Remarks by Under Secretary Marisa Lago at the 2024 Reservation Economic Summit

Las Vegas, Nevada
March 13, 2024

As Delivered

Under Secretary Lago: Hello, I’m Marisa Lago. I am the Under Secretary of the Department of Commerce for International Trade and have had the extreme pleasure of working with Erin [Abrahamson] most recently when we were on a diversity-focused trade mission in Johannesburg, South Africa and Accra, Ghana.

Erin Abrahamson: For those in our audience who are not familiar with ITA, please tell us what your agency does and how you help businesses sell into foreign markets.  

Under Secretary Lago: If you are a business of any size, starting with the micro all the way on up to large businesses, you want to know about the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. We are a group of about 2,000 trade and export professionals, and we’re not just located in Washington, DC. We have offices in over 100 locations across the United States, and it’s not just in the big coastal cities — it is across the United States, including right here in Las Vegas.

But what I’m particularly proud of is that, when I started two years ago, we had only one U.S. Export Assistance Center that was focused on rural communities. Today, we have eight. And they are located in communities from Midland, Texas to Charleston, West Virginia to here in Las Vegas, Nevada.

These U.S. Export Assistance Centers, which are charged with knowing the local business communities — who are the businesses that are ready to export — they are teamed up with members of my team in over 80 foreign markets. And so they can make the connections between your local businesses and opportunities globally.

So, what we do is break down the exporting process, which can be pretty challenging if you haven’t done it before, to the basics. We provide training about international regulations. We provide information about the logistics of getting your goods and services overseas. And importantly, we provide business-to-business matchmaking, identifying who are the reputable potential customers and partners in overseas markets.

Now, a very important part of what we do: 85 percent of our clients are micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises. And so, if there’s one thing that you take away from our conversation, it is — head to trade.gov, which is a wealth of information and can get you in touch with these trade professionals.

Erin Abrahamson: It’s been almost a year since the National Center signed its Strategic Partnership with ITA. Since then, we’ve collaborated with your offices across the country to promote exports, and we attended the GDEI trade mission to Africa. Tell us what ITA is doing in 2024 to increase awareness about global opportunities.

Under Secretary Lago: Well, it was such a pleasure and privilege to sign a Strategic Partnership last year with Chris James, President and CEO of the National Center.

The goal of the partnership is, one, to boost exports from Indian Country, but equally to attract foreign direct investment into Native American communities.

Let’s make it real: there are three specific initiatives that I’d note.  

The first is ExporTech. This is an 11-week intensive program that provides individualized coaching to allow small businesses to rapidly scale up their exports. At the end of these 11 weeks, these businesses will have an actionable business plan.  

And what I’m so pleased by this year is the first time that the National Center’s Export Center is helping us recruit Native American businesses. It is a hugely competitive program. The applications end on the first of July. And so, again, go to trade.gov, reach out to Erin and her team to find out more.

The second is our Global Diversity Export Initiative. We are laser-focused on historically underserved communities that have been left out of the opportunities for trade. It of course includes Native American communities, but [also] racial and ethnic minorities, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by members of the LGBTQ+ community.  

And we engage in tailored trade missions. As we speak right now, a member of my team is with 60 women-owned businesses engaging in business matchmaking in Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia.

As we speak, the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, is with a host of U.S. businesses in both the Philippines and Thailand.

The third piece of the way we’re collaborating is happening right here as part of [the Reservation Economic Summit]. And it is Building Bridges to Global Markets. We realize that we have a lot of trade pros back in Washington, DC, but we need to meet business where they are.

And so, we send our trade pros out to historically underserved communities. And we provide expertise on how do you access capital, how do you manage risks, how do you get intelligence about foreign markets.  

And what’s exciting is that, this afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Verona room, there will be three different expert panels. And so, if you make your way there, you can learn so much more about the export opportunities.

Erin Abrahamson: As someone who has traveled all over the world, and who leads an agency with the word “International” in it, what do you want Native American businesses to know about when they are venturing into the international marketplace?  

Under Secretary Lago: I think there are two key messages, Erin. The first is: you are not alone. If you haven’t exported, it can be daunting — different languages, different cultures, different business practices. But there is a wealth of resources available to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises at the federal level, at the state level, at the local level, and through nonprofits like the National Center.

What I would also note though, the second message is that the opportunity is huge. 95 percent of the world’s purchasing power is outside of the United States, so if you have a business that is making it here, think about the opportunities elsewhere. The internet and modern logistics actually make exporting more viable than ever.

And once again, you can tap into the information through your local U.S. Export Assistance Center — again, over 100 locations and also at trade.gov.

Erin Abrahamson: I understand you would like to recognize three entities with certificates from ITA for their work in promoting exports. Could you please tell us who they are before we invite them to join us on the stage?

Under Secretary Lago: That is exactly the role of Strategic Partnerships. While government with its resources has many of the tools, we know how important it is to meet businesses where they are. And so, for me, the most important part of the presentation that we are doing here is recognizing three particular partners.

We are giving out a certificate of appreciation to two absolutely indispensable partners. It actually starts with the Export Center at the National Center, and it is led by JoAn Begay Notah. She, through the Export Center at the National Center, provides this broad array of export education programs across Indian Country.  

And as you mentioned Erin, it is that first line of contact with businesses that might find it a little bit daunting to approach the federal government. And you, through your relationships, are that window into the federal government — but also, as you saw following your trip, into governments and business communities across the globe. So JoAn, thank you so much.

We’re fortunate in having another Strategic Partner here. And this is for the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, represented by their CEO Sherry Rupert. We are so fortunate to be able to tap into the organization’s expertise in promoting international tourism into these communities.  

When people think about exports, it’s easy to think about goods. It’s easy to think about technology services. But one of the U.S.’s primary exports that creates so many jobs in the U.S. is international travel and tourism. And Sherry, you and your organization are just the model of how to create jobs and to serve your community.

We have a special third award recipient, because it is about these nonprofit organizations that are doing the work, but ultimately the work of exporting is about the businesses themselves. And so, we are going to be giving an Export Achievement Certificate to the Cornsilk Company, represented by its CEO Janice Patton.

So, a little bit about Cornsilk. Cornsilk has been exporting hardware and software services since 2008.  

Not being satisfied with running just that company, Janice Patton went out, and in 2022 she acquired an industrial parts distribution business, which is called World Parts.

Janice and her companies export to six countries on four continents. Now, if we go back to 2020, she was already having 70 percent of her overall sales through exports. By 2022, she was up to 85 percent of her sales.

Cornsilk was recognized in 2023 by receiving the Oklahoma Governor’s Award for Excellence in Exporting. And we are now taking it from Oklahoma to the national stage, because Janice and Cornsilk are receiving the Department of Commerce’s Export Achievement Certificate.

And if I might just add that Janice has just come back from Panama. She was part of our women-focused trade mission through Latin America and chose to fly back to participate in RES. We so appreciate it, thank you.