ATLANTA ROUNDTABLE HONORS RON BROWN’S LEGACY TO U.S. TRADE

U.S. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE  RON BROWN’S LEGACY WILL BE AS A VIGOROUS SUPPORTER OF U.S. BUSINESS INTERESTS ABROAD AND AS A SUPPORTER OF FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERSHIPS ENHANCING THE ABILITY OF U.S. COMPANIES TO EXPORT, ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZERS OF AN ATLANTA ROUNDTABLE VIDEOTELECONFERENCE IN WHICH MR. BROWN PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR.

MR. BROWN’S “LEGACY  WILL BE  THAT  HE RESHAPED THE ROLE OF A COMMERCE SECRETARY TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR AMERICAN BUSINESSES  AND TO BRING THE FULL FORCE OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT BEHIND THOSE BUSINESSES SEEKING INTERNATIONAL DEALS,” SAID KEN CUTSHAW, CHAIRMAN OF THE ROUNDTABLE WHICH IS SPONSORED BY GLOBALFAX.

A TELEGENIC MR. BROWN DEFENDED HIS TRADE MISSIONS TO CHINA AND INDIA “AS A NEW WAY OF THINKING” FOR THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT AT THE TELECONFERENCE IN JUNE, AND HIS COMMENTS WERE BROADCAST THROUGHOUT THE STATE BY WAY OF THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TRADE AND TOURISM’S (GDITT) EQUIPMENT.

MR. BROWN’S COMMUNICATION SKILLS WERE ABLY DISPLAYED DURING THE HOUR-LONG SESSION IN WHICH HE ENCOURAGED AMERICANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR “DIVERSITY” TO COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE.  AND “THE NEW WAY OF THINKING” WHICH HE DEFENDED AT THE ROUNDTABLE IS LIKELY TO LIVE ON DESPITE HIS DEATH LAST WEEK.

CARLOS MARTEL, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF GDITT, CO-HOSTED THE ROUNDTABLE AND RECALLED MR. BROWN’S ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT DURING THE DISCUSSION  FOR THE U.S. EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTERS (USEAC) WHICH WERE SET UP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY DURING HIS TENURE, INCLUDING ONE IN ATLANTA.

“SECRETARY BROWN WAS A FORCEFUL PROPONENT OF UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS AND TO DELIVER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO U.S. EXPORTERS EFFICIENTLY AND COST EFFECTIVELY,” HE SAID.  “DURING HIS PARTICIPATION IN A STATEWIDE ‘VIRTUAL’ MEETING OF THE ATLANTA ROUNDTABLE, HE STRONGLY ENDORSED GEORGIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE ATLANTA USEAC AND THE STATE’S CONTRIBUTION TO ‘CONNECT’ THE CENTER INTO GEORGIA’S TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXTENSIVE VIDEOCONFERENCING NETWORK.”

THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY INCLUDED THE CONTINUATION FUNDING FOR THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S (DOE) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOREIGN LANGUAGES MODEL PROGRAM IN NEXT YEAR’S STATE BUDGET.

THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM WAS DUE TO THE STRONG OUTCRY OF SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC, SAID THE DOE. 

CALL STEPHANIE WARNER OF THE DOE AT (404) 656-2414.