For Immediate Release:January 6, 2006
Contact:Victoria Park  (202) 482-3809
Jorge Martinez (The Conroy Martinez Group) (305) 445-7550

Bush Administration Official Honors South Florida Hispanic Company for
Export Achievements

Israel Hernandez, Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director-General of the U.S. Commercial Service today presented the U.S. Commerce Department's Export Achievement Certificate to PAL Laboratories, a Pharmed Group Company based in Miami. The award is presented to businesses that have benefited from the Department's Commercial Service export assistance to make their first export sale or open new foreign markets.

"Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside of the United States, and Pharmed is an outstanding example of how small, minority-owned businesses are working to increase their bottom line through exporting," Hernandez said. "The Bush Administration will continue to work hard to help U.S. firms increase their exports by opening up foreign markets to American goods and generating high-paying jobs for the working people of Florida and across the country. I commend Pharmed Group for their commitment to exporting."

Pharmed Group, a Hispanic-owned business, is the largest independent, full-line distributor of medical, surgical and pharmaceutical supplies, and is a leading materials management services provider in the United States. The firm manufactures vitamins and nutritional supplements under the labels PMG and PAL. Looking to further expand its export sales abroad, the company has benefited from export counseling, market research, trade events, and other services provided by Commercial Service specialists from both the Miami U.S. Export Assistance Center and the Healthcare Team. In 2003, Commercial Service assistance led to the firm's participation in the Gold Key Service program that provides for pre-arranged business appointments abroad, all pre-screened by the Commercial Service. The Commercial Service in Brazil pre-selected appointments with high potential drugstore chains in the Sao Paulo area to offer Pharmed products, and provided Pharmed with information on the product registration process in Brazil. As a result of participation in the Gold Key, Mr. Odelin Fernandez, Sr. V.P. of Pharmed, reported the signing of a distributor in Brazil and a deal with a major drug store chain in that country.

According to Fernandez, export sales have contributed substantially to Pharmed's continued growth, enabling it to add ten new employees at its PAL Laboratories over the last year for a total of 58.

The U.S. Commercial Service is a U.S. Commerce Department agency that helps small and midsize U.S. businesses sell their products and services globally. The Miami/Ft. Lauderdale U.S. Export Assistance Center is part of the agency's worldwide network, which includes 108 U.S. Export Assistance Centers throughout the United States and more than 150 international offices. For more information on the U.S. Commercial Service, please visit www.export.gov or call 305-526-7425.