JAN. 5 PROGRAM ON TRADE & INVESTMENT IN AFRICA

Dr. Willene A. Johnson, Executive Director of the African Development Bank for the United States, will speak at a luncheon program on "Profiting from Trade and Investment Opportunities in Africa" on Friday, January 5, at the Plimsoll Club of the World Trade Center. A networking reception will precede the luncheon at 11:30 a.m. The program is sponsored by Southern University in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the World Trade Center, and other organizations.

Dr. Johnson previously served as Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), where she worked for 17 years. As Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Johnson was responsible for FRBNY relations with Africa, representing FRBNY at African meetings offering advice and technical assistance to African central banks. Dr. Johnson obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University, an M.A. in African History and an A.B. with honors in Social Studies.

The United States has been a member of the African Development Bank since 1983, when non-regional countries were invited to join the Bank Group. The United States is the largest non-regional shareholder of the Bank. Under the Fifth General Capital increase of the Bank, the U.S. will provide $40.8 million in paid-up capital. The United States is also one of the founding members of the African Development Fund (ADF) and its second largest historical contributor. The U.S. contributed $200 million to the Seventh ADF Replenishment (1996-1998) and has pledged $300 million to the Eighth Replenishment (1999-2001).

To register for the January 5 luncheon, click here.

JAN. 26 BRIEFING ON DOING BUSINESS WITH SWITZERLAND

The Consul General of Switzerland based in Houston, Walter Simmen, and Commercial Officer Scot Orgish will speak at a luncheon briefing on Friday, January 26, on "Doing Business with Switzerland" at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club. The World Trade Center, the Consulate General of Switzerland, and other organizations are sponsoring the program which will focus on specific trade opportunities with Switzerland for Louisiana businesses.

Before entering the Diplomatic Service in 1970, Mr. Simmen worked in Import-Export, Project Management and Real Estate Management. He has served in Madrid, Berlin, New York, Paris, Moscow, and Munich. Additionally, he served as Information Manager at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Bern, Switzerland, overseeing the Swiss representation of information technology abroad. Prior to his post as Consul General of Switzerland in Houston, Mr. Simmen served as ChargŽ d’Affaires in Wellington, New Zealand.

Mr. Orgish has been involved in international business for over 16 years in both the public and private sectors. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1981, where he earned a B.A. in Marketing. He received an M.A. in International Mangement and a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas. Before joining the Consulate of Switzerland, he worked in international marketing and aquisitions for Martek & Associates in Dallas.

To register for the January 26 luncheon, click here.

JAN. 11 LUNCHEON SEMINAR ON "GOING GLOBAL"

Have you been thinking about getting involved in the global marketplace but feel intimidated or have been wondering where and how to start? Do terms like FOB, CIF, letters of credit, bills of lading and proforma invoices confuse you? Well, wait no longer—start off the New Year with a quick resolution to start learning what it takes.

Louisiana International Trade Center Director Ruperto Chavarri and WTC Managing Director Eugene Schreiber will conduct an introductory luncheon seminar on "Going Global: Getting Started in Exporting and Importing" on Thursday, January 11 from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m., at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club. The seminar will focus on the fundamentals of an international transaction and present an overview of the basic import-export process. It is designed as an introduction to the Louisiana International Trade Center’s step-by-step Export-Import Seminar series which will be held on the evenings of January 17, 22 and 24 for a total of 14 hours. At these sessions you will learn step-by-step the "how to" of international market research, preparing products for export and import, pricing strategies, terms of sale and quotations, export and import documentation, export shipping and import entry procedures, trade financing, and—the bottom line—methods of payment.

The luncheon seminar is sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center, the Louisiana International Trade Center, and the World Trade Center of New Orleans. To register for the January 11 luncheon seminar, click here.

LOUISIANA TRADE EVENTS

Jan. 5 -Luncheon briefing at the World Trade Center on "Profiting from Trade and Investment Opportunities in Africa" featuring Dr. Willene A. Johnson, Executive Director of the African Development Bank for the U.S.  Click here.

Jan. 11 -An introductory luncheon seminar at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club on "Going Global: Getting Started in Exporting & Importing" featuring Louisiana International Trade Center Director Ruperto Chavarri and WTC Managing Director Eugene J. Schreiber.  Click here.

Jan. 17 -"Import/Export Strategies and Market Research" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the World Trade Center in New Orleans. Covers the keys to export and import success, local and foreign assistance, and international market research programs. Call the Louisiana International Trade Center (LITC) at (504) 568-8222.

