Since its inception in 2014, the Mentor International Trade Initiative (MITI) has helped Mentor-based companies expand their business interests to foreign markets around the globe through direct engagement and partnership arrangements with organizations dedicated to economic development and international trade.
We are pleased to announce the latest partnership with the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University’s Small Business Development Center’s Export Assistance Network (EAN).
“The Export Assistance Network provides export resources to businesses in 15 counties in Northern Ohio. Their staff of trade counselors have worked with a wide variety of Ohio manufacturers,” says Kevin Malecek, Mentor Director of Economic Development and International Trade, “They bring practical experience as well as a depth and breadth of knowledge that will benefit Mentor companies.”
The goal is to maximize MITI’s capabilities and fully leverage the expertise and resources that the EAN provides, particularly as it relates to what are considered small-to-medium businesses.
“Many of Mentor’s manufacturers are primed and ready to access international markets, and the Export Assistance Network can provide them with the tools and guidance necessary to work around any barriers and challenges to expand their reach and boost profits,” says Ken Filipiak, Mentor City Manager.
As a part of the program, contact hours by appointment will be established at the Mentor Municipal Center as well as in-person appointments at corporate locations.
EAN will also participate in MITI hosted professional training events and seminars on a regular basis by lending their expertise on topics related to international trade.
Over the past several years, the Mentor International Trade Initiative has conducted foreign trade missions to the United Kingdom and Germany and has carried Mentor’s message to major international trade fairs in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and med-tech sectors. The group has also hosted trade contingents from the UK, Germany, Spain, and Croatia; and more recently, hosted a virtual trade conference that was attended by over 30 participating companies worldwide.
The EAN will serve as a valued partner in upcoming trade missions and assist in the City’s efforts to continue to attract direct foreign investment to our community.
“We’re looking forward to deepening our relationship with the businesses of Mentor so they can continue receiving every advantage when it comes to global competitiveness,” says Nate Ward, Director at the EAN. “Our close relationship with the state, federal, and regional export resources means that Mentor’s companies can depend on us to steer them towards the right partners that reduce their costs, get them to market quicker, and up to speed with the industry’s best practices in global trade.”
Learn more about the Mentor International Trade Initiative at www.mentormeansbusiness.com