Lic. Roberto Bendana McEwan, 1st. Vice President, obtained a Masters degree in Business Administration from Richmond College in London, and a bachelor degree in Business Analysis from Texas A&M University, among other studies in finance and international economic policy. Today is the Executive Secretary of the Competitiveness Commission, a public private agency dedicated to foster economic growth and development in Nicaragua, focused in cluster development and the improvement of the business climate in the country.   He served as Vice Minister of Agriculture, and Director General of Agricultural Policy within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Executive Secretary of the Nicaraguan Coffee Board, and Consul General of the Nicaraguan Embassy in London. He was also Director General for Bilateral Cooperation within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is Past President of the Specialty Coffee Association of Nicaragua (SCAN) and member of the Coffee Exporters Association, has served as the Nicaraguan representative to the International Coffee Organization. He was also general manager of Bankoffe Corporation, as well as Executive Director of Bendana McEwan & Associates, two vertically integrated coffee firms in Nicaragua.