UPDATE

MBITA is now organizing a new environmental and agriculture technology trade mission to China in May of 2007 after its successful venture and trade mission to the Hunan Province in China last November. (article below)

Also, this issue has some great new members from London to San Francisco and Los Angeles as MBITA continues to expand its global trade network.

And, the fourth Annual Global California conference produced by MBITA, TradePort and the CalTrade Report will take place this year in Sacramento at the California Chamber of Commerce on March 16th. Please see the Banner below for more details.

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President
Tony Livoti
MBITA

Vice President
Shay Adams
AIM Medical Sales

Members

Dr. Edward Valeau
Hartnell College
Salinas

Marcelo Siero
IdeasSiero

Jim Faith
GlobalCalifornia.org

Staff

Cristina Polesel
General Manager

Emi Hirano
Marketing Assistant

Akiko Tsukahara
Marketing Analyst


This newsletter has been
created by MBITA's editor
Cristina Polesel
cristina@mbita.org



MBITA New Member

Trade Risk Insurance Agency LLC

The Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) welcomes its new member, Travelex Commercial Foreign Exchange, the world’s largest foreign exchange specialist.

With offices in 35 countries, business relationships in 118 countries and over 18,000 corporate clients, Travelex has a unique perspective on the impact of foreign exchange on business. By offering services in 140 plus currencies, Travelex can handle all your international payment needs without the need for expensive financial instruments such as letters of credit.

Travelex is proud to become members of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association. As members Travelex will strive to provide small, medium and large companies all the foreign exchange resources available.

The company will add further value to MBITA members by offering:

  • Free wire transfers for all business members of MBITA.
  • Foreign Exchange risk consultations, at no cost.
  • Competitive exchange rates.
  • No hidden charges, we’ll even absorb floating fees from your beneficiary’s banks.
  • Dedicated traders, one point of contact for all your questions and transactions.


Travelex believes education on foreign exchange risk management is vital to supporting a sustainable economy in California. In addition to efficiently moving money around the world, Travelex is committed to introducing the best international payments resources to small and large clients alike.


Contact:
Kevin LaBranche
Travelex Commercial Foreign Exchange
505 Montgomery Street, 11th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel. 415.233.3376
Web: www.travelex.com
Kevin.Labranche@travelexamericas.com

Matt Helsing
Tel. 925.212.0091
Matt.Helsing@travelexamericas.com



MBITA New Member
RB International Trade Services

The Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) welcomes its new member, RB International Trade Services (RBITS). The company was founded by Rosaliene Bacchus to attend to the growing needs of small-business importers and exporters. From her home office – using computer, Internet and communication technologies available today – Rosaliene Bacchus virtually provides the administrative support you need, only when you need it.

For those unable to keep up with the increasing demands of their suppliers and buyers as well as those who seek to expand their business, RBITS provides you with a cost-effective solution to attending to your administrative needs while freeing you to focus on growing your business.


With fourteen years of experience in the global market, Rosaliene Bacchus understands the special needs of importers and exporters. Her extensive knowledge of international trade business and business practices in general as well as skills in organization, planning, business administration, work relationships, customer service, after-sales support, training and computer technology will provide the impetus your business needs for continued growth and success.


Rosaliene Bacchus, a native of the Republic of Guyana – a former British colony and only English-speaking country in South America – started her professional career as a high school teacher of geography and art. Six years later, she changed careers and entered the business world as a confidential secretary. For another six years, she honed her secretarial, organizational and administrative skills at Shell Antilles & Guianas Ltd. and Barclays Bank PLC in Georgetown, capital of the Republic of Guyana.

When Rosaliene migrated to Northeast Brazil in 1987, her fluency in English was the stepping-stone to a new career in international trade. In Fortaleza, capital of the State of Ceará, Brazil, she obtained her technical training in international commerce through various technical courses during the period 1994 to 2001. She also participated in diverse trade seminars, conferences, and fairs in Ceará.


