World Tradewinds
April-May 2003 - Issue N. 117
A Publication of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA)
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MBITA CORPORATE SPONSORS:
MBITA PARTNERS & AFFILIATES:
Fri, Apr 25, 2003
Export Awards Luncheon with Congressman Sam Farr Sponsored by Monterey Export Assistance Center (EAC) Luncheon Old Fisherman's Grotto Fri, May 16th
Global Trade Meets the World Wide Web Conference Conference Sponsored by MBITA and the Monterey
Institute of International Studies (MIIS) To register for MBITA luncheons, call 831-469-0148 or email info@mbita.org including the event specifics you are signing up for in the subject line. For more detail on MBITA business events, go to http://www.mbita.org/events/home.php3 MBITA BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
 President Vice President Members: Victor Cordell Marcelo Siero Jim Faith Phil Cisneros Cristina Polesel
MBITA Contact Info
725 Front St. Ste 104 If you would like to have an article published on this newsletter please contact the editor by email. This newsletter has been created by MBITA's editor MBITA Partners' Newsletters Links: CalTrade Report |
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MBITA's UPDATE
MBITA looks forward to serving our membership with trade promotion services. Go to the MBITA website (http://www.mbita.org) and CLICK on 'Services' for more details. Tony Livoti |
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MBITA New Corporate Sponsor: International Banking Group
They offer a variety of international banking solutions for their commercial
clients and welcome MBITA members to call on them for solutions to your
international banking needs. They provide:
Wholesale Foreign Exchange The International Banking Group's Wholesale Foreign Exchange product
provides commercial clients with the ability to pay or receive foreign
currency in a live, highly competitive foreign exchange environment. Standby Letters of Credit A Standby Letters of Credit (also referred to as a Standby "L/C" ) can be used in a variety of domestic and international transactions. Some examples include: Commercial and residential construction projects, international trade transactions (where there is a need for a performance or payment "guarantee") and commercial leasing transactions where a security deposit is required. A Standby Letter of Credit is an independent commitment on the part of the bank, to pay funds to a third party (the "Beneficiary") for the account of the Bank's client (the "applicant"). Standby Letters of Credit are payable against certain documents which are called for in the Letter of Credit itself. Commercial Letter of Credit (Documentary) A Commercial Letter of Credit (also referred to as a "Documentary
L/C") is used in commercial trade transactions where an established commercial
relationship between a buyer and seller might not exist, or in some cases
because of economic restrictions in the buyer's (importer's) country.
Documentary Collection Processing both Import and Export The International Banking Group's Documentary Collection
product provides commercial clients who import or export, with a less
expensive way to receive and pay for their merchandise, or export their
merchandise and receive payment. Becky Venard, VP Northern Region Shawn Walters, Assistant VP & Product Manager
Lo Spirito D'Amerigo: The California Maritime Education Policy Initiative To Benefit Public Library Collections… Advancing
Knowledge of the Italian & and early American maritime pioneers in Contemporary
History and Culture
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It is no coincidence that the historic symbol of Bank of America, founded by AP Giannini, is a sailing ship or the famous pants of Levis in San Francisco are the 'jeans' made first from sails for Italian sailors from Genova, Italy. |  |
The Pacific Coast's maritime heritage of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Chilean, Argentinean and German immigrants who traveled 'around-the-horn' to California is a sorely missed part of American history in our schools and institutions.
Santa Cruz, California
and parts of California can trace their origins back to these early American
maritime pioneers. Genovese fishing colonies sailed 'around-the-horn'
along the coast of the Americas and found San Francisco and Santa Cruz
as places that were very similar to the Italian coast of the Genova region.
To advance the knowledge, contemporary history and culture of the Italian
and other early American maritime pioneers in America's West Coast, Lo
Spirito D'Amerigo project has created the California Maritime Education
Policy Initiative to benefit the California Public Library Collections
with knowledge of our early Maritime pioneering history.
MBITA has been contracted by Community Team Builders (CTB) to support
this initiative to expand the knowledge of the early maritime pioneers
to California and reinvigorate new trade opportunities with the ports-of-call
of the early pioneers toItaly, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and California.
Cristina Polesel, Membership/Event Manager of MBITA will
be leading this project for MBITA.
To act locally and think globally and as part of Lo Spirito D'Amerigo
project, MBITA co-sponsored the 1st Annual Santa Cruz County
Pesto Pasta & Calamari Feed 2003 took place on International Women's
Day, March 8th 2003 in Santa Cruz, California. This event commemorated
the Genovese pioneer fishing colony who migrated to Santa Cruz at the
turn of the century and lived in Santa Cruz's 'Little Italy' neighborhood.
The event was hosted in an 'alley' in Santa Cruz's 'Little Italy' and
the alley was officially named 'Via Riva Trigoso' after Santa Cruz's Sister
City, Riva Trigoso-Sestri Levante (Italy).
The event honored the late Mary Carniglia, an early Genovese Italian
immigrant who lived in Santa Cruz and was the first woman to open a business
on the Santa Cruz Wharf. In 1971 Mary was presented Italy's International
award, 'Fronda d' Oro' (The Golden Leaf) by the Italian government in
recognition for her outstanding service to the Italian community in Santa
Cruz. Mary also proposed the idea for Riva Trigoso - Sestri Levante (just
outside Sestri Levante, Italy) to become Santa Cruz's Sister City.
