Press Release
U.S. Commerce Department Announces Seventh Americas Competitiveness Exchange
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
March 27, 2017
Senior Officials from Across the Western Hemisphere and other Nations to Visit Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs throughout Central Texas
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and Economic Development Administration (EDA), in coordination with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the U.S. Department of State, today announced that 51 high-level representatives from 27 countries will participate in the Seventh Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, April 2-7, visiting sites in central Texas. ACE brings together decision-makers from throughout the Western Hemisphere and other nations to explore global and regional partnerships and economic development opportunities that will strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.
The delegation will tour advanced manufacturing, bioscience, cybersecurity, life sciences, rural healthcare, disaster recovery and resiliency, IT, and agriculture clusters in cities ranging from small towns like New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, and San Marcos to major metropolitan areas like San Antonio, College Station, and Austin.
“ACE is a proven vehicle for showcasing the incredible innovation capacity of U.S. regions and for establishing global commercial relationships and Foreign Direct investment (FDI) partnerships that can boost business development and job growth in the United States,” said Dennis Alvord, EDA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs. “We look forward to spotlighting the great work being done to advance the innovation economy in Central Texas and the work that the Department of Commerce is doing in the region to support their efforts.”
“Since its inception in 2014, ACE has become the premier vehicle of fostering development and collaboration across the Western Hemisphere,” said ITA John Andersen, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere. “ACE has been consistently successful and has a proven track record of producing mutually beneficial collaborations on innovation, entrepreneurship, strategic investments and public-private partnerships that contribute to the economic development at the local, national and regional levels in the United States as well as in the Americas. We plan to bring the same achievement to the Central Texas region.”
For more information about ACE VII including a complete delegation list and itinerary for the tour, please visit: http://www.riacevents.org/ace/texas/.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
International Trade Administration (www.trade.gov)
The International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. ITA has more than 2,200 employees assisting U.S. exporters in more than 100 U.S. cities and 75 markets worldwide.