Business Excellence Consortium

Exporting Your Business into a Global Marketplace

For many companies, a key question is how does a small company gain access to the global marketplace. Join us on Tuesday, December 1 and learn:

• how to identify new markets and business opportunities
• how to use the SBA's Trade Finance programs
• how to use Export Credit issuance

This informative program will give you the basics on how to begin the process of entering the global marketplace.

Sign-in begins at 1 p.m. followed by presentations and a networking session. Advance registration is required for this event as seating is limited.

Program Highlights

Paul Churchill, Director, Milwaukee Export Assistance Center, will review how its staff of international trade specialists help Wisconsin companies export their products and conduct business abroad. The Center works closely with state and local governments as well as private partners, such as the Milwaukee School of Engineering, to offer a full range of expertise in international trade, marketing and finance.

John Nevell, International Trade Specialist U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), will explain how the SBA provides finical assistance to U.S. exporters. The SBA targets its assistance to small companies and strives to assists those businesses that otherwise might not be able to obtain export financing.

Michael Howard, Director, Midwest Business Development, Import-Export Bank of the United States, will cover the Export-Import Bank's commitment to supporting small business exporters. The Export-Import Bank's working capital guarantee and insurance products enable small businesses to increase sales by entering new markets, to expand their borrowing base, and to offer buyers financing while carrying less risk.

About the Presenters

Paul D. Churchill is the Director of the Milwaukee U.S. Export Assistance Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce. He has held this position since 1995. His responsibilities include representing the Under Secretary for International Trade in relationships between the Department and representatives of the business community, state government and civic groups; presenting the program and policy positions of the U.S. Department of Commerce; and providing assistance to the Wisconsin business community in expanding their exports throughout the world. Prior to accepting his present position, Churchill has served the U.S. Department of Commerce as an International Trade Specialist in the Milwaukee U.S. Export Assistance Center since 1984. The Milwaukee U.S. Export Assistance Center has its offices on the MSOE campus.

Michael Howard is the Midwest Regional Director for the Business Development Division of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), a full faith and credit U.S. government agency. Ex-Im Bank's mission is to promote exports of U. S. goods and services through a variety of programs including an Export Credit Insurance program, a Loan and Guarantee program and a Working Capital program. Howard holds a B.S. in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech. He has served on many advisory councils and committees on international financing for small businesses and is one of the authors of the Florida Export Finance Corporation.

John Nevell's experience includes twenty years in international banking handling trade finance in Europe, Asia and South America, foreign exchange and asset/liability risk management, and general management of the Chicago branch of a South American bank. He also spent ten years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation liquidating foreign and domestic loans and other acquired assets. Mr. Nevell holds a B.S. in Finance from DePaul University, Chicago.