For press information on the event go to:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2003/March/03/local/stories/10local.htm http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/03.05.03/mama-mary-0310.html http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/5337499.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/5346293.htm http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2003/March/09/local/stories/03local.htm
This event is just
the beginning of a series of events and programs that MBITA will be co-promoting
with Community Team Builders (CTB) under the banner of the Amici
Della California team will culminate with events in Genova,
Italy, which is the European
Cultural Capital of 2004. Genova,
Italy is a center for commercial and industrial activity such as shipbuilding,
and is an emerging center for the information technology and electronic
industries.
California has much to gain by reinvigorating its early Maritime pioneer
connections. The purpose of Lo Spirito D'Amerigo project is to
advance knowledge to all California citizens to the cultural, historical,
educational and commercial roots of our early Maritime history. Through
the cultural initiatives of the Amici Della California team, these
roots will be reinvigorated with new educational, cultural and commercial
initiatives for our 21st Century.
Contact:
Cristina Polesel, Teambuilder
Amici Della California
Tel. 831-469-0148
email: cristina@mbita.org
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MBITA has formed an affiliation relationship with Business Languages Inc. in McAllen, Texas to promote online translation services to MBITA members, affiliates and clients. Business Languages, Inc is opening a new bridge to link people separated by language and high costs of translations. |
Founded by the former Diplomat and Linguist Alfredo Vargas and
his brother Miguel Vargas, who together represent over 30 years
of experience in translation and interpretation in at least 8 languages,
Business Languages has put together a network of hundreds of translators
and interpreters all over the world to deliver just-in-time translations
to everyone.
By subscribing to their Multilingual Service MyVMS or their Spanish
counterpart MiSecre, individual users connected to the internet
can have their correspondence and documents translated to most languages
for a price averaging $10 a page in 48 hours or less.
Those interested in a service franchise to offer certified translations
to the public, from their "brick and mortar" shops or premises, can also
join MyBL® and MiSecre®, for a very low introductory fee.
They only need a scanner, a color printer and an internet connection to
add translations and same language letter writing and editing to the services
they can offer to the general public. They can be Spanish speakers needing
to write a letter in correct English or English speakers wishing to sell
their services or products to non English speakers.
Business Languages translates, edits and re-writes the documents
and sends them back to the franchised shop for printing and delivery.
Even if you sell phone cards, magazines, computer equipment, cell phones
or real estate, translations and letter writing as a service for your
customers will help pay the rent, at no additional overhead.
Business Languages, Inc. is a truly global business with franchises
in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Contact:
Alfredo Vargas, Founder
Business Languages Inc.
612 W Nolana Loop Suite 310
McAllen, TX, 78504 USA
Voice Mail: 1-877-280-5940 / FAX: 1-815-333-2360
Web: www.businesslanguages.info/temp/temp.htm
email: av@businesslanguages.us
MBITA
welcomes US Abalone as
a new member. US Abalone began raising abalone in 1990 in a small pilot-scale
facility in Santa Cruz, California. The Company has grown to become
one of the world's largest abalone producers operating from a state
of the art four-acre commercial-scale facility located on the ocean
in Davenport, California. US Abalone has almost two million abalone
growing in tanks. The Company has recently become the world's largest
abalone pearl producer.
US Abalone grows California red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, one the
world's most desirable abalone. The Company first spawns mature abalone
and then raises the young abalone through the larval, nursery and juvenile
stages until they reach three to five years of age. The abalone are
grown in a natural environment in land-based tanks where they are provided
with a continuous supply of seawater from the adjacent Pacific Ocean.
The abalone are fed different types of seaweed and kelp harvested locally
from the ocean, and are grown without the use of any antibiotics, steroids
or hormones.
Abalone
Meat
Abalone is highly prized by epicureans for both its taste and texture.
The domestic and international demand for abalone substantially exceeds
the supply, and the global supply is rapidly decreasing. The decline
in commercial harvesting of abalone throughout the world, due primarily
to over-fishing and pollution, has not been offset by increased production
from aquaculture. The decline of ocean-based abalone off the California
coast has been so drastic that all commercial harvesting of abalone
was banned for ten years beginning in December 1997.
US Abalone has sold its farm raised abalone live in the shell for many
years. Most of the Company's production is exported, primarily to seafood
distributors in Asia. Japan, despite its depressed economy, continues
to be the largest importer of abalone. China represents the fastest
growing market for abalone. Other markets, such as the United States
and Europe, are underserved.
Abalone
Pearls
After many years of research and development, US Abalone has developed
the ability to culture pearls in the red abalone. The Company's Davenport
facility provides an ideal environment for culturing abalone pearls.
US Abalone's pearls display the beautiful luster and variety of colors
for which the abalone shell is legendary. The magic of the abalone,
and what distinguishes them from other pearls, is the variety of colors
that it creates - all in one pearl.
