The directors of Wisconsin's Overseas Trade Offices will be making their annual visit to Wisconsin May 8-12, 2006. The directors will be speaking at several events and will also be available for one-on-one consultations about business opportunities in their individual territories.

The Trade Offices serve as the eyes and ears in international markets for Wisconsin exporters. In order to help a firm decide whether or not a market in another country is worth pursuing, the offices can conduct a Market Overview which addresses existing competition, cultural issues affecting sales potential, regulations and taxes on product entering the country, as well as pricing strategies. If market potential exists, the office can conduct an Agent/Distributor or a Client/End-User Search depending upon the most appropriate sales channel for a product. The offices can also provide other customized services for exporters with special needs.

The directors' tentative schedule includes presentations and one-on-one appointments in Milwaukee, Madison, Neenah, and Eau Claire. If your firm would like to schedule a meeting with one or more of the directors, contact Christine Stamm, phone: (608) 264-7824, cstamm@commerce.state.wi.us or Jennifer Winner, phone: (608) 266-0413, jwinner@commerce.state.wi.us.

Vince Lencioni has directed Wisconsin's Mexico Office since it was established in 1994. Previously, he was Sub-Director of International Commerce and Investment for the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico, the largest foreign American Chamber in the world. In 2000 Vince became a fully certified Mexican attorney.

A native of Hudson, Wisconsin, Paul Swenson became the first director of the Council of Great Lakes Governors Trade Development Office in Shanghai, China in 2003. Prior to that he served as a consultant with the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai.

Kate Clark, an Irish National, is a partner at Taskforce Europe which is headquartered at The Hague, the Netherlands and has additional offices in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, and Switzerland. A new office has recently opened in Doha, Qatar.

In July 2004 Nancy Ward assumed the role of Managing Director of the Canadian Trade Office of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. Previously she was the Director of Project Development for the office. For the past six and half years she has assisted Wisconsin companies in finding Canadian partners in a wide range of industry sectors.

Magda Volker is a partner Director of Tomaselli, Volker & Zulatto Associates a consulting firm that since January of 2005 represents the Council of Great Lakes Governors (CGLG) in Sao Paulo. The office represents the states of Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and New York.

Wisconsin does not currently have an office in Japan, but Wisconsin firms interested in the Japanese market can work with Takahiro "Taka" Hagisako, the JETRO Business Advisor for the State of Wisconsin. JETRO is a Japanese government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.

--Stanley Pfrang

The newsletter is issued electronically every other month.

Please send comments or questions to Barbro McGinn, editor.