www.texastrade.org

FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT

WE DELIVER RESULTS GLOBALLY.TRADE CONSULTING | INTERNATIONAL MARKET RESEARCH | INNOVATIVE TRAINING

ECONOMIC IMPACTWELCOME

The professionals at the International Trade Center understand the challenges facing new-to-export firms. The International Trade Center consultants are experienced and ready to help with critical country-specific market research and advice needed to enter new global markets. The greatest benefit to small businesses looking to export is the knowledgeable team of Certified Global Business Professionals that ensures success for clients by staying with them for the long term.

Albert Salgado, Director of the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network

We are proud of the groundbreaking work of the International Trade Center, leading the way for Texas companies to go global and expand their market reach. They directly assisted clients expand export sales by $148 million and create 1,082 new jobs during FY2013. Cliff Paredes and his team also lead the expansion of the SBDC Network throughout much of Latin America and the Caribbean for the US State Department, growing a valuable distribution network of trading partners.

Robert McKinley, Associate Vice President for Economic Development UTSA

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LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORFinancial Year (FY) 2013 can be seen as a year for moving forward. We built upon the successes of the past, and continued to innovate and compete in our areas of expertise. Highlights for the year include:

• Core services reached an all-time-high for economic impact in the region with major increases in job creation and retention, global sales, and access to capital for our clients (pages 6–7);

• Leveraged partnerships with regional Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and assisted over 478 clients (page 8);

• Delivered industry-leading training to 683 business professionals at 28 events (page 10);

• Broke records in foreign direct investment job creation and access to capital through our Texas International Business Accelerator (TIBA) (page 14);

• Advised and guided the governments of countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and North Africa in developing national SBDC networks (pages 16–17);

• Continued to improve SBDCGlobal, and trained SBDC professionals from around the country in best-practices (pages 18–19).

We did not create these successes alone. Throughout our history we have enjoyed being a part of the UTSA Institute for Economic Development and the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network. This support has given us the freedom to create new programs and services which has allowed our center to grow into an internationally recognized trade assistance organization that assists clients in selling all over the world while advising foreign governments on how to do the same.

We’ve been able to accomplish a lot. We see FY2014 as an opportunity to continue moving forward and innovating in a complex and growing market.

Cliff Paredes, Director of the International Trade Center

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ECONOMIC IMPACTWHO WE ARE

HOW WE MADE OUR MARK IN FY2013It all begins with our staff. We continue to focus on hiring people who share our values of Integrity, Service, Innovation and Excellence and invest in their continued training and development. Having clarity of mission and vision as an organization and executing a simple plan based on our strategy allows the Center to exceed the expectations of clients, partners and funding agencies.

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ABOUT THE CENTER The International Trade Center is one of the largest and the most successful trade assistance organizations in Texas. Established in 1992, our mission is to provide businesses with trade consulting services, market research and innovative training programs that deliver results. The Centers initiatives include:

• International Trade Center Core Services: customized consulting, market research and training for small businesses in the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network;

• The Texas International Business Accelerator: assisting foreign-based businesses to successfully establish operations in Texas by helping them create comprehensive foreign investment plans;

• SBDCGlobal: the first B2B platform for US and international Small Business Development Center (SBDC) networks that will connect millions of small business clients. SBDCGlobal also provides training to SBDC professionals, and advises foreign governments on how to adapt and start their own SBDC networks;

The International Trade Center is a strategic component of the UTSA Institute for Economic Development and the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network and serves 79 counties that includes the metro areas of San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, San Angelo, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Alpine, Victoria and the Rio Grande Valley.

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ECONOMIC IMPACT

FY2013 PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS Throughout FY2013 we continued to assist our clients in growing their export sales and creating new jobs, thus helping the Texas economy to recover and grow over the long-term. Client-generated economic impact does not happen overnight and is the result of our client consulting efforts from the previous two years. While many worried about the tough global economy, we focused our Center’s efforts on providing our clients with high-value assistance so that they would be prepared to take advantage of opportunities and grow their global sales. We look forward to continuing this work in FY2014.

