Topics to be discussed include U.S. free trade agreements and business opportunities in Peru
Palm Beach County Director of Economic Development Kevin Johns will meet with P. Michael McKinley, the U.S. Ambassador to Peru, on January 10, 2008.
Ambassador McKinley will be speaking about U.S. Free Trade Agreements and business opportunities in Peru during a luncheon at the West Palm Beach Marriott.
“Florida depends on world markets and this visit is a reaffirmation of our friendship to Peru and South America and a commitment to making Palm Beach County a prototype for implementation of global commerce,” Johns said.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria will attend the luncheon and present opening remarks.
“In a 21st Century economy, communities need to be ‘tuned’ into global trade, logistics and finance,” said Commissioner Santamaria, who earned his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
“Palm Beach County is advancing its economy on a global basis,” Santamaria added.
The free trade discussion with Ambassador McKinley was organized by the Business Council for International Understanding and the World Trade Center Palm Beach.
“This is an excellent opportunity for businesses in Palm Beach County to discover trade with Peru and expand their market place,” Johns said.
According to the U.S. State Department, Florida exported $1.2 billion of merchandise to Peru in 2006, up 40 percent from the previous year. Examples of Florida merchandise exports to Peru include construction equipment, bulldozers, graders, building products, turbo jets, gas and steam turbines and medical and surgical parts.
“I think the construction, engineering and clean water industry in Palm Beach County may be interested in Peru,” said World Trade Center President Al Zucaro.
The event is open to the media, businesses interested in trade opportunities and residents interested in exploring cultural exchanges. For more information or to register for the luncheon, please call Maggie Smith or Claudia Lopez at the Palm Beach County Economic Development Department at (561) 355-3624.
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