CofC School of Business partners up with U.S. Commercial Service - WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 - Charleston News, Sports, Weather

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The Global Business Resource Center in the School of Business at the College of Charleston was recently selected as a preferred export promotion partner for the U.S. Commercial Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The agreement formalizes the parties' continued collaboration to increase export awareness in the U.S. business community, particularly in the southeast for small and medium-sized businesses.

The College of Charleston is the only university in South Carolina with the exclusive agreement. More specifically, the Global Business Resource Center (GBRC) will support the U.S. Commercial Service in its efforts to educate the businesses and the general public about the many economic benefits of exporting, including job creation.

"The GBRC will be a part of our network of worldwide offices that work together on marketing educational programs and events to help make U.S. businesses, particularly small and medium- sized firms in South Carolina, more successful exporters," says Dorette Coetsee, director, U.S. Commercial Service – South Carolina.

Most recently, the GBRC hosted and provided sponsorship for Export University 101, a seminar on export sales techniques, trade finance, and logistics solutions for 70 business owners, company representatives and other professionals interested in expanding overseas trade. Presenters for the seminar included international trade specialists from U.S. Commercial Service offices in both South and North Carolina, as well as a host of experts from private industry.

"We are heavily invested in promoting U.S. exports by educating students and business professionals on the growth potential of regional small and medium-sized firms," says Rene Mueller, Ph.D., director of the Global Business Resource Center and undergraduate international business program, and professor of marketing. "Our agreement with the U.S. Commercial Service supports our school's commitment to global business education," says Mueller.

The GBRC recruits undergraduate interns who conduct research on behalf of local companies to identify export opportunities for the products. With the largest undergraduate international business program in South Carolina, the GBRC selects interns from a wide pool of talented students who have trade knowledge and multilingual language skills to assist client companies.

In addition to its agreement with the U.S. Commercial Service, the GBRC has a partnership with the Import-Export Bank of the United States as one of two City/State Marketing Partners in South Carolina, and also has a formal agreement with the Charleston Women in International Trade (CWIT).