Through demonstrated capacity, organizational skills and outstanding performance, Rosaliene moved up from her first position as an import/export assistant and secretary at Emitrade Marketing International Ltd. in 1989, to managerial positions – import and/or export manager – in the companies listed below.
  • Arisa–Agroindustrial e Reflorestadora S.A. (1992-1994) – Largest fresh melon exporter of the State of Ceará to England, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and Holland. Importation of fruit cartons ( Spain), melon seeds ( Holland and the USA), and irrigation equipment ( Israel).
  • Lidema Comércio e Importação Ltda. (1994-2000) – Large importer of consumer goods from the USA, Europe and Hong Kong. Marketed goods mainly through their six retail stores under the registered name of ShopWell.
  • Bermas Indústria e Comércio Ltda. (2000-2003) – Joint-Venture company between the Italian Rino Mastrotto Group and the Brazilian Bertin Group. Producer and exporter of finished cow leather for upholstery and cut and sewn covers for settees. Clients in Canada, USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Moving to Southern California, USA, in 2003, Rosaliene was faced with new professional challenges and opportunities. Two years of working at the second-largest retail giant, Target Corporation, brought new insights about corporate America, the retail market – marketing strategies, product design, and outsourcing of production – and American consumer behavior.


As an entrepreneur, Rosaliene Bacchus continues to apply her knowledge and skills to the continued growth and success of all those with whom she comes in contact.


Contact:

Rosaliene Bacchus
RB International Trade Services (RBITS)
11730 W. Washington Blvd. #9
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Tel.: 310-490-4751
Fax: 310-390-90066
Web: www.rosalienebacchus.com
Email: admin@rosalienebacchus.com

MBITA New Member

The Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) is pleased to welcome its new member Global Trade Review (GTR) – the world's leading international trade and export finance magazine, read by the market's key banks, credit insurers, corporates, traders, law firms, brokers and consultants. GTR is part of Exporta Publishing & Events Ltd.


GTR provides timely and in-depth news as well as leads and analysis on the global emerging markets and export and project finance and risk markets. The publication analyzes financial structures and risk mitigation techniques essential for emerging markets business.


Published six times a year with an editorial board that reads like a “who's who” about the leading players in the market, GTR publishes international trade finance news, views, features, case studies and data that will give you the edge for business leads and risk mitigation.


GTR magazine is supplemented by a regular news email service, GTR eNews, the annual GTR Directory of global service providers in the industry, and by several focused conferences and events around the world that consistently attract high numbers of delegates (excellent for networking opportunities) and high level speakers.

Conferences planned for 2007 include emerging market risk and trade finance gatherings in New York, U.S. West Coast, U.A.E., London, China, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, Romania, Mexico, India, Estonia, Netherlands, Bulgaria, South Africa, Ukraine and more – covering all geographical areas.


GTR looks forward to hearing from the MBITA network about experiences of trade and emerging markets risk. The company is happy to relay these sentiments in its journal and to help the MBITA network find contacts and leads that will make their business grow.

GTR is part of Exporta Publishing & Events Ltd. Exporta approaches the trade finance market from an objective and fresh perspective. They are an independent publishing company that understands the needs and issues facing trade finance consultants and practitioners in the trade and export markets – corporation executives, bankers, traders, lawyers, insurers, brokers and others.



Their experience and contact base within the international trade finance market is unrivalled. They believe that focus and experience are the keys for delivering quality events and publications. Let them know if you want to get involved in the events side or journal.


Contact:

Rupert Sayer
Director and Editor
Exporta
Web: www.gtreview.com
Email: rsayer@exportagroup.com

The Hunan-California Global Trade Initiative

The Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) conducted its first exploratory trade mission to China traveling to the emerging '2nd tier' Chinese marketplace of the Hunan Province of China. Vice-Mayor Xiaoming Liu of the capital City of Changsha, Hunan visited MBITA at last years Global California conference in Sacramento and an immediate friendship was established to develop a plan and initiate a program for bilateral trade and investment between California and Hunan.