US Abalone's pearls have soft sensual tones that are both classic and very wearable. The colors of US Abalone's pearls range from metallic silver, to cream and pink, to various shades of green, to blue and green, with highlights of other colors including magenta. The Company's pearls, like its farm raised abalone, are natural and untreated.
The Company is presently culturing dome-shaped pearls known as "mabe"
and "blister" abalone pearls. Abalone pearls can be used in pendants,
earrings, rings, brooches and other jewelry for both women and men.
Other fine gems may be added to gold, silver and platinum settings to
highlight the abalone pearl colors. US Abalone's pearls are marketed
under the "Pearls of Passion" brand name.
Contact:
James R. Webb, CEO
US Abalone - Pearls of Passion
245 Davenport Landing Road, PO Box 254
Davenport, CA 95017
Tel. 831-457-2700
Fax 831-457-2747
Web: www.usabalone.com
email: jwebb@usabalone.com
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MBITA welcomes
SnoWonder as a new
member. "How can you decorate for winter or Christmas when all
artificial snow looks fake and is difficult to work with?" This
is a question that decorators, retailers, events planners and amusement
developers have been asking for decades. The answer is SnoWonder, the first artificial snow that is visually identical to real snow. |
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SnoWonder is
cool and wet to the touch, lasts for months, can be dried and reused,
and is completely safe and nontoxic. It is a polymer-based powder that
absorbs 50 times its volume in water in 20 seconds and yields the most
realistic snow imaginable.
Originally developed for indoor sports, Santa Cruz retailer Richard
Bayer discovered this product by chance in 2001 and developed SnoWonder
for the retail Holiday market in time to introduce it for the 2001 Holiday
season. 2002 sales were up 500% and have already been matched in the first
quarter of 2003.
SnoWonder is packaged for retail sales and also sold in bulk. Retail
customers use it for their home decorating, and it has also been used
by professional photographers, amusement parks, zoos, event planners and
designers of all types. It is a completely new design element that can
be used creatively wherever a glistening white background can be an advantage.
Also, because for over 100 years we have used artificial snow that looked
completely fake, anyone seeing SnoWonder for the first time stops
in astonishment because they think it is real snow. It is an incredible
attention getter at openings, events and every type of retail venue.
SnoWonder is so new that it has yet to be seen in the mass market
and many new uses are yet to be explored. SnoWonder is actively
seeking international distribution and with its rapid growth will be using
the MBITA network and additional support and expertise for its operations.
Growth has primarily been managed by partnering with aggressive entrepreneurs
in areas of the marketplace that have not yet been reached.
For more information about SnoWonder, contact:
Richard Bayer,
President
SnoWonder
Tel. 831-425-7610
Fax 831-459-6922
Web: www.sno-wonder.com
email: Richard@sno-wonder.com
Michael Penna,
VP Director
of Marketing and Sales
SnoWonder
Tel. 831-724-0161
Fax 831-724-0165
Web: www.sno-wonder.com
email: Michael@sno-wonder.com
Successful
Software Strategies
helps develop the strategy and tactical steps required to generate revenues
from international locations. Kathy Hurley, Principal and Founder
of Successful Software Strategies, is a seasoned sales and marketing
professional with extensive experience spanning a number of industries
including high tech, telecommunications, construction equipment, commercial
kitchen equipment, welding consumables and hospitality.
Based in Silicon Valley for the past 10 years, Kathy has worked as both
a senior manager and a consultant to both start-ups and leading software
publishers providing channel marketing, partner marketing, marketing communications,
product marketing, event management as well as web site design, content
and localization services.
If you are a software publisher and are looking for an evangelist that
can deliver overseas clients and revenues or you are a publisher that
helps companies streamline the export process, Successful Software
Strategies can help you.
Contact:
Kathy Hurley, Principal and Founder
Successful Software Strategies
2250 Bohannon Dr.
Santa Clara, Ca 95050
Tel: 408-615-1551
Email: kmhurley@pacbell.net
MBITA
New Member:
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MBITA welcomes C Lynch International as a new member. "Your Door to International Markets and Governments" This motto sums up how the strategic management consulting services of C Lynch International contribute to successful business deals. In today's world, international business requires an understanding of both markets and governments. C Lynch International creates strategies to help companies find partners, craft deals while minimizing bureaucratic red-tape. The following are some recent examples of how C Lynch International has helped companies enter new markets:
Christopher Lynch, President and Founder, was previously a senior
US diplomat, last as US Consul General in Hamburg. He has advised US companies
on how to enter international markets and successfully lobbied senior-level
European and Latin American officials on behalf of American firms. He
has also worked for Caterpillar Financial Services and was part of a team
that opened branches in Spain and Mexico. He is the chairperson of the
International Business Alliance of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
and organizes seminars on international business for the Silicon Valley
Center for International Trade Development.
The main office of C Lynch International is in Marin County and
the company has partnership arrangements with three German companies located
in Berlin and Hamburg.
Contact:
Christopher Lynch, President and Founder
C Lynch International
11 Acacia
Ave.
Belvedere, Ca 94920
Tel. 415-717-1105
Web: www.clynchinternational.com
email: clynch@clynchinternational.com
