District Export Council

National Association of District Export Councils logo with the tagline 'Working for America's Exporters.'

The District Export Councils (DEC) contribute leadership and international trade expertise to complement the U.S. Commercial Service’s export promotion efforts through counseling businesses on the exporting process and conducting trade education and community outreach.

The DEC members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. These international trade professionals use their knowledge and international business experience to act as consultants to small and medium sized businesses who want to export their products into markets outside of the United States.

For more than 40 years, DECs have served the United States by assisting companies in their local communities export, thus promoting our country’s economic growth and creating new and higher-paying jobs for their communities.

National/Regional DECs

NADEC Partners with NASBITE International to Support the CGBP Designation

(NADEC, October 18, 2019) The National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) is pleased to announce that it has joined together with NASBITE International to provide the District Export Councils (DECs) and outstanding exporters across the country with a corporate pathway that will allow them to earn the Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) designation.

California District Export Councils Faxes to the California Congressional Delegation:

National Association of District Export Councils

The National Association of District Export Councils and the 60 District Export Councils throughout the United States are composed of over 1,300 international business executives and trade experts with extensive business, government and academic experience in trade. The mission of these councils is to work with the U.S. Commerce Department on export promotion and commercial diplomacy. The 1,300 council members around the country are all appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The National Association of District Export Councils (National DEC) consists of 16 District Export Council (DEC) members who have been elected to the National Association of DECs by DEC members from each of the eight U.S. Commercial Service Networks. The mission of the National Association of DECs is to provide support and guidance for fulfillment of the mission of the DECs, and to facilitate communication between the DECs, between the DECs and the U.S. Department of Commerce, and between the DECs and the international business community and policymakers. National Association of District Export Councils, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that maintains a 501(c)(6) federal income tax status.

Past Events

2024 NADEC Annual Export Conference
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the District Export Councils
May 2024, Washington DC

Jonathan Szucs, 2024 NADEC Chair, opened the 2024 NADEC Annual Spring Conference. “This year we are celebrating 50 years of the District Export Councils. During this past half century, the DECs have risen from small groups of exporters to 61 DECs across the country containing over 1,000 members. While we reflect on the past, we must also look to the future. We will be talking to and working with some of our oldest trading partners as we all look to the future of exporting,” said Szucs. See the whole report here.

2024 District Export Council Meeting
May 2024, Sacramento, CA

Members of the five California District Export Councils (DEC) and U.S. Department of Commerce officials met, hosted by the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 8, 2024, to hear from Jim Golsen, Deputy Director of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding export promotion. Further, Emily Desai, Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development Go-Biz and Evan Reade, International Affairs Advisor to Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis reported on international activities by state leaders. Following, the group attended other international-trade related events.

Representatives from the five California District Export Councils also signed a letter to California’s congressional delegation in support of consideration of a bill reauthorizing the Generalized System of Preferences this spring. The Generalized System of Preferences provides special tariff preferences for imports from the less developed countries into the advanced industrialized countries. For decades, the GSP program has received bipartisan support due to its track record of creating jobs in both developing countries and the United States. The program eliminates import taxes on nearly 5,000 designated products from about 120 emerging economies, opening the U.S. market to qualifying exports. The typical beneficiary company employs about 20 people and GSP saves them between $100,000 and $200,000 in duties, which can be a valuable savings for a small business – and is used more in California than any other state.

