Why Attend?

LARGEST EXPECTED ATTENDANCE AT ANY EXPORT CONFERENCE IN 2010

  • This will be North America's premier international trade conference in 2010
  • The targeted audience is over 500 attendees per day
  • 50+ Commercial Service staff will attend
  • 175+ DEC members are expected to attend
  • 275+ businesspersons, government employees and academics are expected to attend the U.S. portion
  • 200+ Canadian businesspersons, government employees and academics are expected to attend the Canadian portion
  • The conference is open to all paying members of the public
  • Non-DEC members are expected to outnumber DEC members

EXTENSIVE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

  • LinkedIn
  • Face-to-Face Networking Time
    • Opening reception
    • Buffet breakfast each day
    • Morning break each day
    • Luncheon each day
    • Reception in Canada
    • Reception in Detroit area
    • Transportation to and from Canada
    • Transportation to and from the Rouge River plant
  • Access in informal settings to high- level government officials from the USA and Canada
  • Access to high- level speakers
  • Access to top businesspeople outside their offices
  • A unique mix of over 250 companies expected from the Mid-West. As this is the first time in about a decade that the Conference has been held in the Mid-West, the attendance mix will be different than prior years
  • Unique networking event to meet over 200 Canadian companies in Canada
  • There will be more staff on hand from the Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce (50+ expected) at this event than any other in North America in 2010. These are the U.S. government's trade experts

EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & PANELISTS

  • Nicola Arena, Chairman & CEO, Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA)
  • Miranda Ballentine, Director of Sustainability, Wal-Mart
  • Terence P. Begley, Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Banking, The PNC Financial Services Group
  • Scott Bozek, Consul for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Consulate General, Commercial Service, Toronto
  • Dr. Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and President of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios
  • Susan M. Cischke, Group Vice President, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company
  • Michael Ducker, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President and President, International, FedEx Express
  • Daniel Griswold, Director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies, CATO Institute
  • Fred Hochberg, Chairman & President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States
  • David Kappos, Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office
  • Fred Keller, CEO, Cascade Engineering
  • Suresh Kumar, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service
  • Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce
  • Michal Lorenc, Online Sales and Operations Manager, Google
  • Chip McClure, Chairman, CEO and President, Arvin Meritor
  • Joy Nott, President of the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters
  • Frank Reynolds, Author, Managing Exports: Navigating The Complex Rules, Controls, Barriers and Laws
  • Francisco J. Sánchez, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
  • Senator Debbie Stabenow, Member President's Export Council
  • Leocadia I. Zak, Director, United States Trade & Development Agency

WIDE RANGING, PERTINENT, VALUE- ADDED, FRESH TOPICS

  • How to engender innovation in your organization
  • What's new in financing exports
  • Protecting Intellectual Property
  • What's new in using the web for international marketing
  • Opportunities in the "green" economy
  • Turning an old style company into a green company
  • Opportunities and trends in the Canadian market
  • Regulations for exporting into Canada
  • The importance of NAFTA
  • Free Trade Agreements, Where To From Here?
  • Trends in Ocean Transportation
  • Topics that are fresh, value-added, pertinent and exciting
  • Topics which can assist Small & Medium Enterprises to make money, expand exports and create jobs

FREE COUNSELING BY 30+ TRADE EXPERTS

  • Sign up for free advice on a host of industries and countries from over 45 Commercial Service experts in international trade
    • 30 Executive Secretaries
    • 15 Commercial Service Officers
    • 8 Network Directors
  • The most experienced group ever assembled in 1 place at 1 time ready to help you export

ONE CONFERENCE, TWO COUNTRIES – EXCLUSIVE VISIT TO CANADA

  • First visit to Canada by a DEC Conference
  • Exclusive, rare behind-the-scenes briefings by Canada Border Services Agency
  • Private briefings by high-level Canadian government officials
  • Involvement by the Commercial Service in Canada to promote Canada as the ideal venue for new-to-export attendees
  • Huge networking reception with over 200 Canadian companies expected to attend
  • Private tour of the Ambassador Bridge, the world's busiest commercial border crossing
  • Canadian sessions to be held at the Windsor Hotel and Casino, Windsor, Ontario
  • www.caesarswindsor.com/hotel-casino

EXHIBIT BOOTHS FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO THE EXPORT INDUSTRY

  • Several dozen booths conveniently located right outside the Conference area and close to the food and drink tables
  • This is a great opportunity for attendees to learn about the services available to them from a diverse group of service providers

UNIQUE, PRIVATE FIELD TRIP (CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DURING OUR VISIT)

  • Rouge River Tour
    • The Rouge River facility is part of American industrial history being at one time the largest production facility in the world, the pride of Henry Ford and a critical resource for production of aircraft and ships during World War II. It was truly at the heart of the arsenal of democracy.
    • The Rouge River complex is the only U.S. vehicle assembly plant where visitors can watch humans and robots building Ford F-150 vans.
    • It is also a marvel of modern environmentalism, having been developed from a former Brownfield site. From its large planted rooftop to the collection of rainwater from the parking lot, it features many leading edge green technologies.
    • www.hfmgv.org/rouge

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

  • Motown Evening as part of the Opening Reception
  • Featuring a great band, The Simone Vitale Band
  • www.simonevitaleband.com

GREAT CONFERENCE PRICING

  • Our early registration price is $495 for the full conference, $550 after September 10
  • Single day registration is $225 for Trade & Green Day (October 25th), $225 for Trade & Canada Day (October 26th) and $125 for Trade & Innovation Day (1/2 day, October 27th)
  • The true cost of each ticket should be in excess of $1,000 per ticket when all costs are included
  • Corporate marketing partners will subsidize the Conference costs by about $500 per ticket
  • Other Conferences with comparable high level speakers usually run over $1,500 for a 2 day Conference
  • These prices include breakfasts, lunches and 2 or 3 dinners (depending on circumstances)

AFFORDABLE, UPSCALE ACCOMODATION

  • We negotiated an extremely low rate of $107 plus taxes per night
  • Add this low hotel rate to the Conference pricing and the combined total is under $900, making it the lowest total cost for a conference of this type in years
  • This hotel has outstanding rooms, meeting facilities and restaurants
  • www.marriott.com/hotels