Biography

John Strayhorn is the Founder and President of Global Insurance Services, LLC. which was established in October 2001. Global Insurance Services is a domestic/export credit insurance, trade finance, cargo/vessel and political risk insurance brokerage firm located in Ellicott City, Maryland.

In 1986 John studied Mandarin Chinese and history at the Beijing Foreign Language Teachers College in Beijing, China. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Certificate in East Asian Studies.

John has over thirty-four years of experience in international banking, trade finance, export credit and political risk insurance. He worked as an international banker with The First National Bank of Maryland, BB&T Bank and Royal Bank of Canada marketing international trade services and trade finance products. Additionally, he served as the lead Northeast Asia international trade specialist for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, marketing North Carolina agricultural bulk and value-added food products.

From 1992-1996, he served as the Treasurer for the Baltimore Xiamen Sister City Committee (China).

2013-Present he serves as the State of Virginia Designated Export Credit and Political Risk Insurance Trade Partner for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Program. This program assists Virginia based companies in exporting their products and services through education, finance, insurance, marketing, distribution, logistics and accounting.

2022-Present, He currently serves as the Baltimore Odesa Sister City Committee Business Sub Committee Chair. Coordinating business relationships and activities between Baltimore, MD and Odesa, Ukraine.

2023-Present. Maryland/DC District Export Council Member. He provides export expertise to members seeking information on trade.

John was a youth Lacrosse and Football coach for 4 and 5 years respectively. Currently his hobbies are gardening, hiking, chopping wood and boxing.