(From left to right), Front Row, seated: Tim Kelly, President and CEO, Imperial Valley DEC; Doug Wallace, Director of San Francisco USEAC; David Socher, David R. Socher, Attorney at Law/ Vice Chair, NorCal DEC; Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/Maritime Marketing and Commodities Representative/NorCal DEC; Emily Desai, GoBiz, Deputy Director for International Affairs and Trade; Jim Golsen, Deputy Director General/USFCS/ITA/USDOC; Susane Stirling, CalChamber/NorCal DEC and National DEC; Bill Edwards, CEO and Global Advisor, Edwards Global Services, Inc., SoCal DEC; David Fiscus, Pacific North Regional Director, USEAC; Sung Wook (John) Lee, President, SW Logistics Inc./ Chair, NorCal DEC; Evan Reade, International Trade Advisor, Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Ertugrul Turhal, President, ET Aero Consulting/NorCal DEC. Middle Row (from left): Eddy Sumar, President, ERS Consulting Services/California Inland Empire DEC; Aron Davidson, Director, San Diego USEAC; Eduard Roytberg, Director, Ontario USEAC; Jeremy Potash, Founder, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Brenda Penrod, Director, Western Alliance Bank/NorCal DEC; Teresa Cox, Senior Strategic Sourcing Officer, County of Santa Clara/NorCal DEC; Rod Hirsch, Director, Okland USEAC; Fred Latuperissa, President and CEO, ExIm20/20 Group, LLC/California Inland Empire DEC; Kate Leonard, International Tax Partner (CPA) Emeritus, Hutchinson and Bloodgood/San Diego/Imperial DEC; Richard Forsyth, Past-President, San Diego/Imperial DEC; Ken Rosenberg, Advisor, Trade Capital Corporation/NorCal DEC; Carol Johnson, Senior Assistant Director of Global Recruiting, Middlebury Institute of International Studies/NorCal DEC; Christopher Wingo, Founder/Managing Director, China Sage Consultants-American Sage LLC/California Inland Empire DEC; Back Row (from left): Bruce Hanson, President/CEO, Credence ID, LLC/NorCal DEC; Rachid Sayouty, Director, Downtown Los Angeles USEAC; Janice Whitaker, Sr. Manager, Global Trade Compliance, Abbot Diabetes Care Inc./NorCal DEC; George Tastard, Director, San Francisco USEAC; Elizabeth Krauth, Director, North Bay USEAC; Dean Fealk, Managing Partner-Northern California, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC; Jamal Quershi, Director, JQ American Corporation/NorCal DEC; Michelle Stofan, Vice-President, Garner Products, Inc./NorCal DEC; Leona Reed, AVP of Global Marketing, Visit California/NorCal DEC; Michael Parr, Vice President-International Sales, Wente Family Estates/NorCal DEC; Melisa Sanchez, COO, Phenix Technology, Inc./California Inland Empire DEC; Jennifer Brooke-Beltz, Executive Director, International Student Programs, Foothill-De Anza Community College District/NorCal DEC; Joanne Vliet, Director, San Jose USEAC; Anthony Hill, Senior International Trade Specialist, Sacramento USEAC.

District Export Council Representatives Sign Letter of Support for Trade Promotion Authority and Free Trade Agreements
May 2023, Sacramento, CA

(From left to right): Front Row: Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Daniel Tamayo, Fresno City College/Chair, Central CA DEC; Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, Southern California DEC; Evan Reade, International Affairs Advisor, Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Colleen Fish Simons, Pacific South, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Commerce/ Executive Secretary, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Jonathan Szucs, Advanced Superabrasives Inc./ Chair, National Association of District Export Councils; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber/NorCalDEC and National DEC; David Socher, Attorney/ Chair, NorCal DEC; Bob Spence, Inter Asia Pacific/ Chair, Inland Empire DEC; Julie Anne Hennessy, U.S. Commercial Service West Los Angeles/ Executive Secretary, SoCal DEC; and John Sung Wook Lee, SW Logistics Inc./Vice Chair, NorCal DEC. Middle Row (from left): Joanne Vliet, U.S. Commercial Service Silicon Valley; The Honorable Teresa Cox, Vice Mayor of Fremont/NorCal DEC; Janice Whitaker, Teledyne/NorCal DEC; Fred Latuperissa, ExIm20/20 Group LLC/former U.S. Department of Commerce; Soody Tronson, STLG Law Firm/NorCal DEC; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Andrew Hwang, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; Eduard Roytberg, Director, Ontario, U.S. Department of Commerce/Executive Secretary, Inland Empire DEC; Rod Hirsch, U.S. Commercial Service Oakland; Carol Johnson, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey/NorCal DEC; Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; and Dean Fealk, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC. Back Row (from left): Rachid Sayouty. Director, LA Downtown, U.S. Department of Commerce; Deep SenGupta, DSG Global/NorCalDEC and National DEC; George Tastard, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento; Adithya Padala, UmeVoice Inc./NorCal DEC; John McPeak, Biomarin/NorCal DEC; Tim Bastian, Western Oilfields Supply Company/Vice Chair, Central CA DEC; Michael Kelley, Central California Almond Growers Association/Central CA DEC; Michael Parr, Wente Family Estates/NorCal DEC; Bernadette Rojas, U.S. Commercial Service, Central and Coastal California/Executive Secretary, Central CA DEC; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute/NorCal DEC; and Doug Wallace, Director, San Francisco, U.S. Department of Commerce.

2023 District Export Council Meeting
May 2023, Sacramento, CA

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023 in Sacramento, representatives from the five California District Export Councils (DEC) signed a letter to federal stakeholders including California’s congressional delegation; Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo; and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, in support of renewing Trade Promotion Authority in order for the U.S. to move forward in the realm of free trade agreements. The five California DECs believe that California’s position as a global leader in international trade should be considered and asks the administration and Congress to continue to advance bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements which are critical to consumers, workers, businesses, farmers and ranchers. (From left to right): Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, SoCal DEC; Bob Spence, Inter Asia Pacific/Chair, Inland Empire DEC; David Socher, Attorney/Chair, NorCal DEC; Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC; and Daniel Tamayo, Fresno City College/Chair, Central CA DEC.

