Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, along with government representatives and leaders in global trade, gathered on the Wilkes University campus for the “Building Bridges to Global Markets” conference. The event provided an opportunity for local officials, business leaders and small business owners to discuss opportunities in international commerce and meet one-on-one with Venkataraman and his team.
Mayor George Brown 
Tony Ceballos
Wilkes University’s Dean of the College of Business and Engineering, Abel Adekola, welcomed Venkataraman as the keynote speaker, as well as Commercial Service Director Tony Ceballos, and Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown.
During his remarks, Venkataraman presented an Export Achievement Certificate to Scranton-based Inert Products and to its Executive Vice President, Dean Klipple (pictured, below). Inert Products was lauded for their global distribution to Asia and Europe of their demolition devices designed for law enforcement training.
The free conference provided a unique opportunity to make contacts, and provided information and resources to local businesses. The conference included two panel discussions, Trade Finance and Access to Capital, Export Assistance to Reach New Customers in Global markets, and also included one-on-one meetings with the U.S Commercial Service, Small Business Administration, EXIM Bank, Wilkes Small Business Development Center, Mid-Atlantic District Export Council, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and NEPA International Business Development.
The conference in Wilkes-Barre was the first of five national stops. Conferences in Baltimore, Md., Jackson, Miss., Houston, Texas and Cleveland Ohio will follow with dates through the end of August.
Read more:
“Federal program encourages small businesses to enter global export market” — by Jerry Lynott, Times Leader
“City firm to receive achievement award” — Scranton Times Tribune
