The Grey Griffon Group offers high-end, customized international business consulting services backed by decades of private and public sector experience and work done in service to Fortune 500 firms as well as small and medium-sized companies.

Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of Prosperity of the Commons International (PCI). Reports to the CEO and regularly counsels with the Chairman of the Board on daily operations and the long-term strategic goals and mission vision of PCI. Possesses full authority over PCI's foreign market operations including those in Africa and Latin America.

Ed Burton brings his international business and government experience to Prosperity of the Commons by contributing to the development of its strategies and global reach. He is the Managing Director of the Grey Griffon Group, a consultancy with a diverse global client base. Ed served a decade as the CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council. As the Council’s CEO, Ed worked with key American and Saudi government and business leaders to promote the interests of the bilateral economic and commercial relationship. He has counseled hundreds of Global Fortune 1000 companies. Prior to joining the Council, Ed held several U.S. diplomatic posts including serving as the Commercial Attaché at the American Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He authored the best-selling book “Business and Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia,” published by John Wiley & Sons, and has written numerous articles published in leading magazines and journals such as Forbes, Oil and Gas Journal, and the online newspaper The Hill. He has been interviewed on CNN International and CNBC on international business. He served former State of New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman as the Director of New Jersey’s International Trade Office. Ed also practiced law with the New Jersey law firm Cooper Levenson.

I have been an adjunct professor at Chatham University in Pittsburgh since 2017. In this position, I have taught the institution’s graduate courses in “Global Business”, “Leading Organizations and Projects”, and “Strategy and Entrepreneurship” course. I also serve on Chatham University’s Business and Entrepreneurship Department Advisory Board.

As Chief Executive Officer & President, I work with the American and Saudi public and private sectors to promote the interests of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian bilateral commercial relationship.The Business Council’s mission is to foster, develop, and expand the strategic business alliance between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. We work closely with our members to develop and execute on strategies and achieve their market goals. The Business Council has assisted its members and non-member companies in realizing hundreds of millions of dollars in trade and investment transactions, and to develop lasting and advantageous business relationships.The Business Council leads in U.S.-Saudi business promotion by providing critical analyses of our clients current market positioning, useful evaluation of their key performance indicators and assessment of market potential. Exploiting all of our contacts, market intelligence and familiarity with all aspects of Saudi and American business practices, we provide some of the best consultations available. On the tactical side, we organize business development missions, webinars, extraordinarily attended business forums and business round tables discussions featuring key U.S. and Saudi government officials and leading industrialists. We also have some of the most detailed and informative published materials on Saudi industry by sector available anywhere ... all accessed through our website.The USSABC has a membership base of 400 leading companies in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, enjoys strong government engagement by senior officials from both countries, and interacts regularly with top leaders of the U.S. and Saudi private sectors on topics and issues critically important to the interests of the bilateral commercial relationship.

During my time working in the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, I managed a staff of 27 officers, commercial specialists, and other local direct-hire personnel serving U.S. Department of Commerce offices in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran. I was responsible for all U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS) operations in Saudi Arabia and had oversight of all USFCS management, administrative, and fiscal matters in the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the Kingdom. I supervisory responsibility for USFCS operations in Manama, Bahrain, through a partnership arrangement with the U.S. Embassy in Manama. I also served as the Regional Liaison Officer for the U.S. Department Commerce for Iraq Reconstruction.

The Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center Network serves as the local office of the Commerce Department's U.S. Commercial Service. It also serves as the management office of the USDOC's network of offices in multiple U.S. Northeastern States. At the time of my service, there were five U.S. States in which I held managerial responsibility for corporate outreach. The U.S. Commercial Service is committed to assisting U.S. firms in realizing their export potential by providing expert counseling and advice, information on markets abroad, international contacts, and advocacy services. Founded in 1980, the Commercial Service is comprised of a worldwide network of 1,800 professionals located in 107 U.S. Export Assistance Centers across the United States and in over 160 American embassies and consulates in over 80 countries.

Served former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman as the State of New Jersey’s International Trade Director. In this capacity, had primary responsibility for representing the State of New Jersey in global markets, including those countries at that time in which the State of New Jersey had overseas offices: United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico. Facilitated hundreds of deals between New Jersey companies and public and private sector entities in multiple international markets. Possessed budget and expenditure authority for all office operations. And, counseled the Governor on matters concerning the State of New Jersey's bilateral commercial and economic relations with critically important markets to the State.

Was an associate attorney with the Atlantic City, New Jersey law firm of Cooper Levenson (then known as Cooper, Perskie, April, Niedelman, Wagenheim & Weiss). In this capacity, prepared cases for senior partners for litigation in the areas of general law, commericial law, products liability, personal injury and medical malpractice. Personally tried cases while practicing law with Cooper, Levinson.