Mourning the Loss and Celebrating the Achievements of Joe Balzano
 The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia and its members were saddened at the recent passing of Joe Balzano, the Executive Director and CEO of the South Jersey Port Corporation. Mr. Balzano was a member of the WTCGP’s Board of Directors and was the recipient of the WTCGP’s Global Business Leadership Award in 2008.
“Joe Balzano was a tireless and brilliant port operator who guided the expansion of the South Jersey Port Corporation from a modest public port operation handling 500,000 tons of cargo in 1968 into a significant, regional port authority moving more than 4 million tons of cargo and generating vital economic impacts to the South Jersey region during his tenure,” says SJPC Board Chairman Dick Alaimo.
Mr. Balzano’s legacy of hands on, passionate port operations and his vision that the Delaware River is a highway to the world to foster economic growth for the port’s host communities, are indelibly woven into South Jersey’s port and intermodal infrastructure. Mr. Balzano’s impact on the maritime industry and the residents of the State of New Jersey will continue on with plans he has helped forge, including the construction of the new Paulsboro Marine Terminal, as well as many other intermodal transportation projects soon to be realized.
“We are grateful to Joe for his support and the contribution he made to advancing trade, the region’s ports, and the many lives he touched in the City of Camden,” said Linda Conlin, president of the WTCGP.
The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia paid tribute to Joe Balzano at the 2011 Annual State of the Port Address and Luncheon on Friday, November 4, 2011, at the Independence Seaport Museum.
President Obama Signs Historic Legislation Signaling Progress on Trade and Jobs
WASHINGTON – October 21, President Barack Obama signed off on the first three — and possibly last — free trade agreements of his administration, deals with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that could be worth billions to American exporters and create tens of thousands of jobs.
The three deals were years in the making, and the difficulty of bringing them to fruition make it unlikely there will be another bilateral trade agreement during Obama’s current term.
The agreements will bring to 20 those countries that have free trade relations with the United States. Read full article.
Korean Delegation Visits Philadelphia
On Monday, October 17, the WTCGP met with the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority (BJFEZA) Korean delegation to discuss current goals and projects. The delegation, lead by Commissioner Myeng K. Ha and Ambassador Il Hwan Kim, emphasized that their goal was to create a global zone for direct investment, logistics, and international business development.
With 250,540 acres of territory and a strategic location, the BJFEZA represents a valuable opportunity for companies that are willing to invest in projects related to port and logistics, research and development, tourism, education, and international business in general. According to project manager, Sung A. Moon, the Busan-Jinhae zone has been ranked number one in the world in the shipping industry and takes the fifth place in the automobile industry.
The Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority is aiming to raise $10 billion by 2020 and has already attracted $1.2 billion in direct investment to date.
During their stay in Philadelphia, the Korean Delegation also planned to visit other organizations such as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Drexel University, and the University of Pennsylvania in the hopes of establishing successful and productive business relationships.
Trade Mission to Brazil and Peru Provides Access to New Partners Overseas
The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia (WTCGP) led eight Pennsylvania and New Jersey companies on an executive trade mission to Lima, Peru and São Paulo, Brazil.
Preparations for the mission began in June with a seminar outlining business opportunities in Peru and Brazil. During the seminar, senior representatives from the Embassy of Brazil and the Embassy of Peru discussed industries of importance and planned projects that are available for U.S. companies in their respective markets.
 Companies participating in the trade mission ranged from manufacturers seeking distributors to companies looking for suppliers. While in-country, the companies attended business matchmaking meetings to find partners, buyers, and distributors. The meetings were arranged by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representative in Brazil and the AmCham Perú.
Overall, the company participants were extremely pleased with the trade mission, “When PARIS Technologies, Inc. was invited to participate in the Sao Paulo trade mission, we considered this an opportunity to get started in Brazil. To date, the mission has exceeded our expectations. Our business matchmaking meetings allowed us to identify potential partners to get our product into the market. I was particularly impressed with the caliber of potential partners that were identified; they specifically fit the target profile and were knowledgeable about the business needs in the market. We plan to make a trip in November to follow up on these meetings,” said Duane E. Presti, CEO of PARIS Technologies.
 The trade mission also included business networking opportunities for company attendees. In Peru, a reception was held to introduce the trade mission attendees to members of the World Trade Center Lima, the U.S. Commercial Service, and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Peru. In São Paulo, trade mission participants were able to attend a reception as part of the World Trade Centers Association General Assembly. During the General Assembly they were able to network with other WTC member companies and WTC staff from around the world.