HOW WE PRODUCED OUR RESULTSCustomized consulting and market research provided by experienced Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) consultants over the long-term is the only way to help small businesses grow their global sales. Providing clients with real-world information, helping them build the technical skills to understand the mechanics of trade, and empowering them to act when global business opportunities arise requires many hours of assistance, patience and plenty of follow-up.

We have also been happy to share the secret of our success (including consulting, market research and training best practices) with a number of other Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and trade assistance organizations throughout the US and Latin America. This customized and effective approach is how we will continue to help our clients maximize their global trade potential and profitability in FY2014.

“Our consultant at the International Trade Center, Doug Smith, has done a good job in the research of prospective clients and market awareness and it is critical in forming our export business plan. The information that was provided to Battery Concepts for the Mexico market has resulted in more than 100% growth in sales.”

Sergio H. Munoz — Battery Concepts International Inc.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

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ECONOMIC IMPACT FY2011 FY2012 FY2013

Jobs Created 322 688 1,082Jobs Retained 1,106 1,367 1,587Global Sales* $210M $373M $439MNew Financing $9M $45M $80MNew Markets Entered 145 151 158New Products to Market 75 148 121

0

95

190

285

380

475

$210M

$373M

$439M

FY20

11

FY20

12 FY20

13

GLOBAL SALES BY CLIENTS ■ FY2011–FY2013

JOBS ■CREATED & ■RETAINED FY2011–FY20130

540

1080

1620

2160

2700

1,082

1,3661,106

688

3221,587

FY20

11

FY20

12

FY20

13

NEW FINANCING BY CLIENTS ■ FY2011–FY20130

18

36

54

72

90

$45M

$9M

$80M

FY20

11

FY20

12

FY20

13

*Export and import sales generated through consulting and market expansion assistance.

Our consultant at the International Trade Center, Alberto Rodriguez-Baez, was extremely knowledgeable in all areas of international business and I felt that he took the time to get to know what our business niche was so he could make the best recommendations possible.”

Barbara Pagan-Arroyo — ITI Solutions, Inc.

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BUILDING THE ECONOMY THROUGH IMPORT AND EXPORT ASSISTANCEThe International Trade Center provided 478 small business clients in Texas with 9,370 hours of consulting and market research assistance in FY2013. This is an increase from 465 clients with 8,045 hours of assistance in FY2012. Our performance was impressive, and is attributed to the quality and focus of the consulting and market research staff.

Another accomplishment in FY2013 was the International Trade Center’s ability to attract and serve clients from throughout the 79-county South-West Texas Border SBDC Network. This was done by working with partners such as the Del Mar SBDC in Corpus Christi, the Texas State University SBDC in Austin, the Angelo State University SBDC in San Angelo, the El Paso SBDC and the Boerne Chamber of Commerce. The International Trade Center looks forward to continuing to expand its presence in the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network and in helping more Texas companies start and expand their global sales.

In FY2013, the International Trade Center’s market research staff provided clients with the latest global market research and competitive intelligence that helped them make better decisions and reduce risk. Staffed by experienced and skilled researchers that have fluency

in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Mandarin and are equipped with the latest market research databases. The international market research staff assisted consultants with critical information that helped clients enter new foreign markets.

During FY2014, we will continue to grow the quality and scope of our consulting and market research services so that we can better assist clients in expanding into new global markets. This will be accomplished by purchasing new market research resources, investing in high-level professional development for our consulting staff and by better leveraging our extensive network of international SBDC partners from across Latin America and the Caribbean. We will all carry forward our efforts to identify and create new Texas exporters and strive to deliver exceptional consulting services for all our clients.

Consulting Impact by Year: FY2011 FY2012 FY2013Total Consulting Hours 7,162 8,045 9,370Total Clients Assisted 426 465 478

CONSULTING AND MARKET RESEARCH

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TRAINING

April 17, 2013 Buena Vista Building

Room BV 1.338 UTSA Downtown Campus

MAD

E IN TEXAS

W W W . T E X A S T R A D E . O R G

Delivering Results Globally.