District Export Council Representatives Sign Letter of Support for Trade Promotion Authority and Free Trade Agreements
May 2023, Sacramento, CA

Members of the five California District Export Councils (DEC) and U.S. Department of Commerce officials met at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 17, 2023 to hear from the Evan Reade, International Affairs Advisor to Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis. The international activities of the state of California as well as a summary of the Lt. Governor’s March Trade Mission to Japan, were the focus of discussion. The group was also joined by the Chair of the National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC), Jonathan Szucs, President of Advanced Superabrasives Inc., who gave an update on NADEC activities. Following, the group attended other international-trade related events.

(From left to right): Front Row: Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Daniel Tamayo, Fresno City College/Chair, Central CA DEC; Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, Southern California DEC; Evan Reade, International Affairs Advisor, Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Colleen Fish Simons, Pacific South, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Commerce/ Executive Secretary, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Jonathan Szucs, Advanced Superabrasives Inc./ Chair, National Association of District Export Councils; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber/NorCalDEC and National DEC; David Socher, Attorney/ Chair, NorCal DEC; Bob Spence, Inter Asia Pacific/ Chair, Inland Empire DEC; Julie Anne Hennessy, U.S. Commercial Service West Los Angeles/ Executive Secretary, SoCal DEC; and John Sung Wook Lee, SW Logistics Inc./Vice Chair, NorCal DEC. Middle Row (from left): Joanne Vliet, U.S. Commercial Service Silicon Valley; The Honorable Teresa Cox, Vice Mayor of Fremont/NorCal DEC; Janice Whitaker, Teledyne/NorCal DEC; Fred Latuperissa, ExIm20/20 Group LLC/former U.S. Department of Commerce; Soody Tronson, STLG Law Firm/NorCal DEC; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Andrew Hwang, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; Eduard Roytberg, Director, Ontario, U.S. Department of Commerce/Executive Secretary, Inland Empire DEC; Rod Hirsch, U.S. Commercial Service Oakland; Carol Johnson, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey/NorCal DEC; Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; and Dean Fealk, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC. Back Row (from left): Rachid Sayouty. Director, LA Downtown, U.S. Department of Commerce; Deep SenGupta, DSG Global/NorCalDEC and National DEC; George Tastard, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento; Adithya Padala, UmeVoice Inc./NorCal DEC; John McPeak, Biomarin/NorCal DEC; Tim Bastian, Western Oilfields Supply Company/Vice Chair, Central CA DEC; Michael Kelley, Central California Almond Growers Association/Central CA DEC; Michael Parr, Wente Family Estates/NorCal DEC; Bernadette Rojas, U.S. Commercial Service, Central and Coastal California/Executive Secretary, Central CA DEC; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute/NorCal DEC; and Doug Wallace, Director, San Francisco, U.S. Department of Commerce.

2023 National Export Council Meeting Report
(May 23, 2023) The California Chamber of Commerce recently joined nearly 150 trade specialists from across the nation for sessions focused on trade issues at the National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) annual two-day event in Washington, D.C.

District Export Council Representatives Sign Letter of Support for Supply Chain Efficiency
June 2022, Sacramento, CA

(From left to right): Front Row: Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Daniel Tamayo, Fresno City College/Chair, Central CA DEC; Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, Southern California DEC; Evan Reade, International Affairs Advisor, Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Colleen Fish Simons, Pacific South, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Commerce/ Executive Secretary, San Diego & Imperial DEC; Jonathan Szucs, Advanced Superabrasives Inc./ Chair, National Association of District Export Councils; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber/NorCalDEC and National DEC; David Socher, Attorney/ Chair, NorCal DEC; Bob Spence, Inter Asia Pacific/ Chair, Inland Empire DEC; Julie Anne Hennessy, U.S. Commercial Service West Los Angeles/ Executive Secretary, SoCal DEC; and John Sung Wook Lee, SW Logistics Inc./Vice Chair, NorCal DEC. Middle Row (from left): Joanne Vliet, U.S. Commercial Service Silicon Valley; The Honorable Teresa Cox, Vice Mayor of Fremont/NorCal DEC; Janice Whitaker, Teledyne/NorCal DEC; Fred Latuperissa, ExIm20/20 Group LLC/former U.S. Department of Commerce; Soody Tronson, STLG Law Firm/NorCal DEC; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Andrew Hwang, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; Eduard Roytberg, Director, Ontario, U.S. Department of Commerce/Executive Secretary, Inland Empire DEC; Rod Hirsch, U.S. Commercial Service Oakland; Carol Johnson, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey/NorCal DEC; Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; and Dean Fealk, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC. Back Row (from left): Rachid Sayouty. Director, LA Downtown, U.S. Department of Commerce; Deep SenGupta, DSG Global/NorCalDEC and National DEC; George Tastard, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento; Adithya Padala, UmeVoice Inc./NorCal DEC; John McPeak, Biomarin/NorCal DEC; Tim Bastian, Western Oilfields Supply Company/Vice Chair, Central CA DEC; Michael Kelley, Central California Almond Growers Association/Central CA DEC; Michael Parr, Wente Family Estates/NorCal DEC; Bernadette Rojas, U.S. Commercial Service, Central and Coastal California/Executive Secretary, Central CA DEC; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute/NorCal DEC; and Doug Wallace, Director, San Francisco, U.S. Department of Commerce.

