International Trade Center

Foreign Trade Zone Conference Came To Metro East

Over 50 professionals attended the 2012 Foreign Trade Zone Conference at America's Central Port in Granite City, IL on Tuesday, May 22. The free event was held in the Port's warehouse conference center within Foreign Trade Zone #31, and provided manufacturers, distribution and logistics companies, economic development representatives, developers and service providers a background on the economic advantages that can be achieved through the use of a foreign-trade zone.

Speakers included Adam Pollet, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment, Daniel Griswold, President of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, Lesley Couch, Director of FTZ Services at Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services, Inc., and Marge Bevers, FTZ #176 Administrator at the Greater Rockford Airport Authority.

The luncheon featured "Round Table Discussions with the Experts". The conference ended with site tours of local Foreign Trade Zone facilities at Gateway Commerce Center and America's Central Port. Click here to download speaker presentations.

The event was sponsored by the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at SIUE, America's Central Port, MidAmerica Airport, and Gateway Commerce Center.