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CGBP

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o l d K e y

CGBP

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o l d K e y

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Delivering Results Globally.

UTSA Downtown Campus Institute For Economic Development Durango Building, Room # 2.322 (Second Floor Training Room)

March 28 | April 4 | April 11 | April 18

INDUSTRY LEADING TRADE TRAINING The International Trade Center continued to develop new training programs that delivered real-world expertise to small business professionals throughout the region. By concentrating on the “how-to” rather than the “what” of trade issues, our training provided participants with the information, skills and contacts that assisted them in improving export operations. We partner with the US Small Business Administration (SBA), the San Antonio and Austin US Export Assistance Centers, the State of Texas, various Chambers of Commerce, and other organizations to leverage resources and to get more Texas companies exporting. We delivered industry-leading training to 683 business professionals at 28 events, of which some of the most successful were:

Your Global Edge: A monthly webinar series focusing on country and industry-specific training. This groundbreaking series included topics such as “No Holds Barred Guide to International Negotiation,” “NAFTA20,” and more.

Texas Reshoring Conference 2013: Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US and Texas from abroad is a hot topic in business. Harry Moser, of the Reshoring Initiative, came to the Center and facilitated a fantastic training event on the benefits of a strengthened manufacturing sector.

Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) Training: We continue to be a national leader in providing training for the NASBITE CGBP credential. The series consists of four modules (logistics, marketing, management, and finance) and a review session that provides attendees with a technical trade foundation to sit for the NASBITE CGBP exam. Our training now graduates more CGBP-credentialed professionals than any other organization in the world. This year we teamed with the US Commercial Service to add their Gold Key trade mission service to the training.

El Paso and Hill Country International Business Conferences: These events offered regional International Trade Center clients an intimate primer on the critical “how-to” of international trade topics including: current international trade environment, export finance, and social media for global business.

In FY2014, the International Trade Center will continue to listen to the needs of its small business clients and provide them with the training that they demand, offered at convenient times and always utilizing the latest technology. We will also continue to leverage our growing network of international and US government partners to secure the best speakers possible for our training programs.

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CONNEXA ENERGY Connexa Energy, located in Boerne, TX, is a manufacturer and distributor of remote and industrial power products and accessories for original equipment manufacturers (OEM’s), integrators, distributors and resellers across the country and around the world. Connexa Energy specializes in remote solar and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) backup applications with internal design/engineering, internal assemblies, and its own line of industrial power products.

Senior International Business Consultant Alberto Rodriguez-Baez contacted Connexa Energy as a result of his business development efforts in the Hill Country. During the initial meeting, a market research project was set up to identify potential new clients for Connexa Energy in the Middle East. The research and consulting project’s results included the wish list of potential new clients in the Middle East, recommendations for international business development and marketing, as well as suggestions regarding communication channels for the products’ promotion abroad. As a result, Connexa Energy was able to reach out into new markets in the aforementioned region.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Alberto Rodriguez-Baez on the market research and consulting project for our products in the Middle East. He went above and beyond to help us before, during, and even

“[Senior International Business Consultant Alberto Rodriguez-Baez] went above and beyond to help us before, during, and even well after the project.”

Michael Postel — Connexa Energy

well after the project” said Michael Postel, Connexa Energy’s Owner and President.

A second consulting and research project was conducted to identify potential distributors for a second product line.

“Alberto has been a great resource to us and has proven to be a very experienced professional in international trade”, added Mr. Postel. “We are already working with him to train our new sales manager regarding international business development and how to penetrate foreign markets effectively. With the market research data Alberto and his team continue to offer, Connexa Energy is anticipating having an established sales and distribution location in Central America to serve the region more effectively by the end of 2013.”

To learn more about Connexa Energy, visit www.connexaenergy.com.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

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RENFRO FOODS, INC. In 1940, George and his wife, Arthurine Renfro, co-founded George Renfro Food Company (now Renfro Foods, Inc.) in the garage of their north Fort Worth home. In their new venture, they distributed packaged spices and pepper sauces throughout Fort Worth and the surrounding areas.

