Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has been making the rounds from Asia to Atlanta lately, with global trade’s importance economic growth his recurring emphasis. We’ve appreciated his consistent reminders that small- and medium-sized enterprises are powerful contributors to innovation and exports, not just for the United States but other nations, as well.

Locke spoke at the opening ceremony of the Americas Competitiveness Forum, a meeting of Western Hemispheric government and business leaders held earlier this week in Atlanta. (The International Trade Administration blogged the event at its Tradeology blog.) From his remarks:

What do we see as essential elements of competitiveness?

Small and medium sized businesses development is certainly one.

SMEs are frequently the driving force behind innovation — and the commercialization of new products and services that are the lifeblood of our global economy.

Consider the fact that firms less than 5 years old – many of which are considered small businesses – have accounted for nearly ALL increased employment in America’s private sector over the last three decades.

But small businesses development must also mean inclusive development.  

That is why since Day One, the Obama administration has put the empowerment of all SME’s and entrepreneurs at the top of our agenda – and worked so hard to knock down barriers entrepreneurship, especially among underserved communities.

This is a strategy the entire Hemisphere should make a priority to pursue.

Secretary Locke was reaffirming the points he made the previous week in Yokohama in remarks at the Asia-Pacific Cooperation (APEC) Small- and Medium Enterprises (SME) Summit.

During his stop in Mumbia on Nov. 6, Secretary Locke also announced plans for a February business mission to India: “I’ll be bringing with me U.S. companies – large and small – in search of mutually beneficial opportunities in this vibrant, promising market.”

For more info, “U.S. Companies Invited to Apply to Join Secretary Locke on Upcoming High-Tech Trade Mission to India“

In a media roundtable Thursday, Undersecretary of Commerce Francisco Sanchez mentioned several Administration initiatives that are due a little more attention. Sanchez:

I headed a mission to Eastern Europe focusing on civil nuclear, where we went to Poland, the Czech Republican and Slovakia. All thee countries are looking at replacing or enhancing their civil nuclear sector, and those provide critical opportunities for our companies – not only the ones who provide the technologies, but there are a whole host of services that come with that. That’s not anything that’s going to bear fruit tomorrow, but if you talk to the industries that attended, they were very pleased and felt the progress had been made.

 Sanchez reported on the mission at Tradeology, the International Trade Administration’s blog, in July.

• Civil Nuclear Trade Mission – Czech
• Civil Nuclear Trade Mission – Poland

The other novel venture:

People expect you to look at the emerging markets of China, Brazil, India, next-tier markets like Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Vietnam. But we think we can take that a step further. We’re looking at trying to be the first to market, if you will, in emerging cities, so we’re not just looking at emerging market countries, but emerging cities.

The first place we’re going to take a look at trying to do this is in India. India over the next 20 yaers will have 68 cities that have a million or more inhabitants. A lot of business, a lot of companies today tend to go to the usual suspects. They go to Mumbai, they go to Delhi, and you can probably add to that list another three or four cities. We’re not looking at bringing American companies into these next, next-tier cities, where we believe if we’re first to market, we build relationships with good quality products and services, it can give us a competitive advantage.

You can hear Under Secretary Sanchez’s opening comments here.

The Commerce Department announced Thursday, “Hightower to Step Down as Deputy Commerce Secretary“:

Deputy Commerce Secretary Dennis F. Hightower announced today that he plans to step down effective August 27. He’ll be returning to the private sector to resume his work on corporate governance and training and developing the next generation of global business leaders. At Commerce, Hightower brought skills he learned at the top levels of the business world to help shepherd some of Commerce’s most complicated initiatives, including satellite acquisition, cybersecurity and the Recovery Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

“We deeply appreciate Dennis’ service, especially the mentoring he provided to senior Commerce managers,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “He took on some of the Commerce Department’s most difficult management challenges, and in every case, those programs are on a better footing today because of his diligent work.”

Before coming to Commerce, Hightower was chief executive officer of Europe Online Networks S.A., a privately held broadband interactive entertainment company based in Luxembourg. From 1987 to 1996, he was a senior executive of The Walt Disney Company, where he led multi-billion dollar enterprises as president of Television & Telecommunications and president of Consumer Products, Europe/Middle East and Africa.

Hightower was, if not the highest, then one of the highest-ranked members of the Obama Administration with business experience. He and NAM President John Engler had served on the board of Northwest Airlines together.

President Obama issued a statement praising Hightower’s service. We wished Hightower good luck upon his joining Commerce, and good luck again on challenges ahead.

We previously noted the arrival to Commerce of a great, experienced manufacturer, Peter Perez, who will serve as  Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing, emphasizing exports and trade. Here’s the Crain’s Detroit Business story, with a comment from NAM President Engler: “Peter will be a strong and effective representative for the manufacturing community within the Administration. His experience as a business and community leader will serve him well … and we very much look forward to working with him in his new capacity.”

