Palm Beach World Trade Center scope expands
August 17th, 2008
By John Johnston
Managing Editor
Palm Beach County commissioners have modified the scope of work in the county’s $99,000 contract with the World Trade Center Association Palm Beach, Inc. (WTCPB) to include the following:
· Conducting a survey among the 200 World Trade Center Associations to obtain information about targeted industry clusters.
· Scheduling three outbound and two inbound trade missions for FY 2009 with companies identified through the above survey.
· Researching on and recommending best practices for local attraction of international finance.
· Conducting one outbound trade mission to the Bahamas, targeting the real estate industry.
These modifications will allow the county to adjust for the trend in international activities and targeted industry clusters development, said commissioners, and to create groundwork for the implementation of new fiscal year 2009 strategies.
The WTCPB is a not-for-profit Florida corporation with a mission to support the expansion of Palm Beach County business opportunities, said commissioners. Since the WTCPB's inception in 1999 and registering with the State of Florida's Division of Corporations in July 1999, the WTCPB has operated independently as a licensed center and has become the lead entity on international trade issues in this area.
The WTCPB is a member of the WorldTrade Center Association and affiliated with more than 277 World Trade Centers in 74 countries worldwide. Leveraging this global network, commissioners said the WTCPB “facilitates business opportunities and global penetration by incorporating education, information, and the exchange of culture and civic responsibility with commerce.”
Delegations
In December 2007, for example, French trade officials toured the IBM facility in Boca Raton, together with the Port of Palm Beach, the Scripps Research Institute and the Florida Research Park.
“As a key element to implementing the new Palm Beach County Strategic Economic Plan, trade is on the French agenda of local businesses seeking to crack the European marketplace,” Palm Beach County Economic Development Director Kevin Johns said.
The IBM tour was part of a two-day French “Familiarization Tour”
And focused on increasing trade opportunities between Palm Beach County and France, particularly in the areas of bioscience, high-tech industries, film and television, cultural arts, aerospace/aviation and water technology. Last year alone, Enterprise Florida reported that commodity trade between Florida and France totaled over $2.6 billion in exports and imports combined.
And in March of this year, a Dutch delegation visited the county -- and among the issues discussed was a Dutch specialty: water management
The delegation, led by Vice Minister Tineke Huizinga, Dutch State Secretary for Transport, Public Works and Water Management, will also be visiting Gov. Charlie Crist in Tallahassee during the trip from March 2 to March 6.
“We are delighted,” said Palm Beach County Director of Economic Development Kevin Johns, “that a prestigious 36-person inbound trade mission from the Kingdom of the Netherlands is joining the World Trade Center Palm Beach and the South Florida Water Management District to discuss global commerce.”
The visit focused on integrating water and flood management, as well as incorporating environmental, economic, safety and recreation into water management.
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