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Governor’s Exporter of the Year award to celebrate its 30th anniversary

Apr 18, 2018

Governor’s Exporter of the Year award to celebrate its 30th anniversary

TOPEKA – Kansas International Trade Day will be held June 5, 2018 in Lawrence, Kansas, at the Lawrence DoubleTree Hotel. The conference will feature speakers from business and government with sessions designed to help Kansas businesses start exporting or grow existing international sales. The day-long event will be followed by the Team Kansas Award Banquet where the 2018 Governor’s Exporter of the Year will be announced.

The Governor’s Exporter of the Year award is presented annually to a single Kansas company in recognition of its excellent performance in international trade and its outstanding international marketing. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this prestigious award. A list of previous winners can be found at: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/156/Governors-Exporter-of-the-Year

Kansas Commerce would like to extend a special thank you and acknowledge the demanding work by the members of the Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council in reviewing candidates for the Governor’s Exporter of the Year award and in selecting the winner. The Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council is comprised of representatives from companies that have previously won the award along with international trade specialists from business, government and academia.

The candidates being considered for this award have undergone a thorough evaluation process. Companies may self-nominate or can be nominated by regional economic development offices or local chambers of commerce. From several dozen candidates, five finalists are selected for additional review before a final selection is made. The rigorous selection process includes site visits to each finalist and interviews with the company’s management team.

This year’s Kansas International Trade Day conference will not only feature a panel of representatives from companies that are finalists for the 2018 Governor’s Exporter of the Year award, but the “Founding Father” of the award, Harland Priddle, will be on-hand to open the conference. Mr. Priddle served as the first Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce from 1987 to 1991 and helped establish the Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council. The Council seeks to facilitate access to the state’s international resources and established the award to recognize the significance of foreign trade for our state’s economy.

In 2017, Kansas exported more than $11 billion of merchandise, with Canada, Mexico, and Japan topping the list of export destinations. More than 2,600 small and medium-sized firms in Kansas were involved in exporting.

The “early bird” rate to attend the conference is $50 for anyone registering prior to May 1. Those registering after May 1 will pay $75. To register or learn more about the agenda, speakers and sponsorship opportunities, please visit KansasCommerce.gov/2018TradeDay. The registration fee includes lunch.

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