U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY ANNOUNCES
CAFTA TRADE MISSION DELEGATION
October 5,
2005
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WASHINGTOND.C. - U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced executives from 18 U.S. businesses will join him on a trade mission to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador October-15-22, 2005. This is the first trade mission to the region since the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) was signed by President Bush in August.
“These companies all have one thing in common: They recognize opportunity in Central America, and they are eager to begin doing business in those markets,” Gutierrez said. “Their interest will mean more investment, more trade, and eventually more new jobs in the United States and in Central America.”
The business executives participating in the mission are from large corporations as well as small businesses. They employ as many as several thousand people and as few as 20 and represent industries as diverse as energy, automotive, textiles and medical devices.
The mission will include three stops: Guatemala City, Guatemala; San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and San Salvador, El Salvador. In each city, participants will meet with key government and business representatives, Chambers of Commerce and industry, trade associations, and potential business partners.
CAFTA-DR reduces trade barriers between America and Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. It creates the second-largest export market in Latin America for U.S. goods, and the tenth largest market in the world. More than 80 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial goods will become duty-free in Central America immediately .
The U.S. Congress approved the CAFTA-DR in July 2005, and the President signed it into law on August 2, 2005 . The CAFTA-DR agreement has been approved by the legislatures in El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras and the Dominican Republic . Approval is pending in Costa Rica , and Nicaragua . The trade agreement will enter into force on a date to be agreed upon among the countries.
List of CAFTA-DR Trade Mission Delegation is attached. For more information on this mission, visit http://www.buyusa.gov/centralamerica/en/.
Official Business Delegation for Business Development
Mission to Central America
Led by Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez
Company and Applicant |
Industry |
Alice Mills Inc., Darien CT
Mr. Bradley S. Wurst, President |
Textiles |
American Textile Machinery Association, Falls Church , VA
Mr. Joseph A. Okey, Jr., Chairman
President and Owner, American Monforts, LLC,
Charlotte , NC |
Textiles |
Baxter Healthcare, Inc. , Ft. Lauderdale , FL
Mr. Angel Rodriguez, Vice President, Northern Latin America |
Medical Devices |
Bentley Systems, Incorporated , Exton , PA
Dr. Alfredo Castrejon, Vice President, Latin America |
Software |
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association , Philadelphia , PA
Mr. Michael Cardone, Jr., Chairman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CARDONE Industries, Inc. , Philadelphia , PA |
Automotive |
Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging , Athens , GA
Mr. Robert R. Fowler, III, Chairman Emeritus, Main Street Bank |
Telemedicine and Agriculture |
Eastman Chemical Company , Kingsport , TN
Mr. Jorge San Pedro, Director, International Trade |
Chemicals & Plastics |
Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. , Rochester Hills , MI
Mrs. Nancy M. Bacon, Senior Vice President |
Solar Technology |
Energy International, Inc. , Miami , FL
Mr. James J. Shannon, Vice President, Operations |
Engineering, Procurement & Construction / Power Plants |
FBM Trading Co., Inc. , Fort Worth , TX
Mr. Floyd McKneely, Chief Executive Officer |
Automotive |
Ford Motor Company , Dearborn , MI
Mr. Stephen E. Biegun, Vice President, International Government Affairs |
Automotive |
HACH Company , Loveland , CO
Mr. Hermes Gonzalez, Director, International Sales |
Environmental Technologies |
Hewlett-Packard Company , Palo Alto , CA
Mr. Edgardo Torres-Caballero, Government Affairs Manager Central America , Caribbean and Puerto Rico |
Information Technology |
K&M Group of Companies , McLean , VA
Mr. Michael H. Kappaz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Project Management |
S&C Electric Company , Chicago , IL
Mr. Rigoberto Castanon, General Manager |
Electrical Power |
Sabre Holdings Corporation , Southlake , TX
Mr. Bruce Charendoff, Senior Vice President |
Travel & Tourism |
Stryker Corporation , Miramar , FL
Mr. Claudio Cury, Business Development Manager |
Medical Devices |
The Shaw Group , Denver , CO
Mr. Jay Dick, Senior Program Manager, Latin America Development |
Infrastructure Development & Energy |
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