Central Florida International Trade Office Celebrates 5 Years of Connecting Local Businesses to the World

ORLANDO, Fla., April 11, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Central Florida International Trade Office (CFITO) plans to celebrate five years of successfully connecting local businesses to the global marketplace on April 18, 2019 at the National Entrepreneur Center. The center is delighted to have the esteemed James Bacchus to speak on the importance of international trade to the American economy. Bacchus is the UCF Distinguished University Professor of Global Affairs and Director of the Center for Global Economic and Environmental Opportunity, as well as former U.S. Representative and World Trade Organization Appellate Body Chair. After his address, attendees will be able to connect with key local, state and federal partner organizations for a Trade Fair highlighting the great resources available to support local businesses engagement with the global marketplace. The media is invited to attend this celebration.

Efforts to coordinate international trade support in Central Florida began in late 2013, with funding provided by Orange County Government, then matched by JPMorgan Chase & Co. "Orange County is proud to have been one of the founding partners of the Central Florida International Trade Office in 2014," said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. "Marketing beyond the borders of the United States is an important element of a company's strategy for growth and risk mitigation in a global economy. CFITO has been instrumental in connecting local businesses to global opportunities."

Since 2014, the CFITO has become the hub of international trade activity in Central Florida, creating a strong advocate for local companies engaged in international trade, while increasing the Central Florida presence as international trade economy. "The Central Florida International Trade Office is playing an important role as we continue to work to diversify our economy and add high-wage jobs to the region," said City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "We are proud to support the office and appreciative of its efforts to help small and medium-sized businesses access the world marketplace."

International trade is critical to economic prosperity in Central Florida. With 95% of the world's consumers and 75% of global wealth outside the U.S., exporting provides opportunities to create jobs through increased production, manage risk by servicing markets that are at a different point in the economic cycle, and improve their competitiveness through exposure to different consumers and new ideas. Additionally, international trade is not a one way street, with imports also an important part of the Central Florida economy as consumers gain access to innovative new products and foods. Local companies can become more competitive with access to products and services that reduce the cost of products manufactured in America. "The CFITO has helped connect many local businesses to a world of opportunities, and we intend to make the next 5 years even better!" said Chris Leggett, Program Manager, Central Florida International Trade Office

For more information or to attend the event on April 18th, from 9a-11a please visit: https://cfito5years.eventbrite.com/

To learn more about the Central Florida International Trade Office, located inside the National Entrepreneur Center, please visit: https://cfito.org
Follow CFITO on Facebook: https://facebook.com/FloridaTrade/
Follow CFITO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FloridaTrade

About the National Entrepreneur Center:
The National Entrepreneur Center is home to fourteen independent business support organizations, all with a single mission: to accelerate the growth and development of small businesses throughout Central Florida. The center offers a variety of services, including one-on-one business coaching, business seminars, networking events, and assistance for international trade, most of which are provided at no cost to business owners.

For more information visit http://nationalec.org
Follow the National Entrepreneur Center on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalEC/
Follow the National Entrepreneur Center on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nationalec

SOURCE National Entrepreneur Center

Related Links

http://nationalec.org