Today, with sons Jack and Bill, and grandchildren Doug, Becky and James are active in the day-to-day operations. Mrs. Renfro’s label and Mrs. Renfro’s products now include more than 30 salsas, sauces and relishes, which are available at supermarkets, gourmet shops, gift shops and fruit and vegetable stands in all 50 states and now as well in export markets.

In 2007, opportunities to expand into foreign markets were too good to ignore. Doug Renfro, President of the company, had the vision to further his export knowledge in order to continue the company’s fast pace growth by participating in the customized Minority Export Training Program (MET) offered by the International Trade Center, sponsored by the Foreign Agricultural Services and the Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) in partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture. Through this ten module training, Senior International Business Consultant, Monica Alcoz, walked Mr. Renfro through the step-by-step process of exporting, from international market entry strategies to learning on how to avoid misunderstandings by the right use of the International Commercial Terms.

“After years of exploratory work, traveling, and

networking, our export business has really taken off in the past few years. Throughout this experience, it’s been very comforting to know that I had the ability to fall back on the resources and expertise of Monica and the International Trade Center,” said Doug Renfro.

Since then, Ms. Alcoz continues to provide Renfro Foods, Inc. with on-going support in export issues such as potential export markets, import regulations and standards, specialty food distributors and importers worldwide; checking up on potential leads, quoting their products for international buyers, as well as on how to protect themselves against nonpayment. The company has been able to identify further export opportunities and take advantage of the SUSTA, Market Access Program, which reimburses companies up to 50% of international marketing expenses. With the ongoing International Trade Center export assistance, the company has been able to successfully expand exports to Canada, England, Spain and the Caribbean. The export run of success continued with their first order to China in September of 2013.

To learn more about Renfro Foods Inc, visit www.renfrofoods.com.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

“Although we’re excited about what we’ve achieved so far, we truly believe that it’s just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. With friends and associates like Monica at the International Trade Center, we feel that the sky is the limit!” Doug Renfro — Renfro Foods, Inc.

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CYPRESS CREEK HARDWOODS China imported $740 million in raw, un-cut timber from the US in 2012. However, China is not the easiest market for US companies seeking to supply China with US timber. It is even more daunting for new exporters and even more so if the novice exporter’s main business had little to do with forestry products. Despite these odds, Austin, TX based Cypress Creek Hardwoods successfully established a customer base in China and is receiving on-going orders from Chinese wood distributors and fabricators.

Doug Smith, Assistant Director of the International Trade Center, helped Cypress when they began their process to export to China with market research and planning before any Chinese buyers were approached. Cypress combined trade information provided by Doug Smith with Chinese industry information provided by the US Hardwood Exporters Association. The business model they discovered was to buy kiln-dried hardwood from small, non-exporting timber mills and to sell directly to small Chinese furniture and cabinet manufacturers in China.

With suppliers in place, the initial visit to China proved the target market to be wrong because small Chinese companies did not have the capability and skills to directly import. Cypress was quickly able to identify the right buyers and received his first order shortly after returning to Austin. Today, after four visits to China and 50,000 miles of driving to visit suppliers, Cypress has a small set of regular Chinese customers. Longer term, Mark also sees considerable potential expanding into additional markets in Southeast Asia.

Cypress has proven adept at overcoming problems along the way, including trade financing and logistical issues. Success to date is the result of quickly recognizing potential barriers and adapting to the new circumstances. Recovery of the US housing market has made it harder to find high quality timber at a price acceptable to Chinese customers. However, the company has been successful in finding medium-size suppliers interested in working with the company long-term.

The International Trade Center has worked with Cypress from the start by providing some initial training on export finance and payment methods and logistics, introducing Cypress to US Export Credit Insurance, and providing on-going market intelligence trade data.

