An alumnus of the University of Ottawa (BA) and Warsaw’s SGPiS – Main School of Planning and Statistics (Master of Economics / International Trade), Polish-born Slawek Tomkowski has spent over 40 years living in Iraq, Afghanistan, Canada, and the United States, while maintaining strong professional and emotional ties to his mother country.
Young Slawek experiences first-hand other cultures early in his childhood, in such diverse places as Baghdad and Kabul (during his father’s six-year long foreign assignment) and in following years gains formal education in Canada and Poland.
His professional career begins in 1983, when he becomes a trader for the Foreign Trade Enterprise “Universal”, in Warsaw, Poland. Shortly afterwards, he is delegated to represent Universal at Dalimpex Ltd., in Montreal, Canada.
In 1987, Tomkowski becomes the company’s representative at Borneo Sumatra Trading Company, in Rutherford, NJ, USA. When Universal acquires the entity from its Dutch owners, it is renamed BSTC Group, Inc. and Slawek is chosen its president and member of the board. He oversees three divisions: steel, non-ferrous and household appliances.
In 1994, Slawek leaves BSTC and founds Stebco, Inc., specializing in imports and distribution of semi-manufactured non-ferrous products. At its peak, Stebco reaches sales of over $30 million and acquires Marmetal Industries, Inc., a processing center of non-ferrous products.
In 2001, Tomkowski receives the coveted “Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Award”, presented by the Republic of Poland’s Senate for “extraordinary accomplishments in developing economic relationships between Polonia and the Motherland.”
In 2016, he sells his stock in Stebco and Marmetal and registers Highland Consulting & Investments, LLC to offer consulting services in international trade development and real estate investing.
As one of the founders of the prestigious Polish American Business Club, Slawek Tomkowski has been elected to the Board of Directors for 14 consecutive years, eventually becoming its chairman for two years. He is still active in the organization.
