District Export Council

Background

http://www.districtexportcouncil.org/

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.

Additional Information:

National Association of District Export Councils
Northern California DEC
Inland Empire DEC
San Diego DEC
Southern California DEC
Central California DEC – Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and surrounding areas.

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:

Support for Supply Chain Efficiency, 6/1/2022
Support for International Issues, 7/31/2020
Support for the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., 9/10/2019
Support for the USMCA, 5/22/2019

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

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

On Wednesday, June 1, 2022 in Sacramento, representatives from the five California District Export Councils (DEC) signed a letter to federal stakeholders including California’s congressional delegation and the Federal Maritime Commission in support of a continued focus on the disruptions facing our port infrastructure and logistics supply chains in California. The California DECs urge stakeholder’s ongoing focus on the contract negotiations currently underway between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). (From left to right): Ron Brown, Port of Oakland/Central CA DEC; Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International Inc/Chair, Southern California DEC; Fred Latuperissa, ExIm20/20 Group LLC/former U.S. Department of Commerce; Sung ‘John’ Wook Lee, SW Logistics Inc./Vice Chair, NorCal DEC; and Mark Ballam, San Diego State University/Treasurer, San Diego & Imperial DEC. *Photo by bryanpatrickphoto.com.*

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.

District Export Council Representatives Sign Letter of Support for U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement
May 2019, Sacramento, CA

(May 22, 2019) On Wednesday, May 22, 2019 in Sacramento, representatives from the five California District Export Councils (DEC) **signed a letter** to California’s congressional delegation in support of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The California DECs urge Congress to approve the USMCA to continue to support the important relationship among California, Mexico and Canada. (From left) Tsvi (Chuck) Guy, Vecron Exim/Central California DEC; Kusum Kavia, Combustion Associates Inc./Inland Empire DEC; Dean Fealk, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC; and Marv Sepe, CTC Global Corporation/Southern California DEC. Not pictured, but also signing the letter, was a representative from the San Diego and Imperial DEC, Tim Kelley, Chair, with the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation.

2019 District Export Council Meeting
May 2019, Sacramento, CA

(May 22, 2019) Members of the five California District Export Councils (DEC) met at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 22, 2019 to hear from Ms. Diane Farrell, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The current issues facing the trade community and the department’s new Indo-Pacific initiative were the focus of discussion. Following, the group attended other international trade-related events.

CalChamber, NorCal District Export Council Host U.S. Department of Commerce Official
CalChamber, October 26, 2018

From left: The Hon. David Haubert – Mayor of Dublin, CA; Rod Hirsch, Director, Oakland EAC, US Department of Commerce; Ian Steff, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing, US Department of Commerce; Susanne Stirling, VP International Affairs, CalChamber; David Socher, David R. Socher Attorney at Law; John Lee, President, SW Logistics Inc.

2018 National Association of District Export Councils Meeting
October 2018, Washington, DC

Members-of-the-ca-DECs — Members of the California District Export Councils in Washington, D.C. on October 2, 2018. (From left) Ken Rosenberg, senior vice president and manager international banking, Bridge Bank/NorCal DEC; Rod Hirsch, director, Oakland Export Assistance Center (EAC), U.S. Department of Commerce; Candace Chen, founder, Goddess Cosmetics/Southern California DEC; Susanne T. Stirling, vice president, international affairs, CalChamber/NADEC and NorCal DEC; Nick Grooters, director of international sales, Pacer Technology/Inland Empire DEC; Betty Tang, Inland Empire DEC; Cary Wanner, senior vice president, City National Bank/ Inland Empire DEC; Teresa Cox, senior procurement manager, SonicWall/NorCal DEC; Tim Kelley, president and CEO, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation/Imperial Valley DEC; Paola Avila, director of Mexico Business Center, San Diego Chamber of Commerce/San Diego and Imperial DEC; Julie Anne Hennessy, Los Angeles EAC, U.S. Department of Commerce; and Mark Ballam, managing director, College of Business Administration, San Diego State University/NADEC and San Diego and Imperial DEC.