At the invitation of Vice-Mayor Liu a trade mission to the Hunan province was formed (Nov 12-22, 2006) lead by MBITA president, Tony Livoti, accompanied by Patti Boe of Patti Boe Real Estate, Manu and Nirmala Patolia of Nutramed, Jia Chen of the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and Leonardo Gonzalez of Encrypted Commerce.

Hunan has many similarities with California. Over 1000 different pharmaceutical plants are grown in Hunan and its China’s second largest rice producing region. Like California the Hunan province has a large population of over 60 million people and is fueled by the bustling metropolis of Changsha with a population of over 4 million people which some have called the entertainment capital of China.

During the trade mission the delegates visited the Wancheng Industrial Research Park in Changsha where they were given a private tour of an area where discussions are now taking place with a MBITA member to establish a ‘green’ state of the art food processing technology research park.

The California delegates also visited a new Information Technology (IT) research park and a UNIDO/Chinese government funded biomedicine research park that was truly cutting edge and impressive. Opportunities abound in Hunan for California companies to export, import, develop joint-ventures, form strategic alliances and invest in a vast array of industry sectors.

“Hunan needs our agriculture technology to expand its leading position as a food and pharmaceutical ingredient center for the world, and the booming ‘nutraceutical’ industry in the U.S. needs large quantities of the kind of food, herbal and drug ingredients the Hunan Province has to offer”, states Tony Livoti of MBITA.“

A delegation from Changsha will be visiting California this Spring (2007) to keep the California and Hunan marketing and investment channels open and active. You can find out more details about Hunan on the newly formed California – Hunan Global Trade Portal http://tradedelegations.com/hunan2006/ that is being developed by MBITA. “We hope to obtain the support we need to make this portal a total ‘click & mortar’ solution for online trade promotion services to facilitate and consummate global trade and investment opportunities between Hunan and California companies”, states Mr. Livoti.

Tony Livoti and Leonardo Gonzales have a little spare time during the hectic pace of the trade mission to have some Tai Chi play with a National Collegiate Champion of Tai Chi at the 1000 year old Yeulu University in Changsha.



TradePort.org adds
Export Controls and
Trade Sanctions Information

TradePort.org has added the latest information of the new export controls and trade sanctions for American exporters. This information has been provided by Cecil Hunt, of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP in Washington, D.C. and Member of the District of Columbia and California Bars.



U.S. export controls and trade sanctions are getting broader. The penalties for violations are getting more severe. One of the biggest mistakes that a company can make is to think that the “nuisance” of compliance can be left solely to a few people involved in order processing and shipping – or to an outside agent. Management must have enough of a grasp of the scope of these controls to ensure that adequate compliance systems are in place and given sufficient resources and backing.


The ‘rules of trade’ Overview starts with a few examples of the broadened scope of controls. Mr. Hunt provides some examples of the kinds of problems that he has seen in his practice providing smart compliance measures that need not be an undue burden on business.

  • A company uses an agent to file export declarations, but fails to note the way the agent limits its regulatory compliance liability and fails to audit the accuracy of the data the company supplies and the agent files. (Congress increased the declaration-related penalties ten-fold in 2002.)
  • A company thinks export controls are not a concern, as it does not ship products abroad, but it does make “deemed exports” by giving certain foreign persons access to controlled technical data.
  • A company fails to guard effectively against impermissible involvement of U.S. national employees in dealings that a foreign subsidiary is permitted to have with a U.S.-embargoed country.


You can view this new information on the ‘rules of trade’ item in the ‘Export Tutorial’ section of TradePort.org. http://tradeport.org/tutorial/rules/index.html

Look for MBITA-INTOMAR Survey – Coming Soon!

MBITA, in partnership with INTOMAR, an international marketing research firm, will conduct an online survey of subscribers to MBITA’s World TradeWinds newsletter later this month. The survey is being conducted to provide our readers with a better understanding of what kind of online tools they need for global trade activities.

Stay Tuned!

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