USTR Conference Information

Thursday, January 21, 2010
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1903

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk will hold a conference event titled "Jobs on Main Street, Customers Around the World: A Positive Trade Agenda for US Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises" at the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Thursday, January 21, 2010 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Featured participants at the conference will be Administrator Karen G. Mills of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Dennis Hightower, and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro. The event will be open to the public, with small- and medium-sized business leaders, congressional offices, and other stakeholders invited to participate. Registration details will be announced shortly.

USTR is committed to supporting economic recovery through export-oriented growth. In particular, USTR works to make trade policy work for America's small- and medium-sized businesses - America's biggest job creators and a wellspring of export potential.

AGENDA (subject to change)

9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
Fred Bergsten, Peterson Institute for International Economics

9:10 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Remarks and Introduction
SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills

9:20 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Keynote Remarks
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Roundtable I
SME Export Successes and Major Policy Barriers
Moderator: Ambassador Ron Kirk

Panel Members:
Charles Anderson,Winter Park, FL, President, Distributed Data Services, Inc.
Peter Carnes, College Park, MD, Acting CEO, Traffax, Inc.
Todd DeGarmo, Washington, DC, CEO, STUDIOS Architecture
Tim Herbert, Washington, DC, Vice-President for Research, CompTIA
Chuck Wetherington, Hanover, MD, President, BTE Technologies
Joanne Wilson, Washington, DC, Vice-President, Compass Rose International, Inc.

11:00 a.m. - 11:45 p.m. Roundtable II
Key Issues in Export Promotion
Moderator: Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Promotion and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Rochelle Lipsitz

Panel Members:
Drew Greenblatt, Baltimore, MD, President, Marlin Steel Wire Product
Steve Holland, Bozeman, MT, Director, Montana Manufacturing Center
Lester Keizer, Las Vegas, NV, Co-Owner and Executive Vice-President of Marketing, XiloCore
Dr. Toby Malichi, Indianapolis, IN, Founder and Chief Strategic Advisor, Malichi Group Worldwide
Peter Mulroy, New York, NY, Senior Vice-President, CIT
Roy Paulson, Temecula, CA, CEO, Paulson Manufacturing

12:00 noon - 12:30 p.m. Roundtable III
Response: Developing Effective Trade Policy and Promotion for U.S. SMEs

Discussants:
Miriam Sapiro, Deputy United States Trade Representative
Dennis Hightower, Deputy Secretary of Commerce
C. Fred Bergsten, Director, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Sharon Freeman, Washington, DC, President, Lark-Horton Global Consulting