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Lopez named Oklahoma Secretary of State

Oklahoma has a new secretary of state after a short stint by Mike Hunter, who was recently appointed attorney general. Mike Lopez, a former interim superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools and former Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce was named by Governor Mary Fallin as the newest Secretary of State.

The governor issued a brief statement concerning the appointment, saying:

“Dave Lopez has been a successful businessman and tremendous civic leader with connections all around the nation,” said Fallin. “He brings a great deal of expertise and enthusiasm to the post and I’m delighted to have him back on my Cabinet. He will help in my efforts to implement pro-growth, fiscally responsible and conservative policies to move this state forward.”

Lopez began his duties in an official capacity on March 27 and will have to be confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate.

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Guide to exporting for Oklahoma-based companies

The Export-Import Bank of the United States and the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service are out with their basic guide to exporting book, a fantastic tool for Oklahoma exporters or those businesses interested in developing international markets.

Check it out here: https://tinyurl.com/GtExpt

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Tips to consider before Oklahoma firms expand internationally

Oklahoma firms, are you considering an expansion internationally?

Velocity Global has a few tips on what you need to consider before you do.

According to Velocity Global, if you’ve decided to pursue business opportunities abroad, “there are a few key pointers to remember when thinking about taking your business overseas. All of these tips will help you avoid wasted costs, achieve growth quickly and efficiently, and diminish risks.”

Take your next step by learning what to look for and where to invest your time and money via this guide from Velocity Global.

 

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OKGIT 2017 Gavel Ceremony at the Oklahoma State Capitol

Members of the Oklahoma Governor’s International Team and the Oklahoma Governor’s Economic Development Marketing Team joined at the state capitol on February 16 in the annual gavel ceremony inside the Blue Room. Governor Mary Fallin helped conduct the ceremony, first honoring incoming Chair John Curzon and presenting him with the chair’s gavel, made by the woodworking class at Mustang High School.

Curzon, partner at CCK Strategies,PLLC in Tulsa, Oklahoma, steps into the group’s top role after a year serving as vice chair.

“Oklahoma is an international destination for tourism, educational partnerships and global businesses,” Curzon said upon taking up the chairmanship. “The Oklahoma Governor’s International Team is a prime resource in fostering these relationships across a wide range of sectors.  The members of the OKGIT represent all aspects of international engagement, including industry and commerce, education, non-profit, cultural and diplomatic interests.  The OKGIT is at the epicenter of international activities impacting the citizens of Oklahoma and we strive to be ambassadors to the world in sharing the strength and heritage of Oklahoma, a role I look forward to continuing to champion  as chair for the coming year.”

Robertson, executive director at the Oklahoma Israel Exchange, stepped down after her one year tenure at the helm.

“I think our biggest accomplishment was the consular summit, with nine consular offices representing their countries,” said Robertson.  “Also a large hurdle was keeping our momentum after the loss of our long-time Executive Director, Dr. Stephen Miller.”

Governor Fallin thanked Robertson and Curzon for their leadership of a group of Oklahomans focused on developing international ties.

“The OKGIT is a diverse group of individuals from across Oklahoma representing private business, state offices, non-profit organizations, educational institutions and members of the honorary consular corp, all working to expand opportunities for Oklahoma internationally.  We also serve as the ‘face of Oklahoma’ with incoming dignitaries from around the globe who are looking to expand their current operations or are considering doing business with the state,” said Robertson.

The OKGIT brings together business people, members of government at the local, state and federal levels, educators from kindergarten all the way through to post graduate studies, and international, cultural and other non profit organizations. Its members are as diverse as the interests they serve, but committed to a prosperous and globally focused Oklahoma.

(Top photo: Governor Mary Fallin and the executive members of the Oklahoma Governor’s International Team and Oklahoma Governor’s Economic Development Marketing Team.)

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How STEP Funding Services Help Local Companies Expand

The below interview originally ran in the January 2017 edition of The New Pioneer magazine. It is reproduced here with the express written permission of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

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Chuck Mills

Q&A with Charles D. Mills, President of Mills Machine Company, on his company’s use of the State Trade Expansion Grant Program offered through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

What initially made you decided to apply for the STEP grant?

