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A monthly partnership publication of
the Louisiana Department of Economic Development
the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
and the World Trade Center of New Orleans |
Past Issues |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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JUNE 12
WORKSHOP ON OVERSEAS AGENTS AND DISTRIBUTORS
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RETIREMENT LUNCHEON FOR CLIF GASTON JUNE 20 AT WTC
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JULY 1 LUNCHEON PROGRAM ON HISPANIC INTEGRATION
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LOUISIANA BOOTH FEATURED AT RIO OIL & GAS EXPO
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ART OF
TASTING DINNER JUNE 19 AT MELANGE
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CASA ARGENTINA TO HOLD TANGO CELEBRATION JULY 19
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TWO
LOUISIANA COMPANIES PRESENTED WITH E-AWARD AT WHITE HOUSE
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SUSTA
DIRECTOR HINGLE NAMED TO INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMITTEE
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JAMES
CAMPBELL ELECTED DOCK BOARD CHAIRMAN
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LOUISIANA TRADE DIRECTORY
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INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE RETURNS TO NEW ORLEANS
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RECORD
$108.5 BILLION AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS FORECAST FOR 2008
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| The World Trade Center, Louisiana Department of Economic Development,
and other organizations are sponsoring a luncheon workshop at 12:00 Noon on
Thursday, June 12 in Suite 2900 of the WTC on “Selling Abroad Through Agents
and Distributors.” The workshop will be conducted by Glenn Stoudt, Vice
President, Global Division of Rochester Midland Corporation. Designed for
small-to-medium-size businesses, the workshop will cover the identification
of suitable international markets, conducting market research, selecting
overseas sales agents and distributors, and successfully managing a
distribution network. Rochester Midland Corporation is a 120-year-old
manufacturing company of specialty chemical products for industrial
maintenance applications. The company operates worldwide through agents,
distributors and joint ventures in over 50 countries. To register for the
June 12 workshop, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222, or click
here. |
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| On Friday, June 20 the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center, the
Louisiana District Export Council, and the World Trade Center will host a
retirement luncheon in the Plimsoll Club for Clif Gaston, an International
Trade Specialist with the Export Assistance Center. Since 1976, Mr. Gaston
has worked in the New Orleans field office of that part of the Commerce
Department's U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service now known as the New Orleans
U.S. Export Assistance Center. The EAC -- and Clif personally -- have
assisted hundreds upon hundreds of companies and individuals on a wide range
of export-related matters. Many of those firms and individuals will want to
attend this luncheon to personally thank Clif for all his help and expertise
over many years and wish him well on his retirement. To register for the
luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or click
here. |
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| Dr. Guillermo Linares, Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office
of Immigrant Affairs, will provide keynote remarks at a luncheon at 12:00
p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, at The Plimsoll Club. The luncheon will focus on
how New York has promoted Hispanic integration and workforce development and
the link with economic competitiveness and investment. To register for the
July 1 luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222, or click
here.
The experience of New York—as a traditional gateway city—offers many
important lessons for New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Since
hurricanes Katrina and Rita, estimates suggest that the New Orleans Hispanic
population has doubled or even tripled as part of reconstruction and
economic recovery efforts. At the same time, close to 40 percent of New York
City residents are foreign born and approximately 45 percent of workers in
the city are immigrants. This discussion will take place at a critical time
for New Orleans and the surrounding area and will offer business leaders an
opportunity to learn about how the public and private sectors can best work
with this important new population—a group whose nationwide collective
purchasing power surpassed $800 billion in 2007.
The World Trade Center, Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA),
and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana are pleased to be jointly
convening this luncheon. It is being organized as part of the AS/COA
Hispanic Integration Initiative—a Rockefeller Foundation-funded project that
is engaging the U.S. and international business communities and mobilizing a
new generation of private sector leaders in integrating the Hispanic
population. Corporate leaders of select participating companies will be
among the luncheon attendees.
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| Louisiana Economic Development and the U.S. Commercial Service’s New
Orleans Export Assistance Center are organizing a Louisiana booth at the
2008 Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference to be held at Riocentro Convention
Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on September 15-18. The biennial Show
started in 1982 and has since grown to become Latin America’s largest oil
and gas trade exhibition and conference. The 2006 show attracted over 32,000
visitors and 800 exhibitors from 35 countries. The State of Louisiana must
have a minimum of 4 companies participating in order to organize the
Louisiana booth. The participation fee is $2,500. The fee registers up to
two company representatives and includes: Shared exhibit space (25 sq.mts)
in the USA Pavilion, signage and promotion, networking reception, and
country market briefing, among other amenities. Space is limited and on a
first come/first paid basis. The deadline is June 30, 2008. For show
information, log onto
www.ibp.org.br/main.asp. For questions or to request an application and
trade mission packet, contact: Delilah DeSouza at (504) 915-3301 or via
email at Delilah.desouza@mail.doc.gov.
