Under Secretary Lago Travels to San Antonio to Support Minority-Owned Export Businesses, Travel and Tourism Industries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2023
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Email: publicaffairs@trade.gov
Phone: (202) 482-3809
WASHINGTON – Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Marisa Lago, will visit San Antonio, Texas, on Friday, July 21, where she will present Export Achievement Awards to three local minority-owned businesses as part of the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Global Diversity Export Initiative (GDEI). She will also meet with underserved businesses, industry stakeholders, and municipal leaders to discuss efforts to promote trade, clean energy technologies, travel and tourism, advancing priorities highlighted in the 2023 National Export Strategy.
“I’m thrilled to travel to San Antonio – a culturally rich and globally competitive city with a thriving small and minority-owned business community,” said Under Secretary Lago. “My visit reinforces the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in and creating good-paying jobs and delivering sustainable economic growth that benefits all Americans.”
Under Secretary Lago will present Export Achievement Awards to three local exporting businesses for their efforts to advance a more resilient, healthier and cleaner energy economy that benefits the environment, the workforce and American families. They include:
- Knight Aerospace, a small, Hispanic and women-owned business based in San Antonio, Texas, with products deployed in over 37 countries, is the world’s leading provider of cutting-edge products and airworthy solutions that transform U.S. and allied military aircraft missions and offer life-saving advantages in moments of crisis and urgency.
- J. Canavati & Co. LLC, a Hispanic-owned international trade and consulting firm, dedicated to the development of international and domestic logistics and supply chain solutions.
- Better Emissions, a Hispanic-owned manufacturer of clean fuel enhancement technology, serves the agribusiness, automotive, construction, energy and transportation sectors.
Under Secretary Lago will visit innovative aerospace and clean technology facilities to learn more about local export operations. She will also lead an international trade discussion focused on addressing industry-specific challenges faced by small and minority-owned businesses. Participants will include the City of San Antonio – Small Business Economic Development Advocacy Program, the Texas Camino Real District Export Council, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the Minority Business Development Agency, Port San Antonio and the Texas Chapter of Women in Robotics, minority-serving institutions and other community stakeholders.
Under Secretary Lago will then visit the Port of San Antonio and meet with Port officials about their efforts to advance STEM education to support underserved communities through collaboration with industry partners. She will also meet with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other municipal and tourism officials to discuss collaboration with ITA’s U.S. Commercial Service to increase economic development through the advancement of a Sister City relationship with Baguio, Philippines, and the establishment of new direct domestic and international flights as part of the airport terminal expansion project.
About the International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. Operating in more than 100 U.S. locations and 80 markets worldwide, ITA promotes trade and investment, assists U.S. businesses and workers to export and expand globally, and ensures fair trade and compliance by enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements. For more information on ITA, visit www.trade.gov.