“Since the grant was written for international marketing programs and I had always wanted to translate my website into several other languages, it was a perfect fit for my company. We chose Spanish to be the first language for translation because we were expanding our export market in Mexico, Central and South America.”

How has having your website translated into Spanish helped to increase opportunities/actual sales results?

“Our distributors have commented on how helpful the translated site is for them and their customers in trying to explain our product line and the advantages of our custom designed products.”

How did STEP funds help you save money in the long term?

“The STEP grant funds supplemented our investment for the translation costs which saved us several thousand dollars.

“As a relatively small company I probably would not have been able to come up with the money to translate my site, that is why I had not done it sooner.”

Describe the application process for the STEP grant.

“The application process was pretty involved but the questions were simple and straight forward. It requires you to define and update your international business plan which is always a good exercise for any business to do on a regular basis.”

What recommendations would you give other companies looking to apply?

“The STEP grant that I was awarded was $5,000 (the current cap is $2,000) and the cost of the translation plus the software and labor required to put that on our website cost us a little over $8,000. So, the new cap of $2,000 would still help but we obviously would have a lot more investment from our side. You could possibly at least translate your home page. The first thing that you need to do is contact your webmaster and see what is required to embed the software into your website and then shop around for a translation company that has good references in translating your industry’s terminology. Be aware of the different dialects and try to find some middle ground where people from different regions can understand your information. Use any local contacts that you have to provide guidance and translate your industries terminology into their language.”

What are some key takeaways from your experience?

“Do your homework, have a plan of what type of marketing that you want to apply for. You could translate your website or a brochure, attend ExporTech, exhibit at a trade show or whatever type of marketing that would grow your company.”

What is the primary reason peer companies should consider this grant other than the export portion?

“Take advantage of your tax dollars to supplement your marketing efforts to grow your company globally. Ninety-five percent of the world lives outside of the United States so take advantage of the opportunity and let’s grow the economy!”

For more information visit: okcommerce.gov/stepfund.

Read more about Chuck Mills and his century-old Oklahoma business in this profile from The Oklahoman.

(Top photo credit: Photo by Jim Stafford, For The Oklahoman.)

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Trade opportunities with Chile for Oklahoma businesses

Pulling from our friends at the Federation of International Trade Associations, there are opportunities for Oklahoma businesses to boost their bottom line by trading with partners in Chile.

According to U.S. Census data, trade between the United States and Chile totaled $24.1 billion in 2015, with the U.S. exporting a total value of $15.4 billion and importing $8.7 billion worth of goods.

The main goods exported by the United States include mineral fuels, aircraft and machinery as well as vehicles. The main goods imported from Chile include copper, agricultural products and wood products.

Check out the Chileyello business directory to find potential partners and sectors.

For the full country report from Chile by the Federation of International Trade Associations, click here.

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Google Global Market Finder tool a boon for Oklahoma companies looking abroad

One obstacle Oklahoma firms with little experience of exporting may run into is the challenge of knowing just where to begin. While U.S. and Oklahoma-state agencies are there to help, another tactic may be to use a tool available at the click of a mouse.

Google’s Global Market Finder tool is free and simple to use. It provides an easy step for those Oklahoma manufacturers interested in learning about what niches and markets lie outside the U.S.

According to Google, the global market finder has access to more than 1.9 billion customers around the globe, including connecting to what geographic locations where their products are in demand, estimating costs and providing translations for non-English speaking partners.

For those interested in learning more about export opportunities, real, live trade professionals are also available to help at the local level. Those interested in speaking with Oklahoma-based trade professionals should contact Jennifer Springer at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce or Marcus Verner at the U.S. Department of Trade.

(Top photo: The Oklahoma Department of Commerce – by Bo Apitz).

