In this Issue

Key Facts

Upcoming Events in Tennessee

In The News

Faces of Trade- Small Business Success Stories

Ask the TIC

How Tennessee Will Benefit From the Passage of DR-CAFTA

Economics 101

·  Tennessee exported $7.6 billion of goods from January through May 2005.

·  Tennessee's export shipments of merchandise in 2004 totaled $16.1 billion. Tennessee exported to 191 foreign destinations in 2004. The state's largest export market, by far, was our NAFTA trading partner Canada.

·  In dollar terms, Tennessee's leading manufactured export growth category is computers and electronic products. Export shipments of these products during the 2000-2004 period grew from $1.4 billion to $2.2 billion, an increase of $869 million.

·  Under CAFTA, all exports of products covered by the Information Technology Agreement, including important Tennessee exports such as navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments, will receive duty-free treatment immediately upon implementation.

·  Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed in 1993, Tennessee’s combined exports to Canada and Mexico have increased by more than 190 percent.

Click Here For More Tennessee Key Facts

Greetings!

Export Tennessee is designed to enhance existing export assistance programs in the state by focusing on Tennessee's "home grown" companies.

TradeRoots, the grassroots trade education initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has partnered with the U.S. Department of Commerce to fund a national export development program.

Tennessee has been selected as one of eight states to participate in this initative, primarily because of the huge potential of its small and midsize companies, the state's aggressive international trade program, and the state's vast array of sophisticated programs that enhance existing programs and partnerships.

·  Upcoming Events in Tennessee

The 52nd Annual Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development promises to provide valuable, “real world” tools your community can use to execute a successful economic development plan. Following on previous themes involving the “Economic Boot Camp” and “Planning for Job Growth Success”, this year’s conference theme is “RPM: Realizing Performance Matters”. The conference will help you take the skills you’ve gained in previous conferences and put those tools into a dynamic strategic plan to create jobs and economic opportunity. Even if this is the first time you’ve attended the Governor’s Conference, there will be practical information you can use to energize your community for the challenges of the New Economy.

Online Registration: You can register online for the conference by going to www.tnecd.gov. You can register as a conference attendee by entering the pass code RPM05. Exhibitors must enter the pass code RPM05X. Three-Star communities receive a $100 discount on exhibit space.

Questions: Call the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development at (615) 532- 9831 and ask for Clark Rose or David Baum.

Global Business Center Events at University Center- University of Tennessee Knoxville:

·  September 8- Export/Import Essentials Seminar

·  October 6- International Trade Finance Seminar

·  October 20- Export Tennessee Conference

·  November 3- Legal Aspects of Exporting Seminar

·  November 17- Increasing International Tourism in TN Conference
Conferences are $75 each.
Register through the ITC at 865-246-2624 or itc- knoxville@kacp.com

Australia “One-on-Ones”
September 8

Explore opportunities for your product or service in Australia. Meet with US Commercial Service Officer from Australia - Beryl Blecher - for a confidential "one on one" discussion.
For more information, call Dean Peterson
615-259-6061/ dean.peterson@mail.doc.gov

International Business Council Lunch
September 8

International Business Council Lunch - speakers from the Australian and New Zealand Embassies.
$15 - details at http://www.nashvillechamber.com/ncalendar/

ANZACC Conference
September 9

Australia New Zealand American Chamber of Commerce Annual Conference Conference - for details visit http://www.anzacc- national.org/anzaccconference.htm

Australian Festival
September 10 & 11

Australian Festival - two days of music, food, sports and fun for all the family in Centennial Park.
For details visit ://www.australianfestival.org/

“New Roads” at Belcourt Theater
September 14

Showing of “New Roads” produced and directed by Tennessee film makers - Jim Lambert and Richard Hughes at Belcourt Theater - follow a year in the life of a Chinese rural business owner, his dealings with the authorities, his customers, his suppliers and the weather - an excellent perspective and insight into everyday life in modern rural China - admission free - two showings.
For details visit http://www.nashvillechamber.com/ncalendar/

IBC Quarterly Luncheon Briefing
September 29

IBC Quarterly Luncheon Briefing - the first of the 2005/6 quarterly luncheon briefings - great program! - great networking! - great lunch!
$15 - for details visit http://www.nashvillechamber.com/ncalendar/

Would you like your upcoming event featured in the next e- Newsletter?

Send trade-related events to Claudia Holwill at cholwill@uschamber.com.

·  In The News

Some Knoxville-area companies may soon be doing business in Central Europe, and others are exploring numerous business opportunities, thanks to a trade mission last month to Poland organized by the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership with the support of the Knoxville U.S. Export Assistance Center and the International Trade Center. Representatives from four area businesses participated with the goal of finding overseas markets for their goods and services.

During the trip, the Knoxville-area companies participated in more than 50 individual meetings in just 2 days with Polish businesses interested in working with American companies. The meetings were set up by the U.S. Department of Commerce office at the American Embassy in Poland. Read On

Tri-Cities Metro Leads East Tennessee in Retail Sales

The Tri-Cities metro area posted the strongest retail sales performance in East Tennessee during the first quarter of 2005, outpacing Knoxville and Chattanooga. According to the ETSU Bureau of Business and Economic Research, on a year-to-year basis, the dollar value of retail sales reached $1.151 million, a 5 percent increase. Adjusted for inflation, retail volume in the Tri-Cities Combined Statistical Area (CSA) was 1.9 percent above 2004 compared to a .5 percent increase in the fourth quarter.

·  Faces of Trade- Small Business Success Stories

Click here to view examples of Faces of Trade profiles on the TradeRoots website.

·  Ask the TIC

Read on...

·  How Tennessee Will Benefit From the Passage of DR-CAFTA

Sen. Lamar Alexander
Sen. Bill Frist
Rep. Marsha Blackburn
Rep. Jim Cooper
Rep. John J. Duncan Jr.
Rep. William L. Jenkins
Rep. John Tanner
Rep. Zach Wamp

Find out more on how DR-CAFTA will help Tennessee

·  Department of Commerce

·  Export.gov

·  Organization for International Investment

·  Business Coalition for U.S.-Central America Trade

·  Economic Impact Study