2018 District Export Council Meeting
May 2018, Sacramento, CA

(May 23, 2018) Members of the five California District Export Councils (DEC) met at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 23, 2018 to hear from the Honorable Dale Tasharski, Acting Deputy Director General of the US Department of Commerce and Laura Barmby, U.S. Department of Commerce Liaison to the National Association of DECs. The current issues facing the trade community and the Department were the focus of discussion. Following, the group attended other international-trade related events.

2017 District Export Council Meeting
May 2017, Sacramento, CA

(May 31, 2017) Appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce, the members of the four California District Export Councils (DECs) – NorCal, SoCal, Inland Empire and San Diego – met at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 31, 2017 to hear from Robert Brown, Esq., Chair of the National DEC and Tom McGinty, National Director of the U.S. Commercial Service of the US Department of Commerce. The current issues facing the trade community and the Department were the focus of discussion. Following, the group attended other international-trade related events.

Front Row (from left): The Honorable Jerry Levine, Consul General of Barbados/National DEC, Former Chair; Toby Levine, San Francisco Port Advisory; Cary Wanner, City National Bank/Inland Empire DEC, Chair; Don Sovie, Law Offices of Donald E. Sovie/Southern CA DEC, Chair; Robert Brown, Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP/National DEC, Chair; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber/NorCalDEC and National DEC; Roy Paulson, Paulson Manufacturing Corp/Inland Empire and National DEC, Former Chair; Tom McGinty, National Director, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce; Deep SenGupta, DSG Global/NorCalDEC Chair and National DEC. Middle Row (from left): George Tastard, U.S. Department of Commerce; Julie Anne Hennessey, U.S. Department of Commerce; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council/NorCal DEC; Dean Fealk, DLA Piper/NorCal DEC; Teresa Cox, Techworkers/NorCal DEC; Jamal Qureshi, JQ American Corporation/NorCal DEC; David Fiscus, U.S. Department of Commerce; Rod Hirsch, U.S. Department of Commerce; Tony Hill, U.S. Department of Commerce. Back Row (from left): Richard Swanson, U.S. Department of Commerce; Glen Roberts, U.S. Department of Commerce; Greg Johnston, Dolby Laboratories/NorCal DEC; John McPeak, Biomarin/NorCal DEC; Nick Grooters, Super Glue Corp/Inland Empire DEC, Vice Chair; Everett Golden, Otis McAllister/NorCal DEC; Brooks Ohlson, Center for International Trade and Development/NorCal DEC; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council/NorCal DEC; Jason Sproule, U.S. Department of Commerce; Matt Anderson, U.S. Department of Commerce.

CalChamber Joins Trade-Focused Summit in Washington, DC

(May 2, 2017) The California Chamber of Commerce joined 40 trade specialists from across the nation last week at sessions focused on trade policy when the National District Export Council met at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its annual Spring Legislative Summit. Read more here.

From left: David Thomas, vice president, Business Roundtable; John Murphy, senior vice president, international policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Ken Monahan, director for international trade policy, National Association of Manufacturers; and Robert Brown, chair, National District Export Council.

2016 District Export Council Meeting
May 2016, Sacramento, CA

Members of the four California District Export Councils (DEC) meet at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento on May 17, 2016 to hear from Roy Paulson, Former Chair of the National District Export Council and President of Paulson Manufacturing and Judy Rising Reinke, Deputy Director-General, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, and attend several international trade-related events.

