October 2022
From the NADEC Chair
Dear DEC Members,

I would like to introduce myself as the new NADEC Chair. 

My name is Jonathan Szucs and I am a member of the North Carolina DEC. I became a member in 2014 and I have been honored to be serving as Vice Chair for the past few years. I am also a small business owner in rural Western North Carolina who exports superabrasive grinding wheels to over 28 countries. In 2013 my company won the President’s “E” Award.  

I would like to discuss the NADEC and what you can expect with me as Chair. First, we will continue to work on what I call the three pillars of all DECs. These are to inform, educate and advocate.  It is imperative now, to inform and educate SMEs, Stakeholders and the public on exporting. 

  • We must also advocate for trade related items that remove exporting roadblocks for SMEs. The NADEC will assist in giving local DECs information on these items that are actionable. This is not a “one-way” street and we ask that local DECs also assist in discussions about these items as they arise.  

  • Second, we will continue to grow our Annual Spring Conference which will be held on May 9 in D.C. in 2023. In 2023 we are handling the panels differently and I hope that you have seen our message that we are looking for local DECs to take charge of these panels. 

  • Third, you will see growth in the NADEC and its activities. Our committees are being reorganized with sub committees to better meet our goals. Again, we ask that any local DEC members wishing to participate to connect with us through our Admin. 

I would be amiss if I did not mention that all DEC members main goal is to assist SMEs in becoming successful exporters. We do this through a variety of ways and also support Commerce in their efforts. The NADEC is no different and we are here to assist SMEs and Commerce.  

It is a honor to be your NADEC Chair. I look forward to working with our local DEC members across the country. I hope to have a chance to meet and speak with all of you at some point. Please feel free to reach out to us.

Jonathan
Email: js@asiwheels.com
The National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) recently announced the election of the new 2022-2023 Board. 

“We are thrilled to welcome both old and new faces to the NADEC Board of Directors” said Shawn Levsen, Chairman Emeritus of the Board. “This talented grouping of individuals will help the U.S. Department of Commerce and our local District Export Councils execute on their vital mission of expanding U.S. exports across the globe.”

The NADEC Board consists of 16 District Export Council (DEC) members who have been elected by DEC members from each of the eight U.S. Commercial Service Networks and 4 at-large members. In addition, 9 associate members serve on the board in an advisory capacity.

All Board Members have special expertise in international trade and are dedicated to helping businesses across the nation develop global sales. Contact them if you have any questions or if they can be of any help.

Board members can be reached though NADEC Admin.
Share Your Story
Your Exporter Experience

To celebrate Manufacturing Month, you can help other small businesses by offering peer-to-peer advice about how to get started exporting.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and federal partner export promotion agencies, including the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), are encouraging new and experienced exporters to share advice and best practices with other small and medium-sized manufacturers on their experience seeking global market opportunities.
Selected responses will be posted in this newsletter.

Submissions can be made any time. Please send your stories to NADEC Admin

Hot Topic
Looking For International Distributors? Here Are Key Ways To Identify, Recruit, And Win Them Over!

A good distributor is essential for most SMEs to grow their sales internationally, so finding the right in-market partner is key. But once that relationship is established, distributors need to be nurtured, maintained and managed. All this was challenging enough, but in this age of social distancing, as trade shows, frequent air travel and face-to-face meetings all get pushed back, companies are looking for digital alternatives. Exporters today need innovative online solutions that help them identify, recruit, and manage their international distributor networks. Localized websites can do that job!

Distributors look for companies with high demand / high margin products. To attract them, showcase your innovations, new product launches, and success stories. Again, a localized website provides an ideal forum for local distributors to view products and understand your unique selling points, your technologies and your brand.

A localized online presence also shows a potential distributor that you are a great company to work with. Online tools are the best sales assets a distributor can hope for and you have already provided these tailored to their market.

Finally, a localized online presence shows the investment that your company has made in that country – an appealing attribute to any local distributor who is concerned about the long-term commitment a company makes to international markets. Your company stands head and shoulders above those without localized online solutions ready-made for a local distributor.

Are you ready to build a localized web presence that will attract, maintain, and meet the needs of your distributors in your target market? Would you like to learn more great ways to draw in distributors from territories you’d like to build your presence in?

Follow this link below for our full how-to guide or feel free to get in touch for more information!
Local DEC Events
Please share your local DEC events with the NADEC Network!

Send event details to Heidi Whitman, NADEC Admin Coordinator
& Urszula Wojciechowska, Communications Officer & Newsletter Editor

Recordings of previous webinars can be found here
Export Controls from Lab to Market: Advanced Technologies, Product Development & Research Laboratories

November 9, 2022
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT

Join the North Texas District Export Council to explore three paths of Export Controls including Advanced Technologies, Product Development and Research Laboratories through presentations which will be led by our distinguished trade compliance specialists from across the industry.

Keynote Speaker: Kevin Wolf, Esq. Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration
DEC Members - Get more engaged!
Let's Increase DEC Member Engagement!

Visit our re-designed website and explore the resources section HERE.

The NADEC National Committee has also prepared a:

SAVE THE DATE! ANNUAL CONFERENCE - MAY 9, 2023

Take ownership of a session. Let us know what topics matter to you.

Looking forward to seeing you in DC!

Could not be there?

More than 25 respected experts led interactive workshops, panel discussions, and individual presentations, providing in-depth analysis of an array of issues and challenges facing NADEC members today. 

www.usaexporter.org