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| On Thursday, June 19 the French Consulate, the Southern Food and
Beverage Museum, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel will sponsor a special gourmet
dinner at Melange Restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans. Dr. Jacques
Puisais, founder and vice-president of the Institut du goût (Taste
Institute) in Paris (www.institutdugout.fr)
will speak at the dinner. The dinner will be presented as a theater
performance where the audience will rediscover the sensations and pleasures
of taste. This will be Dr. Puisais’ first conference-dinner in the United
States for a limited audience of 125 guests. Participants will enjoy a
gourmet three-course meal paired with wines. The conference will be held in
French with a professional translator. The cost of the dinner is $125 per
person, $75 of which is tax-deductible. The dinner ticket permits entrance
to Jeremy Davenport’s jazz performance beginning at 9:00 p.m. For
reservations call (504) 670-2828. For tax-deduction questions, contact Liz
Williams at liz@southernfood.org.
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| On Saturday, July 19, Casa Argentina will celebrate the 192th
anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Argentina with a Gala
Tango Night at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown New Orleans. “Tango
Celebration” will feature two couples of dancers, under the artistic
direction of Miriam Larici, a superb performer, choreographer and
instructor. Special guests include Seth Asarnow and vocalist Lizzy Furlong.
In addition to the dinner and the show, there will be dancing to the Latin
rhythms of the local group Julio y Cesar and a silent auction.
The annual tango celebration is Casa Argentina’s main fundraising event
of the year. Founded in 1982, Casa Argentina is a non-profit organization
dedicated to preserving the Argentinean culture as well as developing
educational and philanthropic endeavors. Since its creation, Casa Argentina
has introduced to New Orleans numerous Argentine writers, visual and
performing artists, and a series of prize-winning films.
Proceeds from the Gala are distributed to several local and international
charitable causes. This year the proceeds will benefit the Spanish programs
of the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse of New Orleans (CADA). With the
influx of Latino workers and their families to this area, CADA’s prevention
services are in great need.
Special sponsorships for the Gala are available for corporations and
individuals. Reserved seating, recognition in the invitation, program and a
photo opportunity will be determined by the level and the time of the
donation. Regular tickets for the dinner, show and dance are $90 a person.
For additional information call (504) 896-2229, (504) 377-1162, or (504)
234-9397, or e-mail
casaargentinanola@gmail.com.
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| At a ceremony held at the White House on May 20, U.S. Secretary of
Commerce Carlos Gutierrez presented the Presidential “E” Award for
excellence in exporting to two Louisiana-based companies, Dredging Supply
Company, Inc., and It Straps On. Following the award ceremony, the
recipients attended a congratulatory meeting with President Bush in which
they were praised for their efforts.
Bob Wetta and Bill Wetta of accepted the award for Dredging Supply
Company, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of cutter suction dredges
and underwater pump mining dredges, located in Reserve, Louisiana. DSC was
recognized for increasing their export sales by 247% from 2003 to 2006.
Transforming from a small, family-owned business to an international
exporter, DSC’s achievements have contributed to national export expansion
efforts, as well as created American jobs. Over the three year period, DSC
sold several dredges to various countries. For more information on DSC’s
products and services, see
www.dscdredge.com.
In accepting the award for It Straps On, Steve Smith, President of the
company, acknowledged his employees and worldwide partners who made the
achievement possible. ISO is a prime manufacturer of competitively priced
stainless steel banding, buckles, wing seals, and sign brackets. Their
products are used extensively to mount signs, traffic control and electrical
devices, and to fasten down just about anything in a corrosive environment.
Located in Covington, Louisiana, ISO’s stainless steel banding, fasteners
and banding tools are marketed throughout the world. For more information,
visit www.itstrapson.com.
The ‘E’ Award is the highest honor the federal government can give to
American people, firms or organizations that have made significant
contributions to the increase of American exports. The Presidential E-Award
was created by President John F. Kennedy, by executive order in 1961.
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| Jerry Hingle, Executive Director of the Southern United States Trade
Association (SUSTA), has been appointed as a member of the Agricultural
Technical Advisory Committee for Trade (ATAC). ATAC is an advisory group to
United States Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer and U.S. Trade
Representative Susan Schwab. During his four-year term on the committee,
Hingle’s technical advice will be sought in relation to negotiations under
the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development Agenda, as well as several
regional and bilateral free trade agreements. Hingle previously served for
four years on a similar committee under the U.S. Department of Commerce.
SUSTA is a non-profit trade development association comprised of the
Departments of Agriculture of the 15 southern states and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. Since 1973, the organization’s programs and services have
assisted exporters of high-value food and agricultural products. SUSTA is
funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service
(FAS), its member states and private companies. SUSTA’s office is located in
the World Trade Center in New Orleans, Suite 2515. Jerry Hingle can be
reached at (504) 568-5986 or via e-mail at
jerry@susta.org.
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| The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans recently elected
James O. Campbell as its Chairman, succeeding Danny Hughes, whose term as
Chairman expired. Hughes will continue to serve as a Commissioner. Campbell,
who is President of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 3000,
is the first ILA President to serve on the Board. He has led the local ILA
since 2000. A graduate of Alcorn State University in Mississippi, Campbell
has worked with the ILA Local 3000 since 1985 in various capacities.