That’s a good move. Congratulations to Peter M. Perez.

From MLive.com, “Grand Rapids’ Peter Perez will work on exports issues for President Barack Obama“:

WALKER — West Michigan executive Peter Perez is going to Washington, D.C., to take a federal role in manufacturing.

Perez is president of Carter Products Co. Inc. at 2871 Northridge Drive NW, Walker. But on Monday, he becomes deputy assistant secretary for manufacturing with the International Trade Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In his new role, Perez will work to identify barriers to exports and factors hampering competition across 21 industries.

The Commerce Department’s news release adds more detail, including Peter’s involvement with the NAM and Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America.

“I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work to support the President’s National Export Initiative and to improve the competitiveness of American manufacturers,” said Perez. “I am very passionate about putting people back to work and making sure our companies can compete globally on a level playing field.”

Originally from Elkhart, Indiana, Perez has an extensive background in the manufacturing sector, beginning with his role at CBS Musical Instruments and culminating with his family-owned business, Carter Products Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Perez has served as the president of the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA) and on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) as a representative for small and medium manufacturing companies.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke spoke at the PENN Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia Friday, promoting President Obama’s National Export Initiative meant to double exports within five years.

Locke’s focus at the event was government programs that offer technical assistance to companies that seek to export. For example, from his prepared remarks.

The NEI is going to provide even more resources and focus on the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA)—which has a global network of trade specialists posted in 109 U.S. cities and at 128 U.S. embassies and consulates in 77 countries.

As part of the NEI, the president’s 2011 budget is going to provide new resources so that ITA can hire more trade specialists to help link U.S. businesses with buyers overseas.

ITA plans to bring on as many as 328 trade experts—mostly in foreign countries—to advocate and find customers for U.S. companies.

Good.

A disappointment: In his prepared remarks, Secretary Locke did NOT mention the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Korea or Panama. It’s next to impossible to double exports while ignoring FTAS. It’s a missed opportunity. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) was in attendance, and as a consistent opponent of free trade agreements (the exception being U.S.-Peru), he’s the kind of member of Congress whom Administration officials should be working on. The same is true of Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), also in attendance, who voted AGAINST the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement.

P.S. The Administration has held many, many events in Philadelphia. The media seem to be wearying of them all. Searching via Google News and Bing, we find no coverage of Friday’s trade event other than media advances.

The Commerce Department’s top trade official, Francisco Sanchez, got right down to work after receiving a recess appointment by President Obama. From Reuters, “U.S. sees China, India, Brazil key to export growth“:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government will encourage China, India, Brazil and other fast-growing markets to buy more American goods as part of its bid to double exports in five years, a top trade official said on Wednesday.

“That’s where the money is and that’s where we need to focus,” Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sanchez told reporters, noting that 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States.

Also Reuters, “US eyes options in ‘zeroing’ spat with EU, others“:

WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) – The United States is trying to find a way to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling against its anti-dumping procedures without damaging its ability to curb unfairly traded imports, a top U.S. trade official said on Wednesday.

“We’re trying to strike the right balance between being WTO compliant, but still making sure our trade law remedies are not damaged in the process. That’s not an easy path to maneuver,” Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sanchez told reporters.

Among the score of presidential nominations confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday was Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services within the International Trade Administration.

This is the post that in the past has occasionally been referred to as the Administration’s “manufacturing czar,” although that title now attaches itself to Ron Bloom, appointed by President Obama to serve as Senior Counselor for Manufacturing Policy.

Hale has already been serving in the U.S. Department of Commerce as Deputy General Counsel. As her bio states, Lamb-Hale was previously managing partner of the Detroit office of the law firm of Foley & Lardner LLP where she specialized in business restructuring in the manufacturing sector. She also served as vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, by appointment of Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Leadership Detroit. She has also been a frequent speaker on business restructuring matters with particular emphasis in recent years on the automotive industry.

Lamb-Hale received her B.A. with high honors from the University of Michigan in 1988, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1991, where she was a classmate of President Obama’s.

Upon her nomination, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke said:

Our manufacturers and service providers have an excellent advocate in Ms. Lamb-Hale. Nicole has firsthand knowledge of the challenges that our industries face and will be able to serve the interests of industry at every level. Whether their needs are achieving greater competitiveness, advocating for policies that assist industry in competing abroad, or interacting with trade associations, I am confident that our domestic industry will benefit from her leadership.

Also confirmed Thursday in Commerce were Suresh Kumar, of New Jersey, to be Assistant Secretary
of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service; David W. Mills, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement; and Kevin Wolf, an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration.

Congratulations to all.