2022 District Export Council Meeting
June 2022, Sacramento, CA

Members of the five California District Export Councils (DEC) met in Sacramento on June 1, 2022 to hear from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s The Honorable Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. The current issues facing the trade community and the Department’s new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework were the focus of discussion. Following, the group attended other international-trade related events.

Front Row (from left): The Honorable Jerry Levine, Consulate General of Barbados/National DEC, Former Chair; Toby Levine, San Francisco Port Advisory; David Habib, Law Office of David Habib/Past Chair, Southern California DEC; Fred Latuperissa, ExIm20/20 Group LLC/former U.S. Department of Commerce; Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, Southern California DEC; David Fiscus, U.S. Department of Commerce; The Honorable Arun Venkataraman, U.S. Department of Commerce; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber/NorCalDEC and National DEC; John Sung Wook Lee, SW Logistics Inc./Vice Chair, NorCal DEC; Julie Anne Hennessy, U.S. Commercial Service West Los Angeles; Nick Grooters, Pacer Technology, Super Glue Corporation/Past Chair, Inland Empire DEC; Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/Central CA DEC; Ernesto Grijalva, PriceSmart, Inc. (Ret.)/ Vice Chair, San Diego & Imperial DEC. Middle Row (from left): Sammie Xao, CEO CAS InterGlobal/NorCal DEC; Alicia Rios, U.S. Commercial Service Bakersfield; Candy Gage, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development/NorCal DEC; Deep SenGupta, DSG Global/NorCalDEC and National DEC; Emily Desai, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Susan Lin, La Canada Ventures Inc./NorCal DEC; Andrew Hwang, Port of Oakland/NorCal DEC; Bernadette Rojas, U.S. Commercial Service, Central and Coastal California; Rod Hirsch, U.S. Commercial Service Oakland; Carol Johnson, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey/NorCal DEC; Joanne Vliet, U.S. Commercial Service Silicon Valley; and Quoc Ma, U.S. Department of Commerce. Back Row (from left): Tony Hill, Sr. International Trade Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento; Janice Whitaker, Teledyne/NorCal DEC; George Tastard, U.S. Commercial Service Sacramento; David Haubert, Trinity Education Network & Alameda County Supervisor/NorCal DEC; Tom Neff, RINA Accountancy Corp./ NorCal DEC; Michelle Stofan, Garner Products/NorCal DEC; Adithya Padala, UmeVoice Inc./NorCal DEC; Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC; John McPeak, Biomarin/NorCal DEC; Jamal Qureshi, JQ American/NorCal DEC; Michael Parr, Wente Family Estates/NorCal DEC; Elizabeth Krauth, U.S. Commercial Service North Bay; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute/NorCal DEC; Ken Rosenberg, Bridge Bank/NorCal DEC; and Ike Umunnah, U.S. Department of Commerce. Photo by bryanpatrickphoto.com.

2022 National Export Council Meeting Report
(May 24, 2022) The California Chamber of Commerce recently joined nearly 150 trade specialists from across the nation for sessions focused on trade issues at the National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) annual two-day event in Washington, D.C.

CalChamber Hosts Five California District Export Councils in Virtual Meeting
On May 12, 2021, the California Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting of business representatives who make up the five California District Export Councils, in addition to federal trade officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The group hosted Federal Maritime Commission Carl Bentzel to discuss port congestion.

CalChamber Participates in National Virtual Trade Gathering
(October 13, 2020) The California Chamber of Commerce recently joined 125 trade specialists from across the nation for virtual sessions hosted by the National Association of District Export Council’s (NADEC) Annual Export Symposium. In previous years, attendance has been in person in Washington, D.C., but this year’s format was moved online as to not miss any important trade happenings in the world during COVID-19.

CalChamber Hosts Virtual Meeting of the California District Export Councils
On July 31, 2020, the California Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting of business representatives who make up the five California District Export Councils, in addition to federal trade officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Together with the CalChamber Council for International Trade, the Northern California District Export Council (DEC) co-hosted the event.

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