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Contact: Tom Dorr, Western Washington University Center for Economic Vitality director, (360) 733-4014 or Tom.Dorr@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics’ Center for Economic Vitality (CEV), Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the State of Washington Department of Commerce are co-sponsoring the Washington State Export Certification Course and NAFTA Seminar in Bellingham on Monday-Wednesday, May 16-18 at the Dorothy Haggen Building in Barkley Village, 2211 Rimland Drive, Suite 106.

The cost is $299 for both sessions and pre-registration is required; to register, go to www.cevforbusiness.com or call Marilyn Grady at (360) 527-8959.

The training is part of the Jump Start Washington Exports (JustWaEx) Program.  Managers in sales, operations, logistics, finance, and customer services planning to export to Canada and Mexico are encouraged to attend, especially those responsible for NATFA compliance.

The Export Certification course is certified by the Washington State Department of Commerce and follows the course outline recommended by NASBITE, the international association for the global business community. The course prepares participants to take the Certified Global Business Professional exam, offered by NASBITE. Participants will receive a certificate of completion from the Department of Commerce. The course will help participants to:

• Learn details of export procedures
• Understand when a company should expand internationally
• Formulate an export strategy
• Overcome common mistakes made by beginning exporters
• Identify and target high-potential markets with proven market research methods
• Adapt marketing strategies for international success

The Exporting NAFTA seminar will help participants determine what products quality for duty-free tariff treatment. The course will cover: how to accurately complete the NAFTA Certificate of Origin and other documents; NAFTA Rules of Origin and Annex 401; preference criteria; regional value-content calculations; and record-keeping responsibilities.

The instructor for both workshops is nationally renowned James Foley, author of "The Global Entrepreneur: Taking Your Business International."  He is also the director of the International Trade and NAFTA Opportunity Centers at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., and has worked for over 20 years in international marketing, sales and corporate management. Foley currently serves as the director of the NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional Credential.

Jump Start Washington Exports is one of the special export programs funded by the Washington Department of Commerce. The export program includes no-cost confidential business counseling and match-making activities connecting foreign buyers directly with Washington state producers, with special emphasis on Canadian connections. It has been designed to support President Obama’s and Gov. Gregoire’s export initiatives.

For more than 20 years, the Center for Economic Vitality (CEV) has enabled Western Washington University's College of Business and Economics to give back to the business community and has helped to shape the economic future of our region one business at a time.

The CEV provides free, confidential counseling and technical assistance combined with competitive intelligence research/economic gardening services to business owners and managers throughout Washington state.  The CEV also provides export assistance to businesses throughout Washington state.

For more information, go to http://www.cevforbusiness.com or call 360-733-4014.