A trade mission to Colombia is now being planned for October 2012 as part of the Latin America Trade Development Program.
Opportunity in Canada: Athabasca Oil Sands Region
The World Trade Center of Philadelphia and the Consulate of Canada in Philadelphia hosted a seminar and luncheon at the Union League on October 25, 2011 to discuss opportunities in the development of Canada’s Athabasca oil sands region.
 The seminar focused on how oil sands development contributes to U.S. energy security and how manufacturing links and pipeline expansions are translating into thousands of U.S. jobs for construction workers, trade people, engineers, and a variety of manufacturers.
 Representatives from over 30 companies attended the seminar as well as five expert speakers including Don Thompson of Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Paul Williams of Pathfinder, LLC, Ralph Morris of ENVIRON Corporation, and Charles Dugan and Maria Aldrete of TD Bank N.A. The speakers shared lessons learned in the Oil Sands Region, business opportunities that exist, as well as technical information regarding environmental implications and foreign exchange issues.
From Entrepreneur to Exporter
 On October 18, the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia hosted the From Entrepreneur to Exporter breakfast seminar held at the Quorum at the University City Science Center. Through a series of informative presentations and interactive discussions, representatives from over 30 environmental, clean technology, life science, and biotech companies learned how to develop a targeted market entry strategy, address intellectual property protection and other legal issues, and access available funding when entering global markets. Six industry professionals shared their expertise with these companies as speakers and panelists.
 The expert speakers advised companies on how to find the resources and funding they need to grow regionally and globally during any stage of their business development. Attendees learned what industries are on the rise in specific countries, new product ideas that are currently being developed, and strategies to overcome some of the challenges of entering foreign markets. Practical legal advice was also given on how to protect your intellectual property and how to structure transnational agreements.
This seminar is part of the WTCGP’s Innovation and Technological Leadership Program which aims to advance the global competitiveness of the region’s leading industry sectors. Learn more about the program on our website.
MTM LinguaSoft’s president, Myriam Siftar, was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Tuck-WBENC Executive Exchange Program. The program is an intensive, five-day executive development program for certified women business enterprises (WBEs). Read full article.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners is honored with Local Venture Impact Award and University City Science Center is honored with Judges’ Choice award at Philadelphia Business Journal's 2011 Life Science Awards. Read full article.
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Upcoming Events
Export Finance Workshop: Financing Tools to Grow your Global Sales
November 16, 2011
Trenton Marriott Downtown
1 West Lafayette Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08608
Cost: $45 WTCGP members | $60 Non-members
Our workshop will help you learn the private and public financing alternatives available to your small- or medium-sized firm to help you grow your business in global markets.
Don’t miss this opportunity to receive the latest information on new financing programs available from the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Small Business Administration. Meet with the region’s leading trade finance lenders interested in supporting your global finance needs and hear from companies like yours who have successfully used financing to grow their international business.
Who should attend? CEOs, CFOs, and international marketing managers of export-ready companies
Expert speakers and panelists include:
- Thomas P. Cummings, Regional Director Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Regions, Export-Import Bank of the United States
- Toni Corsini, Regional Manager - Export Solutions Group, Small Business Administration
- A panel of company case-studies that have received financing services
See complete agenda.
Regional Events
Registration Discount for Entrepreneurs at IMPACT 2011 Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic
Tuesday, November 29
Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia
10 Avenue of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
Wednesday, November 30
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Crystal Tea Room
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
Do not miss the opportunity to register as a “200 for $200” entrepreneur and receive a savings of $900 in attendance fees.
At IMPACT 2011, you will meet and mingle with more than 250 private equity professionals who represent more than $11 billion in assets under management. You can improve your company’s chance of success by promoting its attractiveness to investors and professional advisors at the event.
IMPACT 2011 will draw more than 1,000 participants and has a long tradition of uniting the key players from the private equity and entrepreneurial communities.
Apply for the “200 for $200” entrepreneur program today!
- November 15 - 17, 2011, WATEC 2011, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- December 5 - 7, 2011 - PV Japan
- January 23 - 26, 2012, Arab Health 2012 Dubai, UAE
- February 5 - 10, 2012, Bangalore India Bio 2012
- February 22 - March 3, 2012, Trade Mission to South Africa
- March 6 - 15, 2012, Trade Mission to Australia & New Zealand
If you are interested in learning more or attending a trade mission or trade show, contact your International Trade Specialist. |
