U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today that eight firms have joined the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Corporate Partnership Program. The program is aimed at boosting exports, and solidifying U.S. jobs, for small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses. The program promotes exporting through cooperative public-private sector export tools and resources provided through the Department’s U.S. Commercial Service.
“There is vast untapped export potential for U.S. small- and medium-sized businesses,” Secretary Locke said. “These public-private partnerships allow us to help more small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses sell internationally, especially those firms that have yet to take that first step into world markets, and to prosper nationally.” The partnerships are a win-win scenario, contributing to export growth that supports the U.S. economy and potential job creation. Partner firm clients will benefit from new export tools to help increase sales and boost their bottom line, while partners can expect to expand their current customer services and international networks, increase brand recognition, broaden public awareness of their services, and deepen information resources.
These new partners—Aon Corporation; Federation of International Trade Associations; Gartner, Inc; Lufthansa; Reed Exhibitions; TÜV Rheinland; Think Global; and Trade Center Management Associates—will provide ongoing support to commercial service efforts designed to increase exports and help U.S. businesses successfully compete in the world market.
The eight new firms join the existing 11 commercial service partners in the five-year-old program. Current partners include: Baker & McKenzie, City National Bank, Comerica Bank, FEDEX, Google, M&T Bank, PNC Bank, TD Bank, the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and Zions Bank.
In 2008, U.S. exports accounted for 13 percent of our nation’s GDP.
The U.S. Commercial Service, the trade promotion unit of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), has a network of offices in more than 100 U.S. cities and in American embassies and consulates in nearly 80 countries. Last year, the U.S. Commercial Service helped facilitate more than 12,000 export successes worth nearly $70 billion in sales, supporting jobs across the country. For more information, visit www.export.gov and www.trade.gov/cs.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