Campbell is one of four representatives from Orleans Parish to the
seven-member Board, which governs public port operations in Orleans,
Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes. Capt. A.J. Gibbs, President of the
Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association, was elected Vice Chairman; and
Thomas Westfeldt, President of Westfeldt Brothers Inc., was elected
Secretary-Treasurer.
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| The 2008 edition of the Louisiana International Trade Directory, the
official import-export directory of Louisiana, is now available from the
World Trade Center. The new edition has been completely updated since last
year and contains over 1,600 listings of Louisiana exporters, importers,
transportation services, international attorneys, and trade organizations.
To order, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or click
here to purchase it online. |
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| The Public Law Center of Tulane and Loyola Law Schools launched its
first International Legislative Drafting Institute in June 1995 and
conducted the two-week training program annually thereafter in New Orleans
until Katrina struck in 2005. The Institute relocated to Georgetown Law
School in Washington during 2006 and 2007, but it is returning to its
permanent home in New Orleans June 9-20.
This year’s Institute participants have registered from countries all
around the world, including Cameroon, Canada, Georgia, Ghana, Indonesia,
Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Malawi. Malaysia, Nevis, Nigeria, Pakistan, South
Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, and
Zambia. Most are the actual drafters of legislation, while other
participants serve as members of their country’s legislative body.
Institute participants receive instruction from a distinguished national
and international faculty of legislative drafters. Since its inception, the
Institute has graduated more than 500 students from 85-90 nations around the
globe. The Institute’s training responds to a worldwide demand on
legislative drafting personnel for new laws supporting the emergence of free
market economies and democratic forms of government. The curriculum includes
lectures on Plain Language Drafting, Ethics Codes, Open Meetings and Public
Records Laws, the Ethics and Politics of Drafting, Bilingual and
Multilingual Drafting, Drafting Criminal Laws, and Drafting Election Laws.
Most classes meet at Tulane Law School, but Institute participants
receive a broad exposure to Louisiana during their two-week stay, including
a field trip to the Louisiana Legislature in Baton Rouge. Participants also
spend one afternoon touring Jean Lafitte National Park and the town of
Lafitte. The Institute concludes with a Graduation Reception on June 20 at
the World Trade Center’s Plimsoll Club. For additional information about the
Institute, contact Dvid Marcello, Executive Director at (504) 862-8847 or
via e-mail at dmarcello@tulane.edu.
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| Note: The following U.S. Department of Agriculture press release is of
special importance to Louisiana’s economy because an estimated 60 percent of
the United States’ grain exports are shipped abroad from Louisiana’s Lower
Mississippi River ports.
May 30, 2008 - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced an
updated quarterly forecast for U.S. agricultural exports - expected to reach
a record $108.5 billion for fiscal year 2008. Today’s upward revision is a
$7.5 billion increase from February’s previous record forecast and $26.5
billion above the final 2007 exports. Grains and animal products account for
two-thirds of the export gains.
“America’s increased export volume in bulk commodities like corn, other
animal feeds and soybeans make agriculture the bright spot in the overall
balance of trade,” said Schafer. “U.S. producers are on track to export a
record 63 million tons of corn, and set new export volume and value records
for pork. Export volumes and values are also up for many horticultural
products with sales growth to Canada and the European Union being
exceptionally strong.”
Asia continues to be an important growth market for U.S. agricultural
commodities. U.S. exports to China are forecast to reach a record $10.5
billion, up almost $3.4 billion from 2007 levels. Canada and Mexico remain
the United States’ top two markets worldwide with exports forecast to reach
$30.5 billion in 2008 - some $5 billion above 2007.
“Trade agreements have a significant impact on our ability to sell
America’s agricultural products in world markets,” said Schafer. “Canada and
Mexico, our two North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners,
currently buy 28 percent of the value of America’s agricultural exports - up
from 20 percent purchased 15 years ago when trade began under NAFTA.
Unfortunately, Congress has not been acting in the best interest of the
American farmer and rancher by stalling approval of the signed trade
agreement with Colombia, yet along with approving trade with Korea and
Panama, Congress could provide three extremely important markets for
expanding the trend of increased U.S. export sales for years to come.”
While agricultural imports in two-way trade with the United States will
also increase - to a record $78.5 billion forecast by USDA - the $108.5
billion in export sales by American farmers and ranchers will net a positive
agricultural trade surplus of $30 billion for the United States.
USDA’s Economic Research Service, Foreign Agricultural Service and World
Agricultural Outlook Board release agricultural trade forecasts quarterly.
The summary and full report of USDA’s “Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade”
may be accessed from the ERS web site at
www.ers.usda.gov or
the FAS web site at
www.fas.usda.gov. The next quarterly report will be issued at the end of
August 2008.
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The Louisiana International Trade Bulletin is a monthly
partnership publication of the:
Louisiana Department of Economic Development
New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
World Trade Center of New Orleans
Information in the Bulletin is gathered from sources
considered to be reliable, but the completeness and accuracy of the information
cannot be guaranteed.
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