to both retail and commercial markets. Greenfield is the largest small business company in its industry engaged in exporting.
Today, as the U.S. economy staggers, Mr. Asbury is expanding his product offerings and making business acquisitions that are intended to result in new manufacturing jobs for South Florida and solidify his company’s dominance in the food service appliance industry. His success at getting a loan during the national credit crunch is a testament to the financial strength of his company as well as the strategic importance of being an exporter to over 130 countries—countries not necessarily experiencing a credit crunch who appreciate and desire high-quality USA-made products.
His excellence in exporting was recently recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration when he was named the winner of the prestigious 2008 Small Business Week National Exporter of the Year Award. Mr. Asbury has also been recognized with the E-Star Export and the Export Achievement Awards from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Mr. Asbury began his international trade career after graduating from Rowan State University in New Jersey in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He moved to Asia in 1981 and represented several U.S. manufacturers throughout the region. In 1987, he founded Asbury Worldwide which became the largest American Export Management Company in its segment, with twelve distribution facilities around the globe. In 1989, he began FAB Asia, Inc. in the Philippines which was the exclusive Asian fabricator of commercial kitchens for McDonalds as well as other well-known American restaurant chains. After selling his group of companies in July of 1999, Mr. Asbury established his current company, Greenfield World Trade, Inc.
When it comes to free trade advocacy, there is no one more passionate and vocal about the topic than Neal Asbury. He writes a column for To The Point News and an international trade blog for asburysworld.com and, has published over 50 articles on global trade issues. He is also the host of his own radio talk show on WZAB-AM 880 The Biz, South Florida’s only Bloomberg and CNBC affiliate. The show streams live on the web at: www.880thebiz.com.
Not satisfied to merely discuss the issues, Mr. Asbury is also an advocate and leader in his field. Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, he serves as the Chairman of the South Florida District Export Council and is a founding faculty member of Export University—a collaboration between the District Export Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce. He is also a member of the International Advisory Committee to Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist, and is a member of the prestigious International Policy Committee at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.
Mr. Asbury lives in South Florida where he shares his life and his love with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two daughters.