To learn more about Cypress Creek Hardwoods, visit http://www.cypresscreekhardwoods.com.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

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CASA 1921 LLC Since 1996 Mexican tequila producer Corporacion Licorera 1910 SA. has been exporting premium tequilas to the US. In 2005 they established Casa 1921 LLC in the US to more efficiently import and distribute their product to new markets.

Casa 1921s first product in the US was Tequila 1921, a 100% agave tequila available in blanco, reposado and Grand Reposado or Reserva Especial versions. The brand quickly gained recognition as a premium tequila.

Though Tequila 1921 quickly made a name for itself, there were setbacks in the late 1990s because of blue agave shortage. The company’s leadership used this challenge to invent a new product they called 1921 Tequila Cream a great combination of Tequila and special cream. The uniqueness of 1921 Tequila Cream opened a huge potential market for the company.

“To mix tequila with cream is not an easy process,” said Juan Francisco Collado, founder. “ It took us several years to develop the concept, and many more to come out with a stable product.”

There is no question as to the success of 1921 Tequila and 1921 Tequila Cream, these products have been awarded various recognitions. Some of the awards include: in 2010 the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America – 2011 Annual Convention awarded two Gold and a Silver for Tequila 1921. In 2010 The Polished Palate, Spirits of Mexico, awarded Gold and Best of Categories. In 2009 The Polished Palate, Spirits of Mexico, awarded the Gold, Bronze and Best of Categories. In 2002 Chicago Beverage Tasting Institute highly Rated 1921 Tequila.

“Berenice Carmona, has opened for us new doors and her constant advice has always been a guide for important decisions.”

Juan Francisco Collado — Casa 1921 LLC

After 8 years of opening the road through the alcohol legal and distribution systems in the US, Casa 1921 LLC recently became the exclusive importer for other prestige Spirits brands from Europe and Latin America.

The International Trade Center has been working with Casa 1921 LLC since 2008. Senior International Trade Consultant Berenice Carmona has provided Juan Francisco Collado, and Anahi Rivera, partner, with in-depth tequila and spirits market analysis reports. “Berenice Carmona, has opened for us new doors and her constant advice has always been a guide for important decisions.” Juan Francisco Collado.

Today Casa 1921 LLC products are sold in 32 U.S. states and it has reached international markets in other countries such as Russia, China, Canada and other European countries. Their products can also be found in airports, cruise lines and duty-free stores.

To learn more about Casa 1921 LLC, visit www.tequila1921.com.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

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FOSTERING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN TEXAS FY2013 saw the Texas International Business Accelerator (TIBA) complete a very successful second full year of operations. Since the mid-1990s the International Trade Center has been effectively assisting foreign entrepreneurs establish and expand their businesses in the US. Due to a significant increase in demand for these services and the need for quality assistance available locally, we created TIBA.

TIBA provides in-depth technical assistance and local market know-how so that foreign-based businesses can structure their investment project and successfully establish operations in Texas. This benefits the regional economy by attracting investment, creating jobs and promoting Texas as a global business hub.

TIBA’s primary set of services is aimed at assisting foreign businesses in structuring their investment projects and includes:

• Market feasibility studies and practical guidance on how to successfully grow their businesses in the US;

• Referrals for partner economic development organizations, immigration attorneys, accountants, commercial real estate agents and logistics firms in the region;

• Development of financial projections that assist in securing project funding;

• Creation of a comprehensive investment plan that will result in a successful project in Texas.

TIBA clients in FY2013 came from Brazil, China, France, India, Mexico, Norway, Spain and Venezuela.

In FY2014 the International Trade Center will continue to expand and invest in the TIBA program to meet the growing demand and to better leverage alliances with the international SBDC network in Mexico and Central America. The result of these efforts will be hundreds of international SBDCs throughout Latin America promoting the TIBA program as the best way for businesses to establish operations in the US.

To learn more about TIBA, visit www.texastrade.org/tiba.

