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.