U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer’s office commended two Tacoma organizations for the positive impact exports and international activities have on their operations and on the local community. The Aug. 15 event was organized by the U.S. Commercial Service and the Tacoma World Trade Center to highlight the benefits of global trade. The U.S. Commercial Service is the export promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, trade professionals in over 100 U.S. cities and more than 75 countries to help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets.
Image courtesy U.S. Commercial Service
Rep. Kilmer’s District Representative Nicholas Carr presented Tacoma Community College with a U.S. Commercial Service Certificate of Appreciation for expanding international student enrollment from 270 to 450 since 2009, supporting 11 full-time and 8 part-time employees. Tacoma reaps additional benefits from international student spending on accommodations, food and other purchases. In the 2015/2016 school year, Washington District 06, in which Tacoma is located, derived $15.6 million in economic benefits from 668 international students. Those 668 students supported 98 jobs.
Image courtesy U.S. Commercial Service
Carr also presented Tacoma’s Lollar Guitars Inc. with a U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate for having expanded its exports to reach 20 percent of total sales over the past 10 years. The woman-owned firm designs and manufactures pickups for electric, bass and steel guitars. The pickups are sold in more than 30 countries and global sales support at least three local jobs.
“We work with Tacoma companies, including Lollar Guitars Inc. and Tacoma Community College, to help them succeed in foreign markets,” said U.S. Commercial Service Seattle Director Diane Mooney. “We counsel local companies on all facets of global sales, help determine the best global markets for their goods or services, identify and arrange meetings with prospective partners and assist with removing trade barriers.”
Washington’s merchandise exporters, 90 percent of which are small and medium-sized enterprises, supported 375,000 jobs in 2015.
– U.S. Commercial Service
Rep. Kilmer’s District Representative Nicholas Carr (left) presents a U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate to Stephanie and Jason Lollar of Lollar Guitars Inc. (right). Image courtesy U.S. Commercial Service
Rep. Kilmer’s District Representative Nicholas Carr (left) presents a U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate to Stephanie and Jason Lollar of Lollar Guitars Inc. (right). Image courtesy U.S. Commercial Service
