Former Kentucky governor slated to speak at Export Initiative in Corbin

Former KY governor Martha Layne Collins

Local businesses looking to expand their customer base should consider international markets as prime targets for the marketing strategies.

That’s the message coming from state and local economic development officials. And exporting — both goods and services — will be the main topic next Thursday at the Kentucky Export Initiative Luncheon, to be held from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Corbin Center for Technology and Community Activities.

The event is being sponsored by The Corbin Economic Development Agency and the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Tentative agenda speakers include: Governor Martha Layne Collins, Ambassador-at-Large for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Ed Webb, President World Trade Center Kentucky; Sara Moreno, U.S. Commercial Service, and Brad Thomas, Small Business Services Division, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

Bruce Carpenter, Director of Economic Development for Corbin, said the luncheon would introduce businesses unfamiliar with exporting to the reasons why it should be an important business strategy, and how to overcome some hurdles to doing it.

Carpenter said his eyes were opened to how exporting could be good for local businesses after attending a recent conference in Frankfort where Ed Webb with the World Trade Center talked about the importance of shipping goods and services to other countries.

“It was very interesting to hear some of the success stories right here within the state of Kentucky. It’s not true just for industry, but small companies have had a lot of success to,” Carpenter said. “What we want to do is introduce the idea of exporting goods and services to our local business and industries and get them thinking about what it could mean for them.”

Carpenter said he contacted Ian Mooers, with Eastern Kentucky University, about partnering in the effort.

Mooers, who is Director of the Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CEDET) and Director of the Center for Appalachian Regional Engagement and Stewardship (CARES) at EKU, said a retinue of workshops will be offered following next Thursday’s seminar-style initiative to help business along the path of profiting from exporting.

“We want to help folks go through that process, whether they are a small, medium or large business, to start thinking about exporting,” Mooers said. “I think for most people, its just basically getting them to understand why it is important and how to even get started doing it. We want to get it so these hurdles don’t seem quite so insurmountable.”

Workshops following the initiative luncheon will focus on topics such as: Why Export, Export 101, Basics of an Export Marketing Plan, Logistics and finally Trade Certification. Corbin will be one of the pilot sites for the workshops along with Hazard, Pikeville and Richmond.

Mooers said exporting is a very relevant business strategy for companies, even in smaller rural communities, because customers everywhere desire something different. He gives the example of China where Kentucky made goods are popular.

“They want and are very interested in handmade Kentucky items. They want things that have a story to them or a sense of history or place,” Mooers said. “They really want this stuff.”

Anyone is invited to attend. If you plan to go, please confirm your attendance and participation plans to the Corbin Economic Development Agency office at info@southernkychamber.com or call 606-528-6390 for meal ordering purposes. Lunch will be provided.