MBITA welcomes new member Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of Northern California (CBFANC)

By default of working as a Customs Broker or Freight Forwarder you automatically become eligible for membership, they also have associate members as well for business that work closely with the Brokerage and Forwarding Community.

By MBITA Member B. B. Wong, Brubeck-Wong Realtors

BB Wong says she has been blessed with many gifts. And one of the biggest gifts occurred following a serious health scare. In February 2010, she was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. For the next nerve wracking 10 months she was treated by eight different doctors and endured endless tests and MRIs. Being proactive, she also called a longtime friend in San Francisco, Betty Wong, and asked for her help in exploring herbal medicines like the ones her parents used to rely on. Finally the medical professionals concluded she had been misdiagnosed.

The news gave BB a second chance at life. She reevaluated her goals, and embraced the Chinese belief that where there is a crisis there is opportunity. For BB, that included reaching out to others who shared her roots.

"I decided to explore my heritage as a Chinese Business Woman," said BB, who is the 2014 President of the Women's Council of Realtors. "I began to seek out my peers in the Chinese Real Estate Association of America in San Francisco's Chinatown, where I was born."

BB also joined the Asian Real Estate Association America and quickly began racking up new experiences while she worked to further the goals of the association. She flew to Washington DC and marched on Capitol Hill during a Policy Conference. She attended the Global Real Estate Summit in New York. She traveled to Beijing with AREAA founder and CEO John Wong, whom she discovered was her cousin, to witness the signing of the first mutual agreement between real estate professionals in the United States and China.

"It was the trip of a lifetime," BB said "We were treated like royalty, and visited four different cities as honored guests. We also enjoyed a special meeting with the Highest Monk in China and received his blessings."

Her business travels also took her to Paris, where she took part in the French National Real Estate Federation's 66th International Convention and European Forum "Europe Meets the World."

Eager to share those blessings, BB renewed her commitment to helping others. She increased her involvement in professional organizations, including the AREAA and Omega Nu. She joined the Monterey Bay International Trade Association, which has provided her with opportunities to work globally and attend international trade missions.

BB also embraced charity work and served as the chairperson for events to raise funds for a variety of important causes to help others in the community. And she continues to set new goals for herself. This year, she is committed to providing keys to opportunities for members of the Women's Council of Realtors, expanding her global experiences, and working with the MBITA to brand the Monterey Bay Region.

"I want to share the blessings I have received with others,"

BB said.

The Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) and TradePort.org was an outreach partner and also a guest panelist speaking on Global eCommerce at the GTR Events' 2nd Annual West Coast Trade & Export Finance Conference in San Jose Ca., on October 9, 2013. Over 150 delegates attended this event.

This comprehensive one-day conference opened with a keynote address by Dan North, Chief Economist of Euler Hermes. He addressed the current trends within the domestic US market as well a attended s the role of international trade in shaping the economy of the West Coast.

The event attracted many local and international delegates from the corporate, banking and financial services sectors to discuss current challenges in acquiring finance, new regulations for US exports, SME & Mid-Cap financing, export and ECA finance, as well as specific industry case studies.

"The West Coast continues to defy the global slowdown with enviable growth rates," says the conference producer, Paul Greetham. "With international trade flows developing at an unprecedented rate, the conference was well timed to tackle key market issues and illustrate current market trends."

Marianne Rowden, President & Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Exporters & Importers, further explains, "President Obama's National Export Initiative has concentrated the government's resources to assist U.S. companies, particularly small-medium size enterprises (SMEs), with the goal of doubling U.S. exports.

The U.S. has a number of other initiatives, free trade agreements (Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) and export control reform, which should provide a positive environment for U.S. exporters. Nonetheless, U.S. exporters must comply with a myriad of restrictions, including sanctions against countries and individuals."

Rowden adds: "Exporta's West Trade & Export Finance Conference was timely for financial and trade professionals who needed to understand the changes occurring in global trade."

With many high-level delegates in attendance, networking was a key feature throughout the event. With numerous networking breaks and an evening drinks reception, there was ample opportunity for anyone serious about doing business on the West Coast to create new business contacts and build relationships with the foremost market actors.

"The annual West Coast Trade & Export Finance Conference has rightly become a mainstay within the GTR Events' calendar," says Peter Gubbins, Managing Director of Exporta. "We look forward to facilitating business in the region for many years to come."

The conference welcomed support from leading institutions, such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, HSBC Bank USA, J.P. Morgan, Union Bank, Bolero International, FCIA Management Company, Codix, PSI and Burr Pilger Mayer. The event is proud to have institutional partnerships with the Northern California World Trade Center, American Association of Exporters & Importers (AAEI), and the Monterey Bay International Trade Association.

(Written by ExportaGroup.com, Oct., 2013)