Key Initiatives of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce International Committee



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KEY INITIATIVES

2007 INTERNATIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE KEY INITIATIVES

2007 International SubCommittee Chair:
Marion Albanese
Managing Partner
Ernst and Young LLP

Task Force Chairs:

International Trade and Transportation Chair:
Jim Pyburn, Tampa Port Authority

Foreign Direct Investment Chair:
Debbie Sheridan, RBC Centura Bank

Staff Contact:
Maria Hubert
Director, International Affairs
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
615 Channelside Drive
Suite 108
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 276-9462

International Subcommittee Key Objectives 2007

MISSION
Enrich our Tampa/Hillsborough international business community by

• Attracting, growing and diversifying international business in the greater Tampa area
• Providing responsible leadership and advocacy on international business issues
important to our members
• Delivering valuable resources and services to members of The Greater Tampa
Chamber of Commerce that are engaged in international business

Key Areas of Focus:

Key areas of concentration for the International Subcommittee include:
• Trade and Transportation
• Foreign Direct Investment.

Goals/Action Items

1. Strengthen strategic alliances with key stakeholders including the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, the Mayor’s Global Business Council, Tampa Port Authority, Tampa International Airport, Enterprise Florida, Tampa Hillsborough International Protocol Office (THIPO), Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, area universities, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Assistance Center, the World Trade Center, and the Tampa Bay Partnership to achieve synergy and focused cooperation to build upon Tampa’s base as an international business center.

• Hold periodic stakeholder meetings to foster shared goals and action plans.
• Invite stakeholders to International Subcommittee meetings to share info via
presentations of their international goals.
• Assure that primary objectives of the International Subcommittee are in alignment and
support key stakeholders listed above.

2. Organize and co-sponsor educational programs and trade promotion programs to help
the international business community improve and grow international operations.

• Together with the Port and the Airport, position the Tampa Bay area as the “Gateway
   to Mexico, Central America and the Western Caribbean”
   o February 6-8 attend and sponsor Trade Roots/AACCLA Conference in Miami
   o Support an outbound Trade Mission to Mexico, led by the Tampa Port Authority TBD,
     an inbound mission to Tampa in concert with the District Export Council’s Annual
     Conference in November
   o June 27, Inbound Trade Mission from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica TBC

• Support Free Trade Agreements
   o April 25, Inbound Mission from the Dominican Republic (DR-CAFTA)
   o February 23, ‘What’s Hot in Cool Canada” (NAFTA)
   o August 28, Inbound Mission from Peru (PTPA) (TBC)

• Continue to strengthen ties with Panama
o February 27, Webinar on Panama’s Canal Expansion organized by the Chamber
o May 20-24, Outbound Trade Mission to Panama led by the Chamber

• Expand our global perspective
   o Participate in 1-2 Team Florida missions (TBD)
   o November 14-17 participate in Medica in Germany
   o October, Outbound Trade Mission to China
   o December 4, International Town Hall

• Increase the visibility of Foreign Trade Zone 79
   o January 21-22 attend the NAFTZ workshop “Fundamentals of FTZ”
   o June 19, conduct FTZ Seminar with high level speakers informing our local business
      community of the benefits of FTZs (TBC)
   o September 30-October 3, attend the NAFTZ Annual seminar in Arizona

3. Continue to build/Improve international trade and investment database and website.

   o Quantify and document number and types of importers/exporters and foreign direct
      investment
   o Make the database available and searchable on our website
   o Create and maintain an international calendar on our website
   o Improve and maintain the international section of C100 website

4. Provide input and coordinate with Chamber’s Public Policy Committee to ensure Free
Trade initiatives are integrated into the overall agenda for 2007.

5. Continue to attract/increase the number of Consular Offices in Tampa, particularly
from countries with mutual business interests identified by key stakeholders.

   o Open new consular offices in 2007
   o November 15 (TBC), Consular Corps Appreciation Day
   o Develop long-term marketing strategies for targeted trading countries