GLOBAL REACH
Our success has come through our relationships with customers and suppliers, many of which extend through our inception over twenty-five years ago. Since that time, ExTerra has delivered impeccable service and exceptional product quality.
We welcome you to leverage our relationships and our extensive expertise to source products for purchase or to provide new and exciting markets to sell your products. When you work with us, you become an integral member of our team.
HISTORY
ExTerra Global Trading is an SBA-certified, woman-owned business. Founded in 1992 as IBS Commodities, ExTerra was a joint venture between Karen Markson and International Bank Services, Inc., an investment bank that specialized in Latin American bonds.
The company grew rapidly and, in 1998, split from IBS, Inc., and set off to broaden its portfolio. Since then, IBS Commodities has conducted nearly four thousand successful trades and has become a dominant importer of basic food commodities to the Latin American market. In 2017, IBS Commodities was re-branded as ExTerra Global Trading.
ACCOLADES
A long-time partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, ExTerra has twice been nominated for the Exporter of the Year award. ExTerra has also been named one of the top ten exporters in the Boston region by the Boston Business Journal, and has been recognized as a leading regional exporter by the Worcester Business Journal.
ExTerra's leadership have been nominated to speak at Boston's "Women in World Business" forum, EXIM Bank's "Exports Live" Symposium, and the Massachusetts Export Center's "Exporting to Cuba" online Seminar.
LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER – Karen Markson
Karen is a life-long trader and entrepreneur. After founding her first venture – a small business importing and exporting dry goods from Portugal and Spain – Karen pursued a career trading food commodities to Latin American countries. After quickly ascending to become the top trader of a Boston-based export company, Karen was recruited to form a joint venture with IBS, Inc. Under her direction, the company's sales quadrupled in the ensuing six years, at which point she purchased the company and set out to pursue growth in new markets. Karen Russell is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Boston College.
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE – David Russell
As ExTerra’s Vice President of Finance, David is responsible for the firm’s budgeting and financial planning, capital structure, and risk management. David also oversees ExTerra’s credit analyses for new and existing customers, manages the accounting department, and works closely with ExTerra’s lenders. Prior to joining the firm, David worked in finance – first at Chase Bank Fund Operations, then Putman Investments – with a focus on mutual funds. At Chase, he was responsible for providing accurate and timely asset flow data to support critical investment decisions. Later, at Putnam Investments, David worked in a similar role as a Golden Scales Representative, servicing the firm’s top producing brokers and largest clients, and later in a senior role within Putnam’s marketing department. In 1998, David joined ExTerra as a Senior Credit Analyst. Over the next ten years, David was promoted to the eventual position of Vice President of Finance and, in 2009, was made a partner in the firm. David is a graduate of the University of Chicago.