2015 District Export Council Meeting
May 2015, Sacramento CA

Members of California District Export Councils (DEC) meet in Sacramento on May 27, 2015 to hear from Roy Paulson, Chair of the National District Export Council and President of Paulson Manufacturing, and attend several international trade-related events. Trade Promotion Authority and the re-authorization of the Export–Import Bank, both issues pending in Congress and affecting U.S. / California exports were the focus of a conversation with Antwaun Griffin, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

dec-2015 — Front row (from left): Bo Reed, Caterpillar Inc. Solar Turbines Incorporated; Ester Gordillo, Sacramento CITD; Theresa Cox, U.S Department of Commerce; Janice Cooper, California Wheat Commission; Roy Paulson, National DEC Chair / Paulson Manufacturing; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber; Jerry Levine; Honorary Consul of Barbados; Donald Sovie, Law Offices of Donald E. Sovie; Jeremy Potash, California-Asia Business Council; Rick Gibbs, Murrieta City Councilmember; Candy Hansen-Gage, Gage Ag Consulting; Back row (from left): George Tastard, U.S. Department of Commerce; Brooks Ohlson, Honorary Consul of Bulgaria / CITD; Jeff Williamson, Center for International Trade Development (CITD); Michael Obermire, USS-POSCO Industries; Deep Sengupta, DSG Global; Jeff Deiss, US Export Assistance Center; Sean Patrick Tario, Open Spectrum Inc.; Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute; Matthew Anderson, U.S. Foreign Commercial Service; Greg Mignano; U.S Department of Commerce.

2014 District Export Council Meeting
October 2014, Washington, D.C.

The California Chamber of Commerce was well represented at recent gatherings of export and international trade specialists nationwide in Washington, D.C.

CalChamber Vice President of International Affairs Susanne Stirling attended the 2014 District Export Council (DEC) Forum and the International Trade Symposium, October 1–3. Stirling is a longtime member of the Northern California DEC.

Re-elected as chair during the National DEC meeting was Roy Paulson, a CalChamber member and longtime member of the CalChamber Council for International Trade (CCIT). He serves on the Inland Empire DEC and is President of Paulson Manufacturing Corporation in Temecula.

Another longtime CCIT member, Donald Sovie, vice chair of the Southern California DEC, accepted the 2014 award for DEC of the Year. Three of the four California DECs (including the Inland Empire and San Diego) were among the seven nominees for the award.

DEC-conference2014 — Arun Kumar (left), Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service presents the DEC of the Year Award to the Southern California DEC, received by Vice Chair Donald Sovie.

Other highlights of the DEC gathering included:

Welcome remarks by Antwaun Griffin, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service in the U.S. Department of Commerce. He highlighted the National Export Initiative (NEI) “Next”. Launched in May, NEI Next is using improved information and a customer-service strategy to help U.S. companies increase exports.
Keynote remarks by Arun Kumar, director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (who visited the CalChamber in Sacramento in July).
Panel discussions on DEC best practices and exporting best practices.

2014 District Export Council Meeting
May 2014, Sacramento CA

Members of four California District Export Councils (DEC) meet in Sacramento on May 20, 2014 to welcome Roy Paulson, Chair of the National District Export Council and President of Paulson Manufacturing, for several international trade-related events.

ExportCouncilGroup — (seated from left to right); front row: Ester Gordillo, CA- Mexico Trade Assistance Center; Donald Sovie, Law Offices Donald E Sovie; Bo Reed, Solar Turbines, Inc.; Susanne Stirling, CalChamber; Roy Paulson, Paulson Manufacturing; Janice Cooper, California Wheat Commission; The Honorable Rick Gibbs, Murrieta City Councilman; Aron Davison, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.; Jorge Jaramillo, GO-Biz;
(from left to right) second row: George Tastard, U.S. Commercial Service; Deep Sengupta, FedEx Trade Networks; Carol Johnson, Monterey Institute of International Studies; Michael Clark, APT; John Murphy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Greg Mignano, U.S. Department of Commerce; The Honorable Jerry Levine; Honorary Consul of Barbados; Toby Levine, San Francisco Port Advisory; Jeremy Potash, CA Asia Business Council;
(from left to right) back row: Rick De Lambert, U.S. Commercial Service; Vince Brascia; DMG Mori Seiki Manufacturing; Leslie Levy August, Boomerang Carnets, Sean Randolph, Bay Area Council Economic Institute; Glen Roberts, U.S. Export Assistance Center; Richard Swanson, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service; Dean Fealk, DLA Piper; Everett Golden, Otis McAllister, Inc.; John Leitner, W.J. Byrnes & Company; Sean Patrick Tario, Open Spectrum Inc.; The Honorable Brooks Ohlson; Honorary Consul of Bulgaria; Jeff Deiss, U.S. Small Business Administration

