Promoting NEI During World Trade Week
May 19, 2010(This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.)
Adam Wilczewski is the Director of Strategic Partnerships in the International Trade Administration’s U.S. Commercial Service.
In celebration of World Trade Week, I had the honor of attending Zion’s Bank’s 9th Annual Trade & Business Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah yesterday. Zion’s Bank, a Strategic Partner of ITA’s U.S. Commercial Service, has been a stalwart proponent of increasing exports in the Rocky Mountain region and supportive of the President’s National Export Initiative.
In fact, Zion’s Bank invited Under Secretary Francisco J. Sanchez to attend the conference, where he addressed over 800 business leaders from Utah and the surrounding area. Utah was the only state to increase its exports last year – during a recession! – because of its forward-leaning export efforts. During his speech, Under Secretary Sanchez highlighted Utah’s export growth in 2010 and the strong role of Zion’s Bank. As the Salt Lake City Deseret News reported, he said, “Right here in Utah, you saw the sales of your products to other countries jump 65 percent in the first three months of 2010. Utah businesses sold $3.5 billion in exported goods from January to March. The successes here underscore the importance and the multiplier value that partnerships with entities like Zion’s Bank bring to the core tenet of the NEI, and that is increasing and strengthening American jobs through the broadening and deepening of the U.S. export base.”
Other local news outlets were similarly enthusiastic to hear what Under Secretary Sanchez had to say about promoting exports. The local NBC affiliate, KLS-TV highighted Sanchez’s visit and focus on improving Utah’s exports, and KCPW News, an NPR affiliate, interviewed Sanchez during his visit to Salt Lake.
Thanks goes to David Fiscus, the Director of the U.S. Export Assistance Center in Salt Lake City, whose hard work has allowed the U.S. Commercial Service to enjoy such as strong partnership with Zion’s Bank. He made the trip substantive and fun…and promises to show visitors a good time on the ski slopes when visiting. Thank you, David, and thank you Zion’s Bank, for doing what you can to make the NEI a success.
I was at the conference in SLC to see Dr. Sanchez. Not as impressive as we all hoped it would be!
I think every state should follow the UTAH’s example to increase export goods and services.
Thank you very much, Adam. Thank you for sharing this information
I just came across this post,and although its old I would like to add we should all be pushing local gov to give us more support for exporting our high quality goods and services.
This is invaluable information Adam. The post is a bit old, but I enjoyed it anyway
Exporting goods is a fundamental cornerstone of commerce and something the government needs to promote.