
Alabama trade mission to South Africa targets business opportunities
Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield is leading a trade and business development mission to South Africa and Tanzania that will permit Alabama businesses to explore partnership and export opportunities in a fast-growing region. Representatives from six Alabama companies joined Secretary Canfield and international trade specialists from around the state on the 10-day mission that officially kicked…

Condoleezza Rice to address SEUS Japan 38 joint forum in Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the 66th U.S. Secretary of State, will deliver the keynote address at a November joint meeting of groups that seek to promote trade, investment and cultural exchange between seven Southeastern states and Japan. Dr. Rice, a Birmingham native who served as the chief U.S. diplomat from 2005 to 2009…

TPA fast track would remove trade barriers, expand Alabama exports
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama’s economy stands to gain investment and jobs if new trade agreements with Asian and European countries go into effect, but the fate of those treaties is caught up in the contentious debate over whether President Obama should be given fast-track authority to negotiate deals. The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved…

Dominican trade mission showcases Alabama seaport expansions
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Mobile’s expanding seaport is being positioned as a prime new commercial gateway for Dominican shippers during a trade mission led by the Alabama Department of Commerce to the Caribbean nation this week. Denson White, director of APM Terminals at the Port of Mobile, said maritime companies in the Dominican Republic…

Alabama launches Dominican Republic trade mission
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – An Alabama delegation led by Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield arrives in the Dominican Republic today on a four-day trade and business development mission that focuses on ports, education and tourism. This week’s trade mission follows a visit last year by the Dominican Trade Facilitation Group to Alabama, where the group received a…

Regions Financial CEO Grayson Hall to chair SEUS Japan joint forum
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Grayson Hall, who leads Alabama’s only Fortune 500 company, has been named the 2015-16 private sector chairman for the Southeast U.S.-Japan Association as the group prepares for a joint meeting in Alabama with its Japanese counterpart. Hall, who serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Regions Financial Corp., will lead…

Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards honors export success
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Robert Bentley today honored eight homegrown companies with Trade Excellence Awards for their accomplishments in exporting Alabama-made products and services to customers around the globe, reflecting a key priority of his administration’s economic growth strategy. The companies receiving the award at a ceremony this morning in the Old House Chamber at the state Capitol demonstrate capabilities…

Alabama exports climb to near record in 2014
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama exports climbed in 2014 to a near-record level, powered by shipments of Alabama-made automobiles to almost 100 countries, as well as rising overseas sales of products such as industrial machines, plastics, and iron and steel. Alabama’s exports totaled $19.518 billion last year, a gain of nearly 1.2 percent from 2013’s figure,…

Alabama, Peru strengthen economic ties with agreement
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — A trade memorandum signed today will strengthen economic ties between Alabama and Peru, setting the stage for increased cooperation between the state and the South American nation. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Peru’s Ambassador to the United States, Harold Forsyth, formalized the agreement when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during a…

Alabama trade mission shifts focus to building ties in Uruguay
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield met with high-level officials in Uruguay’s capital Thursday to discuss ways to advance mutually beneficial opportunities as an Alabama trade and business development mission moved into its final phase. Secretary Canfield, who is leading an Alabama delegation that includes eight businesses, said Thursday’s talks in Montevideo were…


