xTuple Lauded by Virginia Governor for International Success

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Aug 14, 2015, 03:00 ET


Norfolk, Virginia (USA) (PRWEB) August 14, 2015 -- Open source business software leader xTuple graduated from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program, along with other companies from across the Commonwealth, touting impressive results from newly acquired tools to successfully export products and services overseas. The graduating companies were recognized by Governor McAuliffe during a luncheon at the downtown Omni Hotel in the capital city of Richmond, Virginia.

Representing xTuple at the ceremony were Missy Schmidt, vice president of marketing, and Jen Hobbs, marketing communication specialist.

xTuple’s director of partner channel development, Danielle Kerner, who led the xTuple-VALET team said, "The VALET program delivered a unique opportunity to expand our presence in key international markets in partnership with our value-added resellers in-country."

xTuple was showcased at a fall 2014 trade forum held in Ontario, targeting users of a competing business software product, hosted by Canadian partner Syntropy Group. VALET's in-market resources assisted in identifying companies to invite to the standing-room-only event, according to Kerner.

The following January in the Philippines, through VALET connections, the American Embassy Manila assisted xTuple and in-country partner e-Methods for Business Management (e-MBM) with a January 2015 seminar held at the Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

Ma. Cristina Llacer-Oreta, e-MBM president, organized the one-day Philippines event attended by a broad cross-section of manufacturing, trading/distribution and service industries. James McCarthy, U.S. Embassy Commercial Counselor, introduced Washington, D.C.-based xTuple Senior Consultant, Mike Atherton, who discussed how xTuple can help businesses take advantage of opportunities in the rapidly expanding Philippine economy. Key executives from a local xTuple customer, Famous Secret Precision Machining, Incorporated, shared how xTuple’s business software implementation allowed them to compete in the global marketplace with high-quality engineered and machined components.

Other VALET program graduating companies include Cask LLC of Stafford County; Dynamic Aviation of Rockingham County; ENSCO, Euclid Systems, and TAS-Corp of Fairfax County; G2 Ops of Virginia Beach; Kollmorgen of Radford; Lumber Liquidators of James City County; Premium Steel of Roanoke; Rainbow Station of Henrico County; and WeightPack Inc. of Powhatan County.

The participating companies increased international sales by an average of 36 percent during their two years in the VALET program which now has 211 graduates.

Launched in January 2002, the VALET program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growth through export.

“The VALET program puts participating companies on the fast track to international business growth by connecting them with the necessary tools for successful export sales,” said Paul Grossman, VEDP Vice President of International Trade. “The companies graduating this month have put in a tremendous amount of work and demonstrated their commitment to international expansion by taking advantage of the full range of resources offered by the VALET Program. That work has paid off, in the form of increased sales and new international partnerships, and I am confident that they will continue to see a return on their investment in the coming years.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a marketing organization, was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and the Virginia General Assembly. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade. VEDP has offices in Virginia, United Kingdom, Germany, India, China and Japan.

To learn more about the VALET program, visit http://www.ExportVirginia.org.

During the ceremony, Governor McAuliffe also announced the creation of Virginia International Trade Alliance (VITAL), a new initiative managed by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) that will increase international trade in Virginia. VITAL expands the Commonwealth’s nationally recognized international trade program via formal partnerships with Virginia’s public universities, industry associations and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce to serve their member companies as they expand international sales.

Speaking at the event, Governor McAuliffe said, “As we continue to recruit new businesses to the Commonwealth, we also need to help our existing businesses export their goods and services. International trade is a key part of my plan to create private sector jobs and build a new Virginia economy that is less reliant on the federal government. This new VITAL initiative demonstrates the Commonwealth’s commitment to helping existing Virginia businesses succeed in the international marketplace, making our economy even stronger.”

“Helping Virginia businesses sell their manufactured goods and services abroad is one of our most effective business expansion strategies, and this initiative is designed to do just that,” said Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones who also spoke at the event. “The Commonwealth exported over $36 billion in manufactured goods and services in 2014. VITAL will exponentially accelerate Virginia companies’ engagement with the global economy, resulting in stronger, more resilient businesses and more jobs for Virginians.”

VITAL will build upon Virginia’s proven export assistance programs, including tailored market research, face-to-face meetings with qualified partners overseas, and VEDP’s award-winning Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program. In 2014-2015, VEDP International Trade took 176 companies on trade missions across the globe to find customers in new international markets. Governor McAuliffe has made the program a priority and reallocated $1 million toward the initiative through flexibility granted to him in the state budget.

As partners to VITAL, Virginia’s public universities will identify companies with international business as a corporate strategy and conduct international research to position these companies for global expansion. VITAL partners in its initial year include Virginia Chamber of Commerce; Virginia Manufacturers Association; Virginia Maritime Association; Northern Virginia Technology Council; Christopher Newport University; College of William & Mary; James Madison University; George Mason University; Old Dominion University; University of Mary Washington; Virginia Commonwealth University; Virginia Military Institute; and Virginia Tech.

Goals for VITAL include growing Virginia exports by $1.6 billion in five year; creating 14,000 trade-supported jobs in five years; and increasing the number of companies enrolled in VEDP’s international trade programs to serve 390 companies per year.

“The Virginia Manufacturers Association is committed to expanding manufacturing exports 50% by 2025,” said Brett Vassey, President & CEO of the Virginia Manufacturers Association. “VITAL is an integral resource for small and medium companies to expand their export sales and open new markets for existing industries. We are proud to be a partner.”

Inspired by the VALET program, xTuple continues to seek more global IT resources, especially with highly technical translations, and international market expansion opportunities and new overseas partners, especially in Mexico, Dubai and Eastern Canada, where significant open source business tax incentives exist.

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Tags

#VAExports #NewVAEconomy @VirginiaExports @YesVirginia_org @VACommerce @GovernorVA

About xTuple, the world’s #1 open source ERP

Award-winning xTuple, makers of the world’s leading suite of open source accounting, Corporate Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), is supply chain management software for growing businesses to control their operations and profitability. xTuple integrates all critical functional areas in one modular system: sales, financials and operations — including customer and supplier management, inventory control, manufacturing and distribution — the powerful tools to Grow Your World®.

As a commercial open source company, xTuple works with a global community of tens of thousands of professional users. xTuple gives customers the ability to tailor solutions with multi-platform support for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile as well as flexible licensing and pricing options. Connect with the company at xTuple.com, and join the innovation conversation with the open source community at xTuple.org.

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Missy Schmidt, VP Marketing, xTuple, http://www.xtuple.com, +1 (757) 461-3022 Ext: 135, [email protected]