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Dave Edick took his first cultural exchange program as much as possible – he married his Russian interpreter. Not only did this chance meeting start a romance that spanned nearly three decades, but it also helped Edick become an exceptional facilitator of cultural and business exchanges that has opened up a wide range of opportunities for San Diego, all pro bono.
After visiting Russia under the auspices of the San Diego-Vladivostok Sister City Program, Edick returned home with his bride to further promote cultural and business exchanges between the two cities. He was president or board member of the organization for nearly a quarter of a century.
His success with the twinning program led him to forge another sisterhood between San Diego and Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in 2005, and he became the main driver in efforts to sorority between San Diego and Panama City, Panama in 2015. With his credentials polished by three successes, it was only natural that he should be elected six times when the organization that oversees San Diego’s 16 twin cities needed a president.
Edick’s quest to understand how international relations worked began at the age of 6 when he tuned into his favorite television show, The Wonderful World of Disney. The program was interrupted by an announcement from President Lyndon Johnson who said he would extend the draft for the Vietnam War.
“I wanted to know why there are wars,” Edick recalls. He continued this youth survey through college, where he graduated from SDSU with a degree in global political economy. He designed the curriculum himself. Upon graduation, Edick joined a company in San Diego that commercialized advanced technologies from the Soviet Union. This experience served as a stepping stone to positions at several investment and trading companies: a Russo-UK investment bank, a Mexican seafood development company, and finally his newest company, Core Global Advisory, which specializes in international business development.
“President Eisenhower was the founding father of the American Twin City Program in 1956, and today there are nearly 500 US cities with 1,800 overseas partnerships,” Edick said. “Eisenhower saw this as an opportunity to build international peace through mutual understanding and personal contact at the local level. Business development can be part of this exchange. We in San Diego have significant untapped business opportunities overseas through our sister city network. “
Edick’s fascination with global issues led him to the San Diego World Affairs Council, and his expertise in these issues led the group to invite him to join the board and later serve as president of the organization for three years. He also speaks at local universities and at conferences abroad, most recently in India, South Korea and Russia.
Over his years promoting international connections, Edick has met hundreds of overseas leaders, including mayors, prime ministers and presidents. “But my most important international connection,” he confided from his home in El Cajon, “was meeting a very charming Russian interpreter. That was the real coup. ”
About this series
Marty Judge is a retired journalist who spent 20 years as a civil servant in Washington, mainly at the State Department.
Someone San Diego Should Know is a weekly column written by members of the UT’s Community Advisory Board about local people who are interesting and noteworthy because of their experience, accomplishments, creativity, or references.
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