2013 California District Export Council Meeting
May 2013, Sacramento CA
DEC-Meeting-2013

2013 District Export Council Examine National Priorities

National policy priorities affecting U.S. and California exports were the focus of the May 21 gathering of the District Export Council (DEC) of Northern California at the California Chamber of Commerce, including special guest Michael Masserman (seated, second from left) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

2012 California District Export Council Meeting
May 2012, Sacramento CA

05212012-DEC
Future Joint Trade Policy Initiatives Key Topic for District Export Council
Alert, May 25, 2012At the meeting of the District Export Councils (DEC) of California are (from left): Fred Latuperissa, Tim Murphy, Daniel Ogden, Esq., Paul Oliva, Donald Sovie, Suanne Stirling and Gregory Mignano.

Members of the 4 California District Export Councils
May 2012, Sacramento, CA

DEC2 — From Left to Right, Back Row: Tony Hill, U.S. Department of Commerce; Fred Latuperissa, U.S. Department of Commerce; Deborah Ale Flint, Port of Oakland; Tim Murphy, Comerica; George Tastard, U.S. Department of Commerce; Daniel Ogden, Esq., National DEC; Don Sovie, Crowell & Moring; Susanne Stirling, California Chamber of Commerce; Everett Golden, Otis McAllister; Mike Clark, APT; Greg Mignano, U.S. Department of Commerce; Cesar Lucio, American River Packaging; From Left to Right, Front Row: Jeremy Potash, Cal-Asia; Ester Gordillo, Sacramento CITD; Paul Oliva, Oliva Global Communications; Leslie Levy August, Corporation for International Buisness; Jerry Levine, Mentor International; Candy Hansen Gage, Fresno CITD; and Carol Johnson, Monterey Institute of International Studies.

2011 District Export Council Conference
October 2011, Las Vegas, Nevada

Web_0003 — (From left) Richard Swanson, Regional Director – Pacific South, U.S. Department of Commerce; Hugh Constant, Executive Vice President, San Diego World Trade Center; Suresh Kumar, Director-General of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service; and Susanne Stirling, Vice President International Affairs, CalChamber.

Web_0002 — Suresh Kumar, Director-General of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service speaks at the 2011 DEC Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada

Northern California DEC Luncheon

(June 1, 2011 in Sacramento, California) Members and Guests of the Northern California District Export Council meet in Sacramento on June 1, 2011 to welcome Kurt Tong, Ambassador to APEC for the United States to Sacramento for several international trade-related events.

DEC — Pictured are: (Seated from left) Greg Mignano, Candy Gage, Paul Oliva, Steve Glickman. (Standing from left) Jorge Jaramillo, Steve Herrick, Jerry Avila, Sean Randolph, Everett Golden, Susanne Stirling, Michael Obermire, Michael Clark, Carol Johnson, Jerry Levine, Deborah Ale-Flint, Jeremy Potash, Louis Sciupac, George Tastard.

Northern California DEC Luncheon

(May 17, 2010 in Sacramento, California) Members and guests of the Northern California District Export Council meet in Sacramento on May 17, 2010 to welcome Suresh Kumar, the newly appointed Director-General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, to Sacramento for several international trade-related events.

DEC2010 — Pictured are: (Seated from left) Candy Gage, Susanne Stirling, Janice Cooper and Carol Johnson. (Standing from left) Janis Lazda, Deep SenGupta, Tony Livoti, George Tastard, Richard Swanson, Paul Oliva, Vladimir Ostrich, Jerry Levine, Sean Randolph, Director-General Suresh Kumar, Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, Jeremy Potash, Everett Golden, Michael Clark, Michael Obermire, Steve Glickman and Greg Mignano.