 

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Oklahoma STEP Grant application process opens

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce announces the Oklahoma STEP Forward Enhancement Fund, part of the State Trade Expansion Program, an export promotion initiative that makes matching-fund grants for states to assist small businesses. This grant is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“The intent of this program is to increase the number of small businesses that are exporting, and to increase the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting,” said Jennifer Springer, Director of Global Recruitment and Trade Services, at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

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Download the STEP Fund Flyer here.

Funding for this year will help eligible companies to offset the cost to participate at designated international trade shows and allow them to promote their Oklahoma-made products on a global scale.  In addition, other services such as website translations and marketing design; compliance testing; and shipping of sample products into international markets can be used toward the grant as well.

“The STEP grant, in partnership between the U.S. and Oklahoma Department of Commerce, is an incredible opportunity for Oklahoma exporters to receive marketing assistance to promote their products or services worldwide,” said Chuck Mills, President of Mills Machine and previous STEP grant recipient. “The program enabled us to translate our website into another language which made it easier for our customers to understand our product line!”

To be considered for the Oklahoma STEP Fund, all applicants are required to submit an application and supporting documentation. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce will begin taking applications from Oklahoma small businesses starting November 1, 2016.

A full application, guidelines and requirements can be found online at www.okcommerce.gov/stepfund. For more information, contact the Global Recruitment and Trade Division at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce at (800) 879-6552, or 405-815-5136 or Jesse.Garcia@okcommerce.gov.

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Oklahoma aerospace and defense industry bolstered by South Korean agreement

If you missed the October 2016 version of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s monthly publication, The New Pioneer, you may have missed the good news for Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry, whose products and parts account for $4.1 million in Oklahoman exports to the Republic of South Korea, an astounding 350 percent increase from the previous year.

From ODOC,

“Oklahoma Secretary of State Chris Benge signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with officials from the South Korean province of South Gyeongsang. The signing took place in Changwon, South Korea with a small delegation, including a representative from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce joining Secretary Benge.

The agreement is the result of months of work by both parties and fosters collaboration and trade through the exchange of industry expertise and reciprocal visits by senior officials.

Both regions have a large presence in the aerospace sector. Oklahoma is home to the American Airlines facility in Tulsa, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) depot in the world and the largest U.S. Department of Defense depot at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City. Gyeongsang is the largest province in South Korea for manufacturing and the South Korean economy is the world’s 11th largest.

“Both Oklahoma and South Gyeongsang are internationally recognized as hubs for the aerospace industry, and leaders in manufacturing and innovation,” said Benge. “This reciprocal agreement is a win-win for both parties and brings with it many potential opportunities for Oklahoma companies to expand sales of products made here to the growing South Korean market.”

The MOU and recent dialog among government leaders serve as a framework for South Korean companies to invest in Oklahoma and create new jobs in the state.”

Read the full article here, or check out the October 2016 edition of the The New Pioneer for more information about business in Oklahoma.

(Top photo: Oklahoma Secretary of State Chris Benge signed an MOU with officials from the South Korean province of South Gyeongsang in September 2016. Courtesy of Oklahoma Department of Commerce.)

 

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Altus Global Trade Solutions offers payment solutions for Oklahoma firms

One concern that many Oklahoma exporters have about doing business overseas is worrying about a lack of payment once services are rendered or a product is delivered. Tools offered by the Export-Import Bank of the United States such as Export Credit Insurance, which amongst several benefits, can insure against nonpayment by international buyers.

However, there are occasions where private firms specializing in collecting payment from overseas are necessary. Altus Global Trade Solutions is one such firm with a presence in 116 countries worldwide.  They are a fully bonded company licensed in all states and countries that require it. In addition, Altus offers its own credit reporting system to inform agencies such as Experian, Dun & Bradstreet and Equifax of your debtor’s credit.

Altus offers negotiable rates for its services, which include financial investigations of debtors bank accounts, assets and liabilities. They also claim that less that due to the thoroughness of their investigations, less than 1 percent of their accounts ever reach litigation. If they do, Altus is a member of the Commercial Law League of America.

To learn more about Altus Global Solutions, visit their website here or contact Andrea Nicole Lawrence.

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