Suhas Kulkarni is Mayor Fischer’s director of the Office for Globalization at Metro Louisville. In his present role he is charged with making Louisville an international city, culturally and economically. After he and his family moved to the United States, they were fortunate to have lived the lives of true immigrant entrepreneurs starting with a grocery store and expanding to exports and information technology. After a successful business career, Kulkarni turned to public service, focused on making Louisville a welcoming region to harness the energy and participation of immigrants for the benefit of the region and economy. He founded Refugees and Immigrants Succeeding in Entrepreneurship (RISE), a collaborative dedicated to helping immigrants start and succeed in businesses, as well as the Mayor’s International Councils and Career Opportunities and Resources for Employment.  Kulkarni is a past president of the Board of Directors of the Asia Institute-Crane House, and the past chair of Vogt Awards selection committee. He is currently the chair of the Indian Professional Council and on the board of the World Affairs Council, Venture Connectors, and World Trade Center; and on the advisory board of Jewish Family and Career Services.