Consulting Impact by Year: FY2012 FY2013Foreign-Direct-Investment in Texas 16.7M 57MNew Jobs Created 426 769

TEXAS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR (TIBA)

“Our TIBA consultant at the International Trade Center, Jaime Martinez and his staff delivered on their promises, produced what we needed, and helped us to reach our business goals.”

Ignacio Portilla — GE Dharma LLC 14 15

PFLUGERVILLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 130 COMMERCE CENTER, LLC. In December of 2012, Floyd Akers, Executive Director of the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC), and Ron Reid, CFO of 130 Commerce Center, LLC were referred to Texas International Business Accelerator (TIBA) — a program developed by the International Trade Center to provide high-quality advising services for foreign-direct-investment clients — for assistance on the new 130 Commerce Center, a 160-acre master-planned commercial development in Pflugerville, Texas. The planned commercial development will offer a progressive mix of industrial, office, and retail space.

Strategically located near the new SH 130 toll highway, 130 Commerce Center, LLC has been conceived to exemplify the principles and best practices of mixed-use development, clean energy, and sustainability. It will provide high quality, state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure to become a leader in the commercial real estate market in Texas.

An EB-5 Regional Center referred the team at 130 Commerce Center, LLC and PCDC to Senior International Business Consultant Jaime A. Martinez of TIBA. The first set of projects completed in FY2013 was to assist in qualifying the development as a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) — an area with at least 150% of the national unemployment rate — and to develop their investment business plan in order to qualify for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) EB-5 Foreign Investor Pilot Program. Both the TEA designation and the investment business plan are needed to approve the project for the EB-5 program which requires that: 1) foreign investors commit $500,000 – $1 million, or more, in a U.S. business, and 2) create 10 jobs per investor; in return investors are eligible to obtain residency after two years, and may be able to obtain citizenship after five years with a full return on their investment. The EB-5 foreign investment funds will assist for the construction of the 130 Commerce Center developments and other infrastructure needs.

Jaime and his team worked closely with Floyd Akers and Ron Reid to perform a study of the development area for a TEA designation as well as the creation of an investment business plan to provide to the USCIS in support of their EB-5 application.

Once off the ground, 130 Commerce Center, LLC is expected to generate hundreds of new jobs in Pflugerville in the coming years. With TIBA’s extensive experience in the EB-5 Foreign Investor Pilot Program, they look forward to helping the City of Pflugerville, and others, generate many new jobs and further capital investment. TIBA is planning more foreign-direct-investment projects with 130 Commerce Center, LLC and PCDC in the coming years.

To learn more about 130 Commerce Center, LLC, visit www.130commercecenter.com.

“Working with Jaime Martinez from TIBA was a key reason why we were able to put together such an extensive business plan for our EB-5 application.”

Ron Reid — 130 Commerce Center, LLC

TIBA CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

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UNITED STATES ■

MEXICO ■ ■

BRAZIL ■

PERU ■

■ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

■ BARBADOS

■ ST. LUCIA

■ DOMINICA

TUNISIA ■ ■

■ JAMAICA

BELIZE ■ ■

HONDURAS ■

COLOMBIA ■

PANAMA ■

COSTA RICA ■

EL SALVADOR ■ ■

GUATEMALA ■

■ INTERNATIONAL SBDC EXPANSION COUNTRIES■ COUNTRIES CURRENTLY ON SBDCGLOBAL.COM

THE NATIONAL EXPORT INITIATIVE & THE SMALL BUSINESS NETWORK OF THE AMERICAS

INCREASING EXPORTS & BUILDING BUSINESSESIncreasing US exports is one of the most important ways to grow the US economy and help put more Americans to work. In FY2013 we continued our efforts to support President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), which has the goal of doubling US exports by 2015. Our efforts are helping hundreds of Texas small businesses learn how to compete and win in a crowded global marketplace.

