David Newhouse spoke to the club as the International Trade Development Manager at Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
The mission of the MEDC is to achieve long-term economic prosperity for Michiganders by investing in communities, enabling the growth of good jobs, and promoting Michigan’s strong image worldwide. Its strategic focus is to position Michigan at the leading edge of economic development in the nation.
The MEDC has 9 pillars of business development and Mr. Newhouse works with the international trade component. It collaborates with economic development partners and focuses on established small, non- agricultural, businesses companies that are export-ready. Its objectives are to increase both export sales and entries into new markets.
It started the Michigan State Trade Expansion Program in 2011 which offers financial incentives to provide companies with a competitive edge in the global marketplace. The MEDC has international trade centers in almost every country, which serves 100+ global markets.
The MEDC offers export services in areas such as legal, market research, and website localization. Mr. Newhouse’s department will be involved in numerous trade events in foreign countries over the next two years.