Press Release

Bush Administration Announces CEOs for U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez and National Economic Council Director Allan Hubbard today announced the members of the U.S. Section of the United States-Brazil CEO Forum. The CEO Forum will bring together American and Brazilian business leaders to identify ways to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

“The United States-Brazil CEO Forum is an excellent opportunity for government and private-sector leaders to discuss strategies that promote economic prosperity between our two countries,” said Secretary Gutierrez. “Brazil is one our fastest growing export markets and I look forward to meeting with key business leaders in both the United States and Brazil to strengthen our economic relationship.”

Members of the U.S. section were selected on the basis of the objectives stated in the Terms of Reference establishing the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum. The CEOs will provide their recommendations to both governments and the Forum will present an opportunity for the CEOs to speak directly to senior U.S. and Brazilian officials on how to improve economic ties between the two nations.

“I am extremely pleased with the CEOs that have been selected. They represent a strong and diverse group of companies, and their commitment to fostering U.S.-Brazil economic ties is greatly appreciated,” said Hubbard.

Gutierrez and Hubbard, who will co-chair the CEO Forum for the United States, issued a request for applicants for appointment to the forum through a Federal Register notice on March 23, 2007. Their Brazilian counterparts will be the Presidential Chief of Staff Dilma Rousseff and the Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade Miguel Jorge.

U.S. Section participants will include:
* Tim Solso, Chairman and CEO (Cummins Inc.)
Alain Belda, Chairman and CEO (Alcoa Inc.)
Bill Rhodes, Chairman and CEO (Citibank)
Craig Barrett, Chairman (Intel Corporation)
David Speer, Chairman and CEO (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
Greg Brown, President and COO (Motorola)
Greg Page, Chief Executive Officer and President (Cargill)
John Faraci, Chairman and CEO (International Paper)
Neville Isdell, Chairman and CEO (The Coca-Cola Company)
Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO (General Motors Corporation)

Background
The Governments of the United States and Brazil have agreed to establish a U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum. The Forum, consisting of both private and public-sector members, will bring together leaders of the respective business communities of the United States and Brazil to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between the two countries. The two governments anticipate that the Forum will convene twice a year, once in the United States and once in Brazil. * Tim Solso chairman and CEO of Cummins, Inc. will chair the forum for the United States.

Trade between the United States and Brazil totaled $45.6 billion in 2006, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year. U.S. exports to Brazil in 2006 were approximately $19.23 billion, an increase of 25 percent from the previous year. Imports from Brazil were $26.39 billion in the United States, an increase of 8 percent from 2005. Brazil ended 2006 ranked as the 13th largest export market for the United States while ranking the 16th largest market among importers to the United States.

For additional information about the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum, please visit the International Trade Administration’s Web site at: http://trade.gov/press/press_releases/2007/brazilceo_01.asp

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