THE CHARLOTTE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SEEKS TO ASSUME A LEADERSHIP POSITION ON ISSUES OF TRADE AND GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS IN ITS REGION, ACCORDING TO A WHITE PAPER RECENTLY RELEASED AFTER A YEAR’S STUDY WHICH INCLUDED INVESTIGATIONS OF EXPORT PROMOTION AND TRADE SERVICES IN ATLANTA, DALLAS AND DETROIT.
THE REPORT, MADE AVAILABLE TO GLOBALFAX BY MICHAEL A. ALMOND, CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAMBER’S INTERNATIONAL DIVISION, CALLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A YEAR OF A COORDINATING BODY, TO BE MODELED ON THE GEORGIA COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. THE CHAMBER WANTS TO HEAD UP THIS BODY WHICH WOULD BE COMPOSED OF ALL THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES ACTIVE IN GLOBAL TRADE.
OTHER INITIATIVES TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE ARE: THE CREATION OF AN EXPORT INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE AND REFERRAL SERVICE TO BE WIDELY PUBLICIZED THROUGH THE CHARLOTTE REGION; THE ADDITION OF A TRADE SPECIALIST TO THE CHAMBER’S STAFF; MAINTENANCE OF A COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE OF TRADE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND REGIONAL EXPORTERS; AND PUBLICATION OF AN ANNUAL LOCAL TRADE SERVICE OR GENERAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
ANOTHER NEAR-TERM OBJECTIVE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS REFERENCE CENTER IN COOPERATION WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CHARLOTTE AND MECKLENBERG COUNTY, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND INTERESTED PRIVATE CONCERNS. THE WHITE PAPER ALSO SUGGESTS THAT A NEW TYPE OF FOCUSED TRADE MISSION AIMED AT ESTABLISHING LONG-TERM TIES WITH REGIONS WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR TRADE APPEARS ESPECIALLY PROMISING, AND POINTS TO THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC) AS SUCH AN AREA.
NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THE ANNUAL CHARLOTTE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW SHOULD BE SELF-SUPPORTING, ACCORDING TO THE PAPER. SERVICES SUCH AS A PROPOSED MENTORING PROGRAM SHOULD BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY FEE-BASED, IT ADDED; WHILE SOME OF THE INITIAL PROGRAM EXPENSES CAN BE COVERED THROUGH GRANTS TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. INCREASED REVENUES ALSO WOULD STEM FROM GROWTH IN THE MANUFACTURERS’ COUNCIL BECAUSE OF NEW PROGRAMS INCLUDING ISO AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS.
AMONG THE CITY’S WEAKNESSES AS AN INTERNATIONAL CENTER THAT THE CHAMBER SEEKS TO ADDRESS ARE: LIMITED LEVEL OF INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER SERVICE AND INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT AIR-LIFT CAPACITY AT ITS AIRPORT; AN ABSENCE OF KEY GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS; A LACK OF REPRESENTATION OF FOREIGN TRADE ORGANIZATIONS; THE LACK OF A CENTRAL TRADE CENTER FACILITY; A LIMITED NUMBER OF COUNTRIES REPRESENTED BY CONSULS OR HONORARY CONSULS; ETC.
BESIDES WANTING TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE GEORGIA COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THE PAPER CITES THE ATLANTA CHAMBER’S POSITION FOR A STAFF TRADE SPECIALIST, ITS INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY, ITS ECONOMIC BRIEFINGS AND WORKSHOPS AS WORTHY OF DUPLICATION.
THE ACTIVITIES OF DALLAS’ INTERNATIONAL TRADE RESOURCE CENTER (ITRC), WHICH IS OPERATED AS A DIVISION OF THE DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF MORE THAN $600,000, ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. THE PAPER ALSO DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE ITRC’S MISSION OF TARGETING SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED FIRMS EITHER ALREADY EXPORTING OR READY TO START EXPORTING.
DETROIT’S CHAMBER PROVIDES A CENTRAL CLEARINGHOUSE AND REFERRAL CENTER ON EXPORT ISSUES, AND ALL FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ARE ACTIVE THERE AS WELL, ACCORDING TO THE PAPER.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, MR. ALMOND MAY BE REACH AT THE OFFICES OF PARKER, POE, ADAMS & BERNSTEIN BY CALLING (704) 372-9000, OR SENDING A FAX TO (704) 334-4706.