Congressman Jerry McNearney, Bill Kenney of BK International, Kevin Stevens of Linden Nut Company, and Colleen Litkenhaus and George Tastard of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service.
BK International, LLC, founded by Bill Kenney, acts as an international broker specializing in California agricultural products, such as beans, chickpeas, almonds and walnuts. BK International, LLC strives to be the broker of choice by providing skill, care, and diligence in every transaction with a commitment to confidentiality, honesty, integrity, and excellence worldwide. Linden Nut Company, a major exporter of in-shelled walnuts, is a client of BK International.
In the spring of 2004, Mr. Kenney contacted Mr. George Tastard, Director of the Sacramento Export Assistance Center. Tastard counseled and trained Kenney on how to use FAS programs and services to promote international sales of California agricultural products. Due to the counseling and training, Kenney contacted FAS Offices of Agricultural Affairs in the UK, Netherlands, and Germany. Mr. Kenney worked with Ms. Teresa Regan FAS Marketing Specialist in London, Marcel Pinckaers, FAS Marketing Specialist in The Hague and Ms. Christel Wagner, FAS Marketing Specialist in Berlin.
After first contact BK International quickly received comprehensive lists of potential walnut buyers and using the contact lists Mr. Kenney was able to screen and directly present Linden Nut Company products to potential buyers in the UK, Netherlands and Germany. BK International was happy to report, in 2006, Linden Nut Company exported one container of kernels to England at an estimated value of $100,000 USD; one container of kernels to Holland at an estimated value of $100,000 USD and approximately 40 containers of in-shell and kernel walnuts to Germany at an estimated value of $800,000 USD.
Linden Nut Company and BK International, LLC were honored for their excellence in exporting, and awarded the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Achievement Certificate at the Central Valley International Business Forum in Stockton, California on April 7, 2008.