Trade Development Alliance, Seattle
 

In Attendance:

June 2: Michele Anciaux Aoki, Bill Stafford, David Woodward, Lili Hein, Aysha Haq
June 25: Bill Stafford, Aysha Haq

Summary:

The group discussed the importance of international business/trade to Washington State – how 1 in 3 jobs are tied to the global economy and include trade of goods and services, interaction of investments, international tourism, international students, airport/port functions, etc. We also discussed ways to engage state leaders and business leaders, the TDA’s communication plan which discusses the importance of international relationships for Washington businesses, ways to fund the Teacher of the Year awards, etc.

Suggestions:

• Get a keynote speaker at lunch from the business community that might draw business leaders, who might otherwise not come to the summit.
• Engage Karen Fraser, Paul Shinn, Ken Jacobsen, two finalist for Governor, Lt. Governor, trade advisors, etc. Begin reaching out to candidates now, acknowledge that they might not know their schedules, get them as their schedules allow. Engage them with questions during the summit such as, “What should we be doing to prepare students for an international world?”
• Develop a booklet to hand out to summit participants with profiles of businesses. Ask 10 businesses a question that helps them describe the importance of international business and relationships. Include for example some of the businesses most dependent on the global economy – Port, Starbucks, Boeing, Tourism Holland America, Mariners, etc.
• Use a voting machine and have summit participants fill out ballots throughout the day answering questions related to international education and business, for example: Who is Washington’s largest trading partner?
• Connect with Olympia Chamber, Bob Watts (Boeing), Gary Bill, Bruce Kendall, Tom Farrell, Andreas (World Trade Center, Tacoma), Bill Center (WCIT), Nancy Anderson, John Grelaub (Wells Fargo), grassroots ethnic business community
• Connect with Pacific Lutheran, Rasmussen, St. Martin’s College, Evergreen
• Somehow fund Teacher of Year of Award winner to go to Study mission in Dublin, Ireland.
• Connect with Anne Watson – Russell Company (Tacoma), Economic Development Council in Olympia, Port of Olympia, Puget Sound Metro-Economic Council, Akthar Badshah- Microsoft Giving and Tsring Yutuch – International Sister Cities Coordinator at City Hall and informal state coordinator for 21 sister cities.

Decisions:

• Bill Stafford will lend his name and feedback to the Summit Advisory Group.
• Bill Stafford will help get word out about the Summit.

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