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UNITED STATES ■

MEXICO ■ ■

BRAZIL ■

PERU ■

■ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

■ BARBADOS

■ ST. LUCIA

■ DOMINICA

TUNISIA ■ ■

■ JAMAICA

BELIZE ■ ■

HONDURAS ■

COLOMBIA ■

PANAMA ■

COSTA RICA ■

EL SALVADOR ■ ■

GUATEMALA ■

■ INTERNATIONAL SBDC EXPANSION COUNTRIES■ COUNTRIES CURRENTLY ON SBDCGLOBAL.COM

THE NATIONAL EXPORT INITIATIVE & THE SMALL BUSINESS NETWORK OF THE AMERICAS SBDCGLOBAL OVERVIEW

“Thanks to this training we now have a concise SBDC model to apply to our own SBDCs. Using this model, the personal connections fostered during the sessions are providing the backbone for the establishment of an effective and integrated network of Tunisian SBDCs.”

Ikhlas Haddar — Minister of Commerce and Artisans, Tunisia

Continued... In FY2012 President Obama announced his vision for a Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) which will help countries create their own national networks of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). The SBNA would create a hemisphere-wide network of SBDC programs that would assist millions of small businesses in starting and growing their operations and would serve as a massive potential market for US small businesses.

SBDCGLOBAL The International Trade Center has been playing an active role in President Obama’s SBNA and NEI initiatives through our program SBDCGlobal. Developed at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute for Economic Development and

International Trade Center , this program focuses on three areas of activity: 1) train and advise foreign

governments on developing US modeled SBDC networks, 2) provide continued education for US SBDC professionals, and 3) to provide an online platform for SBDC clients, in the US and internationally, with access to one-on-one consulting services and online trade tools.

Building SBDC Networks

TM

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ECONOMIC IMPACT

BUILDING SBDC NETWORKS AND NEW MARKETS GLOBALLYOriginally referred to as the International SBDC Expansion Initiative this part of SBDCGlobal was created to advise foreign governments on how to successfully launch US modeled Small Business Development Center (SBDC) networks. With the support of the US Department of State, the UTSA Institute for Economic Development has been helping countries develop US-modeled SBDC networks since FY2003.

After the initial consultation that were conducted during FY2011 and FY2012 with the goal of introducing the SBDC model, gaining stakeholders’ support and assessing the feasibility of its implementation for each country, UTSA conducted the SBDC Counselor and Director Certificate Training Programs in Barbados, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, St. Lucia, and Tunisia during FY2013. The Certificate Training consists of four modules that teach participants how to operate and grow a successful economic-impact-producing SBDC.

FY2013 has been a great year in the Initiative’s history with the launch of national SBDC networks in Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala. Looking forward, FY2014 is slated to be a successful year for the SBDC model expansion as networks will continue to be launched throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America as well as Africa.

UTSA will continue helping countries grow and consolidate their SBDC networks while assisting additional countries in starting and developing their own SBDC modeled programs. The ultimate goal is to connect all existing networks to SBDCGlobal to promote trade among small business clients.

To learn more about building SBDC networks, visit www.SBDCGlobal.com/index.php/us/international-sbdc/overview.html.

TRAINING SBDC COUNSELORS AND DIRECTORS Based on the successful operations of the International Trade Center, we designed a training program to help other SBDCs replicate our success in their location. The International Trade Center completed two Certification Courses in FY2013 through the SBDCGlobal platform. The first was the SBDCGlobal Director Certification Series which was designed for Directors of the US SBDC network who are beginning to position their centers into providing international trade activities. The series consisted of six webinars and required the completion of a center strategic plan. For this series, the International Trade Center provided training to 89 SBDC professionals at 67 SBDCs in 31 states. The International Trade Center also created the SBDCGlobal Trade Consultant Certification Series which was designed for the Consultants of the US SBDC network who are beginning to work with clients on international trade projects. The series consisted of four webinars

Building SBDC NetworksDeveloping SBDC Professionals

Connecting SBDC Clients

The SBDCGlobal Trade Consultant Certifi cation Series is a four-webinar

certifi cation series that will teach SBDC Business Advisors what they need to

know to begin providing international trade assistance to clients.

Join SBDCGlobal and the International Trade Center – San Antonio to

obtain the information and resources needed to develop international trade

consulting skills.

