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Join the President and Chair of the Export-Import Bank at the Largest World Trade Week Celebration in the Nation
On Tuesday, May 5, Kimberly Reed, President and Chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), will join more than 800 prominent business, government and civic leaders for the 94th annual kickoff of World Trade Week (WTW) in Southern California, one of the biggest celebrations of international trade in the nation. Kimberly Reed is the first woman to lead EXIM Bank, an independent federal agency that supports American jobs by facilitating the export of U.S. goods and services. Recognized as one of the "100 Women Leaders in STEM" and Washingtonian's "Most Powerful Women in Washington," Reed has spent her 20-plus-year career working in the public and private sectors and has led efforts focused on American job creation, trade, economic development, food and agriculture and government reform. Reed will join special guest L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who will provide opening remarks. The program will also feature a panel of industry leaders as they share insights on cybersecurity and how companies can remain competitive in an increasingly complex and competitive business environment. SEE FOR YOURSELF why people return year after year. Join the celebration! RSVP NOW. BECOME A SPONSOR. |
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 Chamber Shares View of Los Angeles' Global Profile Patrick Schaefer, Senior Vice President of the Center for Global Trade & Foreign Investment, briefed more than 80 members of the Global Initiatives Council on the Los Angeles region's international composition and connections and what this will mean going forward in times of increasing trade tensions. In particular, Schaefer noted that "During times of global uncertainty, it is important to rely on our community, to understand and find value in our community's international roots. Out of our regional diversity, we have an opportunity and mission at the Chamber to create ideas and tools so that we can together better plan, manage and lead in times of unexpected changes at the international level." The session also included a policy update by Brian Peck, Policy Chair of the Council and Director of the USC Gould School of Law Center for Transnational Law and Business. Peck stressed the importance of the continued role of the World Trade Organization and predicted an influx of bilateral trade agreements by the administration. VIEW the presentation; SEE the photos. Want to learn more about the region's international trade activity? VIEW Patrick Schaefer's presentation to the Pacific Council on International Policy: Los Angeles and the Horizons of International Trade. |
 Chamber Supports California Aerospace Companies at Industry Expo in Singapore The Chamber, in partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service and the State of California, supported the California Pavilion at the biennial Singapore Airshow last month. The Pavilion proudly presented small to medium-sized companies from California, showcasing a wide variety of products and services, including aircraft repair stations, on-board data storage, cargo handling equipment, fastening systems, aircraft modifications and other aerospace IT services. The California companies participated with the support of the Small Business Administration (SBA) STEP Grant, which was facilitated by the Chamber, allowing qualified small to medium-sized companies to participate at half the normal exhibit costs. The U.S. Commercial Service was also on hand to provide market counseling to California companies on Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand. LEARN MORE about STEP. |
 Chamber Participates in Global Cities Delegation to UAE Patrick Schaefer, Senior Vice President of the Center for Global Trade & Foreign Investment, traveled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai with a delegation of regional L.A. leaders organized and sponsored by the United Arab Emirates, the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Los Angeles, Hazza Alkaabi, and the President and CEO of the Pacific Council on International Policy, Dr. Jerrold Green. The delegation met with senior governmental and private sector leaders to discuss and explore collaboration and economic development. Delegates included Chamber Board Member Elise Buik, United Way of Greater Los Angeles; Amb. Nina Hachigian; Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, Colleen Bell; Stephen Cheung, World Trade Center Los Angeles; Scott Kraft, Los Angeles Times; Arthur Ochoa, Cedars-Sinai; and Joe Waz, NBCUniversal, among others.
