TAKING MONTANA TO THE WORLD
July, 2016
A monthly trade update from the Montana Chamber of Commerce on
international activities and opportunities for the Treasure State. For
more about our international efforts, go to:
MontanaChamber.com/about-us/our-international-programs.
Please feel free to forward to others!
Cuba Selling Out
We only have about six seats left on our November 5-12, 2016 tour of the "Green Crocodile." We
"landed" a great price of only $3,449 for this trip. Please note, this is per person, double occupancy single occupancy is double that rate. Reserve your spot now. A $300 deposit holds it, with the
remainder due by August 7. Join us at www.MontanaGoesToCuba.com.
Visit China Next Spring, Space is Limited!
Back by popular demand, the Montana Chamber will be leading a tour through China April 29May 8, 2017. This tourist excursion will include sightseeing, shopping, education, and entertainment
in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. The group is limited to 40 passengers and is filled on a first-come,
first-served basis.
A non-refundable deposit of $300 is due with registration to reserve your spot. Final payment of
$2,199 and completed registration forms are due by November 1, 2016. For more information,
contact [email protected] or visit www.MontanaGoesToChina.com.
Singapore Ambassador Hopes to Build Links in Montana
In late June, the Chamber hosted the Singapore
Ambassador to the United States Ashok Mirpuri for a
lunch with members of Montana's business
community. While the lunch took place in Helena,
attendees came from various industries and
locations around the Treasure State.
In the Ambassador's inaugural trip to Montana,
he discussed the benefits of doing business in
Singapore and stated there are more U.S.
investments in Singapore than any other country in
the Asia Pacific. He believes there are links we can
build between Singapore and the businesses in
Montana.
Exporting Montana products as well as
promoting medical tourism to Montana were just a
few topics discussed during the lunch in the state's
capital city.
Singapore Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri with Curt
Pijanowski of The Milky Whey, Inc. in Missoula.
Free Services Offered by ExIm
Are you overpaying taxes? Export-Import Bank webinar explains how you can save
More than 50 percent of small and medium size exporters are overpaying taxes. In addition to
overpaying taxes, most small business exporters are not protecting themselves from non-payment by
foreign buyers. To clear the fog and save money, this webinar will lay out step-by-step what you need
to do and who is here to help. Register today for a free webinar sponsored by ExIm on Tuesday, July
26 at 4:00 p.m.
Have you checked in with ExIm? Request a consultation today
Have you spoken with your local ExIm specialist to explore your trade finance options? If not,
you might be leaving international sales on the table. If you're not checking in periodically to discuss
your export situation and available solutions, you may be losing business to the competition. Request
a FREE consultation today, and your local specialist will be in touch within two business days to talk
through your needs and how ExIm can help you grow your business.
Register Today for "The Competition for Talent" Series
The 11th Annual Economic Update Series hosted by the Montana Chamber Foundation is coming
to seven cities in Montana starting Thursday, July 28th. The theme of this year's series, "The
Competition for Talent," will focus on workforce issues and topics. Each update in the series will
present information specific to each of the host cities and their surrounding areas.
Register here to join us in Kalispell (July 28), Billings (Aug. 9), Bozeman (Aug. 9), Butte (Aug. 10),
Helena (Aug. 10), Great Falls (Aug. 11), or Missoula (Aug. 11). Breakfast or lunch will be provided at
each location. Cost is $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers.
Join Canadian Friends at Golf After Hours
The "Sandbaggers" reception and barbecue for the annual Montana Chamber and Governors' Cup
Golf Tournament is open to the public and taking registration. International visitors from Canada
will be joining us again. You don't have to be a golfer to attend, so take advantage of the State
Chamber's biggest "Business After Hours" in the beautiful Flathead Valley Thursday, July 28. Register
here .
Mahlum Brings International Training to Chamber
The Montana Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the
addition of Bridger Mahlum as the organization's new Government
Relations Director. Bridger starts July 27, just in time for the
Economic Update series and Governors' Cup golf tournament kickoff.
A native of Bigfork, Bridger was inspired by the legislative
process while serving as a page in the Montana State Senate. He also
served as an intern with Montana's US Senator Jon Tester. His
continued interest in this field culminated with a bachelor's degree in
politics and international affairs at Wake Forest University in 2014.
Bridger will bring added perspective and energy to the Montana
Chamber. His previous experience includes work as a field organizer
in the 2014 US Senate race in Alaska and as an associate at a
boutique government affairs consulting firm in the heart of
Washington, DC.
While working at the latter, he oversaw firm operations and assisted clients ranging from
healthcare start-ups to nationwide trade associations. In his new capacity, Bridger's responsibilities
include the development and implementation of government relations directives according to the
State Chamber's strategic plan and mission.
Bridger is looking forward to "being a proactive voice for the business owners, workers, and
others who strive to achieve the American Dream in this wonderful state we call Montana." You can
reach Bridger at [email protected].
eCertify
eCertify, the Chamber's online certificate of origin service
provider is a user-friendly, online solution that transforms the
costly, time-consuming, paper-based process for stamping and
signing a paper-based Certificate of Origin (CO) into a streamlined electronic system.
COs are important trade documents that identify the origin of goods being exported. It is
required by customs authorities in many countries to validate the origin of goods being imported and
acts as one of the key bases for applying tariff rates. Chambers of commerce are recognized
worldwide as the official body and key agent issuing COs, but many local chambers don't do them,
because of liability concerns. eCertify overcomes that concern for the Montana Chamber.
For more information on the company, visit their Why eCertify and About Us pages. If you need
a Certificate of Origin to export, check out eCertify!
Video Guide!
Now see how easy it is to create, submit and collect electronic Certificates of Origin online! Make
sure you invite other signatories within your company to join eCertify. It's free to register!
- Watch the video on how to setup your profile http://www.ecertify.com/AV/SetUpMydetails/
within eCertify
- Watch the video on how to process certificates online http://www.ecertify.com/AV/webdocs
using eCertify, or
- Watch the video on how to use eCertify to send and collect PDF certificates
http://www.ecertify.com/AV/submit for processing by your chamber
Benefits include:
- User-Friendly Online Solution
- Saves time and money - eliminate courier costs!
- Fast turnaround times - meet your export deadlines!
Resources
International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce - www.Export.gov or
www.Trade.gov
Montana Department of Commerce's Office of Trade & International Relations http://BusinessResources.MT.gov/Export
Montana World Trade Center - www.MWTC.org
US Chamber of Commerce's TradeRoots - www.USChamber.com/international
Export-Import Bank for export finance solutions.
Help Take Montana to the World
Do you have ideas for articles to include in our next edition? Please contact Webb Brown at 888-442MONT (6668) ext. 104 or [email protected] with stories.
And please feel free to forward this edition to others by clicking the link immediately below this block.
We're sure we don't know all the exporters nor supporters of exporters out there!