For more information visit SBDCGlobal.com or call

210.458.2470.

Participate in the SBDC Trade Consultant

Certifi cation Series— Webinars begin October 2013 —

CONSULTANT

Are you assisting clients with international trade needs?

Building SBDC NetworksDeveloping SBDC Professionals

Connecting SBDC Clients

The SBDCGlobal Trade Consultant Certifi cation Series is a four-webinar

certifi cation series that will teach SBDC Business Advisors what they need to

know to begin providing international trade assistance to clients.

Join SBDCGlobal and the International Trade Center – San Antonio to

obtain the information and resources needed to develop international trade

consulting skills.

For more information visit SBDCGlobal.com or call

210.458.2470.

Participate in the SBDC Trade Consultant

Certifi cation Series— Webinars begin October 2013 —

CONSULTANT

Are you assisting clients with international trade needs?

SBDCGLOBAL: BUILDING SBDC NETWORKS, DEVELOPING SBDC PROFESSIONALS & CONNECTING SBDC CLIENTS

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and provided real experiences on how SBDC Business Advisors can work with international clients. In total the International Trade Center provided training to 114 SBDC professionals at 77 SBDCs in 32 states.

In addition to training regarding SBDC operations, SBDCGlobal offered on-line training focused on tools that Business Advisors can use when working with micro and small business clients. These training courses were offered for members of the growing international SBDC Network, and were presented in Spanish by practitioners with experience in working directly with micro and small businesses. Through these on-line trainings the International Trade Center was able to provide training to 444 international SBDC professionals throughout Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO CONNECT INTERNATIONAL BUYERS AND SELLERS SBDCGlobal.com is a powerful and free online trade platform designed to provide business opportunities to Small Business Development Center (SBDC) clients in the US and other countries in the Americas where SBDC networks have been developed. Small businesses using SBDCGlobal.com have access to online buying and selling opportunities as well as extended one-on-one consulting services provided by their local SBDC.

FY2013 was an exciting year for SBDCGlobal.com as it continued to add more countries onto the site. SBDCGlobal.com signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to officially launch the SBDCGlobal.com trade platform in El Salvador. The MOU was signed between UTSA, the Comisión Nacional de la Micro y Pequeña Empresa de El Salvador (CONAMYPE) and the Agencia de Promoción de Exportaciones e Inversiones de El Salvador (PROESA). It permits all SBDCs in El Salvador who are managed by CONAMYPE and the Salvadoran export agency managed by PROESA to join SBDCGlobal.com. A MOU was also signed between UTSA and the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) to launch the SBDCGlobal.com trade platform in Belize. By signing these MOUs, small businesses in El Salvador and Belize now have the opportunity to locate domestic and international business opportunities in an effort to create growth.

In addition to adding new countries onto the SBDCGlobal.com platform, the site continues to provide opportunities and training to the Mexican Association of Small Business Development Centers (AMCDPE) that is already connected to the site. Collaboration with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) has also continued and in FY2014 SBDCGlobal.com users will be able to engage in direct commerce with Brazilian small businesses.

As the SBDC model expands throughout the Americas and beyond, SBDCGlobal.com will continue to expand its reach and provide even greater opportunities for its users. FY2014 will definitely be a year of continued growth for SBDCGlobal.com.

To learn more about the site, visit www.SBDCGlobal.com.

SBDCGLOBAL: BUILDING SBDC NETWORKS, DEVELOPING SBDC PROFESSIONALS & CONNECTING SBDC CLIENTS

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ContactWeb: www.texastrade.org E-mail: internationaltrade@utsa.edu Street: 501 W. César E. Chávez Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78207Phone: 210.458.2470Fax: 210.458.2491 Twitter: @texastradeFacebook.com/texastrade

The SBDC International Trade Center was founded in 1992 and is funded by the US Small Business Administration, the State of Texas and is part of the Institute for Economic Development at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It serves the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and is an accredited part of the 1,100 center America’s SBDC Network.