|
|
|
Bureau of Export Development
PO Box 7970
Madison, WI 53707-7970
USA |
|
Subscribe
Send
to a Colleague
Feedback
View
All Issues
|
Vol.
8 #5, May 2009
Interview with Ken Wasylik: The Role of Trade
Associations in Wisconsin’s International Business
 The Madison
International Trade Association (MITA) just celebrated its 30th
anniversary in April. The group holds monthly meetings over
lunch on the second Tuesday of the month, September through
May. Presenters at these meetings have ranged from local
members sharing their experiences and best practices to industry
experts from the greater Midwest region to national and international
figures with connections to Madison. In honor of the
group’s milestone, we are taking the opportunity to hear from
MITA president, Ken Wasylik. Mr. Wasylik is a partner in E.
M. Wasylik Associates LLP, an business and financial consulting firm
specializing in international business.
Q: How does Madison fit into the
state’s overall international economy?
A: South central Wisconsin is integrally
connected to the global economy. Area companies are both
importers and exporters as well as service providers.
Internationally recognized brand names coming from this region include
Trek Bicycles, Tomo Therapy, and Sub Zero. Dane County is
among the most productive agricultural counties in the state.
It is a major producer of corn and soybeans for export.
I’ve seen figures from the federal government showing Dane
County generated around 8 percent of the state’s exports in
2007. The 2008 data hasn’t been released yet, but
we expect continued growth. Engineering services, research,
and university students coming from across the globe all add diverse
multi-cultural elements to the equation. Other local
companies are owned by foreign entities, large and small –
Sony bought part of Sonic Foundry and Fristam Pumps’ parent
firm is a German family-owned company.
Q: What are MITA's goals?
A: MITA brings together representatives from
companies and other organizations around Wisconsin who are interested
in increasing their knowledge of international trade issues.
Our monthly events address a wide range of topics; import/export
compliance, logistics, sales and marketing – distributor
management, cultural aspects of trade, finding qualified non-US
suppliers, macroeconomics, currency issues, the increasing role of
China in the world economy and many other topics.
Q: How diverse is the membership?
A: Our members range from entrepreneurs that
are expanding internationally while they are still growing their
domestic business through employees of major multinational corporations
responsible for key sales regions or a specific business function like
shipping or customer service. Bankers, lawyers, academics,
and other internationally focused service providers offer valuable
resources and share practical experiences both positive and
negative. Finally MITA has members who are not directly
related professionally to international trade but would like to know
more about the global economy and international business.
Q: What can business people get from groups
like MITA that they can't get from the internet?
A: In international business the number 1 best
practice is to build close and deep relationships with your customers,
suppliers, employees and service providers. Relationships are
key in all levels of business including building a peer
network. Networking that happens at our meetings helps
businesses build up the expertise needed to succeed in international
business. Knowing someone who you can bounce an idea off or
ask a question is invaluable, particularly if the interaction is local
over a cup of coffee or lunch. There’s a major
confidence booster in hearing how someone from across town was once in
your same situation, but is now an international success story.
Q: How has MITA changed over 30 years?
A: In the past MITA was principally focused on
the classic definition of international trade, shipping goods across
international sovereign borders. And even more, the focus was
on the exporting half of the equation. Today, more and more
people think of international trade in a much broader sense to include
the movements of data and information, technology transfer, capital
purchases of government, municipal, corporate and consumer bonds/debts,
human capital movements – immigration. One could
say the tools or methods of globalization and the world coming closer
is international trade. Our membership has broadened as have
the topics addressed at our meetings.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges
facing Wisconsin's international business community in the near future?
A: There are always new issues emerging and
old ones resurfacing in new forms. Prior to 9/11, container
security focused on theft. Until recently, pirates were in
history books and not newspapers. Technology is making more
information available and increasing the speed at which business
decisions can be made. One of the old sayings in exporting
was when one market was down, there were plenty of others to focus
on. The increasingly integrated global economy is making that
less true. As long as there is demand for the movement of
products, services, capital, or ideas, there will be topics for
business people to discuss and learn about. The Madison
International Trade Association’s will continue to emphasize
on “international,” “trade,”
and “business” and not be confused solely with
foreign policy or politics.
|
|
