Pictured from left to right: Jim Wilson, Director of the Chico Center for International Trade Development; Congressman Wally Herger CA-02; Neil Bower, International Sales Administrator, LARES Research; and George Tastard, Director Sacramento U.S. Export Assistance Center.

The Northeastern California International Business Forum was held at the Masonic Family Center in Chico, California, the morning of October 28th, 2008. The event was supported by the office of Congressman Wally Herger CA-02, hosted by the Butte College Small Business Development Center, and co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, Butte College's Center for International Trade Development, as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento. Approximately 40 community and business leaders attended this free international business forum to gain knowledge on how to start and grow international trade opportunities in the global marketplace. The purpose of this International Business Forum was to outreach and share international business resources to help expand business opportunities and sales for the constituents of CA-02: Specifically Butte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, and Yolo Counties. The topics addressed included the federal, local and private industry resources of support small businesses; ways to leverage U.S. free trade agreements; and how to finance new business opportunities abroad.

Opening welcome remarks were given by moderator Jim O’Neal, Director of the Sacramento District Small Business Administration. Mr. O’Neal introduced the keynote speaker, Congressman Wally Herger, who spoke about the importance of free trade agreements and small business export potential. Concluding the keynote presentation George Tastard, Director of the Sacramento U.S. Export Assistance Center, and Jim Wilson, Director of the Chico Center for International Trade Development, joined Congressman Herger in honoring LARES Research with an Export Achievement Certificate for excellence in exporting. LARES research exports to over 40 countries worldwide and has entered many markets with the support of the U.S. Commercial Service. Neil Bower, International Sales Administrator for LARES Research, accepted the award.

The event continued with international business presentations and an audience interactive panel discussion. The presenters and panelists were as follows: Jerry Avila, Senior International Trade Specialist, SBA/ OIT; Sophie Konuwa, Director of the Chico Small Business Development Center (SBDC); Roy Vanoni, Chico SCORE Counselors to Americas Small Business; Jim Lucchesi, Senior Business Development Officer U.S. EXIM Bank; Jim Wilson, Director of Chico Center for International Trade Development (CITD); George Tastard, Director of Sacramento U.S. Commercial Service (USCS); Ruth Southworth, Global Account Specialist, with the U.S. Postal Service; and Neil Bower, International Sales Administrator for LARES Research.


The Sacramento U.S. Export Assistance Center is happy to report, we are working with two new partners, two new clients and reestablished current client relationships as a direct result of this event.