Jan. 22 -"Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the WTC in New Orleans. Covers export and import licenses, preparing products for export and import, pricing strategies, terms of sale and quotations, customs entry procedures, and the cultural environment of international business. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222.

Jan. 24 -"International Banking, Financing, Transportation, and Documentation" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the WTC in New Orleans. Covers international banking in Louisiana, methods of payment, SBA and Eximbank financing programs, international freight forwarders and customs brokers, and export and import documentation. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222.

Jan. 26 -Luncheon briefing on "Doing Business with Switzerland" at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club in New Orleans featuring the Hon. Walter Simmen, Consul General of Switzerland in Houston, and Mr. Scot Orgish, Commercial Officer at the Consulate General.  Click here.

Feb. 5-Apr. 23 -WTC Language Classes Begin. Classes meet once a week for two hours. The emphasis is on business usage and conversation. The classes are taught by the international faculty of Alpha Tech Communications. Classes will be offered in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and English as a second language. Call Alpha Tech at (504) 454-6554 for registration and additional information.

HANK LAURICELLA ELECTED WTC PRESIDENT

The Board of Directors of the World Trade Center has elected Francis E. "Hank" Lauricella as President of the WTC for 2001. Mr. Lauricella is a General Partner of Lauricella Land Co. LLC and served as a member of the State Legislature for 32 years, where he was recognized as one of the leading authorities on Louisiana’s economic development and transportation sectors.

In his college days at the University of Tennessee, Mr. Lauricella was an All-American halfback and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1951. Among his other civic activities, he currently serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and a Board member of the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority.

Other WTC officers elected for 2001 are: President-elect, Jean C. Felts, Principal, Jean Felts & Company; Vice Presidents - Donna D. Fraiche, Partner, Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP; John E. Koerner III, President, Koerner Capital Corp., and Charles W. Nelson, President, Waldemar S. Nelson & Co.; Treasurer, Dr. Charles C. Teamer, Chairman, Board of Directors, Dryades Savings Bank; Secretary, Leon R. Fulton, Chairman & CEO, Fulton Johnson Newman & Pittman Insurance Agency; Chairman of the Board, Dennis E. Kelly, Chairman of Maximum Information Technology, Inc.; and Richard C. Allen and Eugene J. Schreiber, Managing Directors.

New directors elected to the WTC Board are: Brandt J. Dufrene, Chairman, President and CEO, First National Bank USA; Elizabeth Jackson Ford, Manager, Sales and Marketing, the Jackson Kearney Group; Glenn A. Haydel, President and CEO, Metro, Inc.; Warren L. Ruether, Jr., CEO, Hospitality Enterprises; Louis J. Sannino, Vice President, McDermott International, Inc.; and Constance Charles Willems, Partner, McGlinchey Stafford.

USEFUL 2001 WORLD BUSINESS CALENDAR

The 2001 World Business Advisory and Calendar is now available from Educational Extension Systems. This 92-page publication is updated annually and lists practical as well as cultural travel information.

The World Business Advisory and Calendar includes: each month and day of the year in six languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Arabic); national and civic holidays for over 100 nations; holidays of the world’s five major religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu, and Buddhism); a listing of the name, address, and phone numbers of 121 foreign embassies in the U.S.; a listing of locations, addresses and phone numbers of over 100 United States Embassies and Consulates in foreign countries, as well as Chief Commercial Officers; a listing of addresses and telephone numbers of American Chambers of Commerce located in foreign countries; and much more.

For more information call (800) 447-8561 or send an e-mail to educextsys@supernet.com.

BUSINESS FRENCH AT UNO

The University of New Orleans will offer Business French in the spring of 2001 to undergraduate students, as well as to non-degree seeking students. The course will focus on improving written and oral French language skills, specializing in business vocabulary, and will be taught by Dr. Jean R. Cranmer. The course also aims to develop the French speaker’s understanding of the cultural, social, and administrative climate in France and the European Union in preparation for optional exams given by the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris. For more information, call the UNO Admissions Office at (504) 280-5522, or the Foreign Languages Department at (504) 280-6658, or visit the University’s website at www.uno.edu/how.htm. January 10 is the registration deadline.

