BRITAIN’S MINISTER OF TRADE, ANTHONY NELSON, WAS “VERY IMPRESSED” BY THE U.S. EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER IN ATLANTA DURING AN IMPROMPTU TOUR WITH RANDY CARDOZA, GEORGIA’S TRADE COMMISSIONER, ON JAN. 9, AFTER HIS G7 MEETING IN BALTIMORE WAS CANCELLED BECAUSE OF SNOW, SAID TAPAN BANERJEE, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER.
“HE SAID THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING IN THE UK,” EXPLAINED MR. BANERJEE. THE CENTER CENTRALIZES ACCESS TO FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL EXPORT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
HE ADDED THAT MR. NELSON WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE CENTER’S ABILITY TO ACCESS TRADE INFORMATION FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THROUGH THE NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK.
DURING HIS 27-HOUR STAY, HE ALSO ATTENDED A DINNER WITH THE BRITISH-AMERICAN BUSINESS GROUP AND LUNCHED WITH MEMBERS OF ATLANTA’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN BRITAIN.
AT THE LUNCHEON, MR. NELSON OBSERVED THAT MANY BRITISH COMPANIES FAIL TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE U.S. MARKET AND THE BRITISH MARKET, AND SELL THE SAME PRODUCT THE SAME WAY IN BOTH COUNTRIES, AND ASKED ATTENDEES WHAT ADVICE THEY HAD FOR BRITISH COMPANIES THAT WANTED TO DO BUSINESS IN THE U.S.
DOUG MANNING, PRESIDENT OF THE BABG, PHIL MCCLENDON OF BLUE CIRCLE AMERICA INC. AND NEVILLE COLTMAN OF SIGNS ABOUT TOWN EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT BRITISH COMPANIES DON’T RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVERTISING IN THE CROWDED U.S. MARKET, AND DON’T PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS AS HEAVILY AS THEIR COMPETITORS DO.
GEORGIA’S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS LAUNCHING A LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN TO SAVE ITS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOREIGN LANGUAGES MODEL PROGRAM FROM CUTS IN THE 1997 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
THE EFFORT RECEIVED A BOOST WHEN LT. GOV. PIERRE HOWARD TOLD ATTENDEES AT THE GEORGIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S ANNUAL “EGGS AND ISSUES BREAKFAST,” REGARDING THE EDUCATION BUDGET, “ONE THING THAT LEAPS OUT AT ME IS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM THAT WE ESTABLISHED FOUR YEARS AGO. I WOULD HATE TO ABOLISH THAT PROGRAM.”
THE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR GEORGIA’S STUDENTS TO RECEIVE A MORE INTERNATIONALLY-ORIENTED EDUCATION TO WRITE TO GOV. ZELL MILLER, HOUSE SPEAKER THOMAS B. MURPHY, AND MR. HOWARD TO ASK THAT THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM BE PUT BACK INTO THE BUDGET.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL STEPHANIE WARNER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AT (404) 656-2414.
LADISLAUS LUKACS IS PRESIDENT OF AECS (ARCHITECTURAL, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE) SOLUTIONS, AN INDEPENDENT U.S. COMPANY, WHICH RECENTLY OPENED AN OFFICE IN ATLANTA AND IS AFFILIATED WITH THE GERMAN-BASED IEZ GROUP.
THE COMPANY’S SOFTWARE HAS BEEN USED FOR THE “VISUAL RECONSTRUCTION” OF THE COLISEUM IN ROME AS WELL AS MANY COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS FOR CUSTOMERS SUCH AS MICHELIN, SHELL OIL AND DUSSELDORF AIRPORT. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (770) 394-4177; FAX, (770) 394-7080.