| Institute for Corean-American Studies |
Wilfred H. Muskens
Deputy Secretary for International Business Development
Department of Community & Economic Development
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Wilfred H. Muskens had served the Commonwealth for more than seven years at the Department of Community and Economic
Development (DCED) before his appointment as Deputy Secretary for the Office of International Business
Development in the summer of 2007. In his current capacity at DCED, he leads a professional team of international
economic development specialists and foreign-based trade and investment representatives that contribute to the
growth and strength of the commonwealth’s economy by providing value-added international trade services to
Pennsylvania’s businesses and ports and by attracting foreign investment to the state. Wilfred’s previous experience
with the commonwealth includes serving as Executive Director of the Center for Direct Investment and Director of
Foreign Investment for the Governor’s Action Team. In this capacity, he oversaw more than $500 million in capital
investments and the creation and retention of more than 5,000 jobs by foreign-owned companies such as German
energy giant Conergy, South Korean-based dental implant manufacturer Osstem, and the Spanish wind energy
company Gamesa. A highlight of Wilfred's career at DCED was implementing the World Trade PA initiative, which
substantially expanded Pennsylvania’s global presence through new, innovative programs such as the Global Alumni
Program, the Regional Investment Marketing program, International Press Tours, a performance-based compensation
system for international representatives, and other initiatives that helped generate record results and return-on-investment
numbers for Pennsylvania businesses and taxpayers. Before coming to DCED, he was a Project Manager and Public
Relations Consultant for several organizations in Europe, where Wilfred oversaw new investment projects, proposed
possible sites for companies considering expansion, and developed communication and business development strategies.
He spent his youth in the Netherlands, earning Master’s Degrees from Bordeaux University in France and Utrecht
University in the Netherlands. Wilfred's undergraduate degree was also from Utrecht University but included a full year
as an exchange student at Hull University in the United Kingdom. Wilfred’s native language is Dutch, but he is fluent in
French, English and German.
This page last updated July 27, 2012 jdb