WTCA SPRING MEETING IN SEOUL, KOREA

WTC members and non-members are invited to participate in the Louisiana Business Mission to Seoul, Korea for the Spring Assembly of the World Trade Centers Association from April 23-26. This is an excellent opportunity to make productive contacts with delegations in attendance from all over the world and have one-on-one match making appointments with Korean companies. Also included in the Assembly’s program are informative trade seminars and briefings, exhibits, cultural and networking events and industrial site visits. For additional information, go on-line to www.wtcseoul.com/ or call Natalie Rideau at (504) 529-1601, ext. 226.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SPEAKS ON STATE’S OUTLOOK

Louisiana Secretary of Transportation and Development Kam Movassaghi gave a presentation on "Louisiana’s Transportation Outlook" at a World Trade Center luncheon on November 30 that included the results of a new study on trade with Latin America and the transportation investments that will be necessary to accommodate the U.S’s growing trade relationship with the region.

The Latin American Trade and Transportation Study was commissioned by 14 southern states, including Louisiana, to evaluate opportunities for trade with Latin America and determine the type of investments in transportation infrastructure that will be needed for the region to capitalize on increased trade with this rapidly expanding market.

U.S. trade with the countries of Latin America has escalated over the past decade, driven in large part by increased trade with Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 1999, Louisiana exported almost $5 billion of products to Latin America, and this relationship promises to continue growing because of other new trade agreements such as the recently signed Trade and Development Act of 2000 and plans for a future Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.

Dr. Movassaghi discussed Louisiana’s position as a gateway for U.S. trade with Latin America and emphasized the importance of developing the state’s already strong transportation infrastructure to accommodate the demands that will be placed on its ports, railroads, airports and highways with the projected increases in trade. He cautioned, however, that if Louisiana does not make the necessary commitment of financial resources towards this purpose, it stands to lose its ability to compete effectively with other states in the region over the next several decades as the main corridor to the lucrative Latin American market.

The PowerPoint presentation given by Dr. Movassaghi is available on the WTC website at www.wtc-no.org/speakers

U.S. GOVERNMENT WEBSITES OFFER EXPORT ASSISTANCE

www.firstgov.gov - The public’s first resource to find any U.S. Federal Government information on the Internet. Designed to be a "citizens guide" for transactions with the U.S. government.

www.export.gov - The U.S. Department of Commerce/Trade Information Center’s export portal, designed to be a "one-stop" information source for everything an exporter will need in order to export.

www.usatrade.gov - The official home page for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service where you can obtain free international market research, trade leads, information on export programs and services, and links to U.S. Export Assistance Centers across the U.S. and with U.S. embassies and consulates around the word.

www.stat-usa.gov - A fee-based, on-line home of the National Trade Data Bank. It offers on-line searches of U.S. export and import data by harmonized codes, international market research reports, trade leads, and U.S. financial and economic data, as well as over 75 other reports and programs.

www.usatradeon-line.gov - A fee-based, on-line information service jointly operated by STAT-USA and the Foreign Trade Division of the Census Bureau. Here you will find specific U.S. export & import trade data on more than 18,000 commodities.

www.tradenet.gov - The U.S. Small Business Administration’s website, which offers a "one-stop" shop for exporters, trade leads, export library, export answers, local export contacts, and links to other U.S. trade promotion agencies.

ON-LINE DATA ON ITALIAN COMPANIES

World Trade Center Italy has announced that its website, www.wtc.it, is up and running. The website, created in collaboration with Madeinitaly.com, provides useful information about Italian companies. MadeinItaly.com is the portal for the Made in Italy label, and clients can purchase Italian products ranging from industrial machinery to typical, traditional products, as well as fashions and travel.

The site is divided into five main sections: Shopping, Business, Travel, Services, and News. The Business and Shopping sections, dedicated to the e-commerce of Made in Italy products, are divided into macro and sub-categories. The Business Opportunities category of the Business section includes directories of Italian companies that export, trade associations, and a discussion forum. The information on the site is free, but users must fill out an electronic form to obtain a username and pass code.

WTC SPRING LANGUAGE CLASSES TO BEGIN FEB. 5

For the 53rd consecutive year, the World Trade Center will offer its spring session of foreign language classes from the week of February 5 through the week of April 23 at the WTC Building in New Orleans. The classes are conducted by the faculty of Alpha Tech Communications. The emphasis is on business usage and conversation. Small classes led by experienced teachers ensure good individual attention. The session will last 11 weeks: classes will meet once a week for two hours, except the week of February 26 due to Mardi Gras Holidays. The following languages will be offered: French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and English as a Second Language. Tuition is $130 for WTC members and their spouses, and $260 for non-members. (Registration and materials cost $45) Free parking is available in the WTC Garage. For additional information and to register, call Alpha Tech at (504) 454-6554.