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Annual conference will focus on competitiveness and the impact of the Internet on global business

SANTA CRUZ – 04/15/08 – Global California, the CalTrade Report, TradePort, and the California Trade Patners consortium will host the Global California: Online with the World conference, Friday, April 25, 2008 at the headquarters of the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento.

The day-long, six-panel event will address the state of California’s global trade profile and analyze the impact of the Internet and other new web-based technologies on the way California-based companies of all sizes compete in the global marketplace.

The conference, which will include both a trade expo and networking opportunities, will cover a wide variety of timely topics facing California’s position as one of the world’s  largest international economies.

The conference will maximize dialogue between the panelists and attendees by sharply focusing presentation times and maximizing the opportunity for direct dialogue with attendees.

Global California: Online with the World will present small and medium-sized businesses assessing their global potential will have the opportunity to network with panelists, fellow attendees and exhibitors to learn about how to access and utilize Internet trade intelligence to gain a competitive global advantage; innovative ways to become and stay competitive in a burgeoning global economy; Web 2.0 and the world of global collaboration; online translation and interpretation services; web-based market research, qualified trade leads and competitive intelligence sources; global eCommerce financing services; and a “State of the State” trade overview of California's global economy.

In addition, the presentation of several new public and private sector trade facilitation initiatives will highlight the conference, which is expected to draw representatives from economic development agencies, bi-lateral trade and industry groups, chambers of commerce, and businesses of all sizes in a wide variety of business sectors from across the state.

Panel participants from leading California business development and trade organizations will represent a broad spectrum of industry and trade-related sectors including finance, logistics, agriculture, economics, manufacturing, technology, trade promotion, economic development, and international marketing.

Distinguished panelists at the Global California: Online with the World will include Ernest J. Scalberg, Dean - Fisher Graduate School of International Business, Monterey Institute of International Studies; John Dunlop, CEO, InterNetLC.com; George Tastard, Director – Sacramento, US Export Assistance Center; Jane Hagen, founder and VP Marketing – GroveSite; Andreas Mueller, founder and Strategist – Bloofusion; Lynne Johnson, VP Design and Product Development - Ricardo Beverly Hills Luggage;  Reid Conrad, CEO, Near-Time; Charles M. Brown, President - Flying Circuit; Harold Vann, VP and Business Banking Manager - Wells Fargo Bank - Northern California Business Banking; Chantal Ramsay, Consul - Ontario (Canada) International Marketing Center, Los Angeles; Garrett Ashley, California Undersecretary for International Trade- Business, Transportation and Housing; Dr.  R. Sean Randolph, President - Bay Area Economic Institute; and Jock O'Connell, Principal Consultant - The ClarkStreet Group.

This event is the fifth Global California conference held since the first was organized in the fall of 2004 in response to the challenges facing California’s global trade community in a post-recall environment of severe budget cuts and the state government’s de-funding of the California Technology, Trade & Commerce Agency.

The first two conferences were held in San Jose, Oakland, while last year’s event was held in Sacramento.

The California Trade Partners consortium is a statewide international business alliance composed of the Bay Area Economic Institute and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, plus 40 other public and private-sector trade promotion organizations located throughout California.

The conference is sponsored by FedEx; Alibaba.com; the Ontario (Canada) International Marketing Center; GroveSite; TransWare; and Ruesch International.

Exhibitors at the event will include PIERS – Global Network Solutions; Fremont Bank; World Trade Press; the Netherlands Business Support Office; TradeBridge; the Consulate general of Indonesia – San Francisco; and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Cooperating organizations include the California Chamber of Commerce; the Export-Import Bank of the US; the California Commission for Economic Development; the San Diego World Trade Center; the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; the World Trade Center of Northern California; the Valley International Trade Association; Kompass; CNetwork; the US Commercial Service; the Bay Area World Trade Center; the California-Asia Business Council; and the County of Sacramento Dept. of Business Services.

Registration for the conference is available by visiting the conference website at Individuals or parties interested in attending or exhibiting at the Global California: Online with the World conference can register at www.mbita.org/gc2008/conference.html or by calling the Monterey Bay International Trade Association at 831-335-4780.

Additonal information on the California Trade Partners consortium is available at www.tradeport.org/assistance_centers/index.html

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