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 Assessing the Impact of Trade Tariffs On America's Busiest Port Complex, March 18 Join the Global Initiatives Council on March 18, 9:30-11:00 a.m., to hear from Erick Martell, Legislative Representative, Port of Los Angeles, as he shares insights on the amount of trade impacted by tariffs and the ramifications on the ports and the regional economy. He will be joined by Patrick Schaefer, Senior Vice President of the Center for Global Trade & Foreign Investment, who will share additional data on U.S.-China trade flows. Special welcome remarks will be provided by Congressman Jimmy Gomez, Representative of California's 34th District. REGISTER. |
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 Chamber Announces New Leadership at the Helm of World Trade Week Southern California 2020 Cindy Allen, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, FedEx Logistics, and Mark Thorpe, CEO, Ontario International Airport, will lead this year's World Trade Week efforts as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. Allen and Thorpe will oversee World Trade Week's 2020 launch during the Chamber's annual Kickoff Breakfast on Tuesday, May 5. READ MORE. |
 WTW Education Program Hosts Session at Educating for Careers Conference in Long Beach The World Trade Week (WTW) Education Committee, chaired by Amy Grat, CEO of EXP, presented a session featuring industry experts and community college sector navigators at the Educating for Careers Conference in Long Beach last month. The information shared included an overview of industry certifications and digital badging, as well as curriculum implementation tools to help prepare students for the high-growth, high-opportunity jobs of the future in global trade pathways. The conference garnered participation from more than 2,500 high school educators, school administrators, career counselors and district representatives. Presenters included the Port of Long Beach, American Honda Motor Co., California International Trade Center and NexusEdge. VIEW THE PHOTOS. LEARN MORE. |
 WTW Committee Briefs Congressional Staff on Global Trade Impact The World Trade Week Southern California Committee, in partnership with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), hosted Southern California congressional legislative staff for an informational luncheon to showcase the huge impact of trade on the local economy. Speakers from LAWA, Alba Wheels Up International Inc. and Pacific Harbor Line provided key updates on the impacts of current trade challenges such as tariffs and COVID-19. The luncheon was followed by a private airfield tour. The Los Angeles region serves as one of the nation's key trade gateways to the world, boasting the country's busiest port and second busiest airport. The Los Angeles International Airport's trade totaled more than $114 billion annually, and more than 160,000 workers in L.A. County alone support the international trade sector. The Chamber's World Trade Week Southern California initiative promotes the positive aspects of international trade that are vital to a strong local and national economy. SEE THE PHOTOS. |
 Award Nominations Open! The World Trade Week Committee is currently seeking nominations for a series of prestigious international trade awards that will be presented in front of an audience of more than 800 at the World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel. Award winners are eligible for complimentary exhibit space at the event.
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 Scholarship Opportunities The World Trade Week Education Committee offers annual scholarship awards to encourage outstanding young women and men to continue in post-secondary study in international trade and business. The award amounts range from $500 to $1,000. Career options in this sector are wide-ranging. Scholarship recipients will be those students who plan to pursue studies in programs and careers that reflect a broad definition of international trade and business. These programs may lead to careers in law, accounting, product development, freight forwarding, port administration, port services, import/export finance and banking, international relations and government service, among others. APPLY NOW. |
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 Diplomatic Members Receive Briefing on L.A. Fashion Industry Nearly 40 members of the Chamber's Diplomatic & Commercial Officers Group received a briefing led by Ilse Metchek, President of the California Fashion Association, and Vincent Iacopella, Executive Vice President of Alba Wheels Up International, about current global trends in the region's fashion industry. Topics included U.S. retail marketing channels, market entry options for foreign companies and the impact of the recent virus outbreak. "As it stands today, the virus has already resulted in significant delays in the supply chain and we are seeing projections of a long-term economic impact of a 2.5 percent negative hit on global growth." The Chamber continues to facilitate connections between local industry leaders and foreign diplomats to create growth opportunities. VIEW THE PRESENTATION. SEE THE PHOTOS. |
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 Ports Strengthen Collaboration to Boost Competitiveness The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced last month that they will strengthen collaborative measures in the areas of cargo movement efficiency, connectivity, workforce development, cybersecurity and metrics under an agreement approved by their respective Harbor Commissions. The nation's largest seaport complex will work in concert with industry stakeholders to identify and address operational issues to unlock additional efficiencies and lower costs for shippers while improving sustainability, business continuity and security. The two neighboring ports that share the San Pedro Bay move 37 percent of the nation's containerized imports and 25 percent of its exports. More than three million jobs nationwide are connected to the complex. Meanwhile, the ports continue to face competitive challenges for market share. The newly approved memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an opportunity to explore five areas of additional cooperation that will enhance competitiveness: cargo transfer predictability, digital connectivity, cybersecurity, establishing metrics and workforce development. READ MORE. |
 US-UK FTA Objectives Published The UK Government has published its negotiating objectives for a free trade agreement with the United States, which represents the first major UK step towards an ambitious and comprehensive trade agreement. The objectives can be found at gov.uk, alongside UK consultation response and a scoping assessment of the potential long-term impacts of an FTA. The objectives published show the UK's desire to work with the U.S. to remove barriers to trade and investment. Key areas where it sees potential are food and drink, advanced manufacturing and services such as financial services, professional and business services and transport services. The FTA is also an opportunity to set a new gold standard for digital trade and IP protection. With a focus on removing barriers to trade, UK analysis (as set out in the scoping assessment) shows an FTA would see an increase in annual bilateral trade between both countries. LEARN MORE. |
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 State of the Global City 2020: An Address by Mayor Eric Garcetti, March 13 Join the Pacific Council on International Policy for a special address by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, made possible by the generous support of the RM Liu Foundation. Presented in partnership with the Los Angeles Mayor's Office, this event features Mayor Garcetti's vision for strengthening Los Angeles as a global city. Business and community leaders, students and global organizations converge annually to reflect on the progress and aspiration in promoting cultural and economic ties between our home and the rest of the world. REGISTER or contact [email protected] to learn about partnership opportunities. |
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