Time flies when you’re having fun, and we at the World Trade Center Savannah have certainly had a lot of fun since our founding more than 10 years ago. 

WTCSav received its license from World Trade Centers Association  in October 2011 during a ceremony in São Paulo, Brazil. We instantly became a part of a global network of 300-plus World Trade Centers across the world  counting among their members thousands of international businesses focused on growing global trade.

Looking back over at what we have accomplished  —  the businesses we have worked with, international delegates and events we have hosted and the amazing people we have met along the way  —  has truly been rewarding.

One of our highlights each year is giving the World Trade Center Savannah International Business of the Year award, which acknowledges the importance of trade to our region’s economy and recognizes companies that excel in international trade.  We’ve honored both large and small businesses involved in sectors like manufacturing, distribution and services. 

Some are subsidiaries of international firms that have invested in coastal Georgia, while others are locally grown firms that have embraced growth through trade. Whatever their industry or origin, all have become an integral part of our region’s international fabric, and we’d like to once again offer congratulations to  Dorel Home Furnishings, Brodie International, Koyo Bearings, D.J. Powers Company, Savannah Bee Company, DIRTT Environmental Solutions, Gulfstream Aerospace, Alcoa Forgings, JCB North America and SNF.

We have also partnered many years with Georgia Power Co. for the Savannah Gateway Regional Showcase, bringing in representatives and businesses from other countries to our region to experience firsthand what we have to offer in the areas of business, partnerships, natural beauty, culture and music. Through this event, we have hosted guests from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Since day one we have focused on education, helping companies know the questions to ask and the experts who can help them as they explore and navigate the world of importing and exporting. We have hosted 133 Global Education Programs with 3,588 attendees. Most of these programs were in person, but we have also found the benefit in virtual offerings which can bring in speakers and attendees from literally everywhere.

One of my favorite programs was hosting then-U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny P e rdue, the former Georgia governor,along with his counterparts Lawrence MacAulay of Canada and Jose Eduardo Calzada Rovirosa of Mexico for a three-day summit titled “Partners for Agriculture in North America,” which began the talks about the future of NAFTA and the beginnings of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. 

In 2012 we received the Grant of Authority from the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve as the Grantee for the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone program (FTZ). Since then, FTZ 104 has grown to include 17 Southeast Georgia counties within our service area, with 50 companies gaining financial benefits allowing them to compete on the global stage while maintaining and growing jobs here in southeast Georgia. These companies range from suppliers and distributors to manufacturers, and from locally owned and regional businesses to multinational and big-box stores.

We have also helped develop the next generation of talent through our college internship program. Interns have the opportunity to work on research projects, marketing, assist with Global Education Programs, participate in board meetings and can see their work throughout everything we do. We recruit at colleges and universities in our region, attending career fairs and making presentations in classrooms. We also accept resumes from college students from any university. We have been fortunate to work with some very bright talent through this program and have hired two former interns and promoted job opportunities throughout the region which have helped to employ many more in the world of international business. We have had the pleasure of mentoring 102 students from 14 schools and from various countries.

One of our most fun and extensive research projects has been to identify target countries, giving our staff a clear path of focus for inbound and outbound recruiting of foreign investment and trade opportunities. The current target countries are a solid six: Canada, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Japan and the United Kingdom ,allowing WTCSav to cultivate deeper relationships that help us serve companies better.

While each target country is important, we have varying levels of activity with each, and they continually evolve and grow. One example is our relationship with Ireland and our formal partnership, called Tradebridge, with Enterprise Ireland and the counties of Wexford, Waterford, Carlow, Tipperary and Kilkenny. 

Just as the name implies, Tradebridge involves our team working with a team in Ireland solely focused on developing trade and investment between the southeast region of Georgia and the southeast region of Ireland. Its success has landed contracts between businesses from both countries as well as the North American headquarters of Raceix, an Irish marine technology company.

All these successes would have been impossible without so many people pitching in. These include the late Tommy Hester, chairman of Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA), who help shepherd the idea of a WTCSav, as well as Eric Johnson, who also served on the SEDA  board and on the exploratory committee developing our organizational structure, eventually becoming our inaugural WTCSav board of directors Chairman. 

Then there’s  Brynn Grant, former SEDA COO and VP of WTCSav who saw it from idea to concept to actuality and worked every day to ensure our success, as well as Scott Center, WTCSav Board president, who is currently serving on the World Trade Centers Association global board of directors for a second term and highlighting the work we do as well as the assets of this region.

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the support of our business and economic development partners. Every day we look forward to working side by side as they develop and execute their international business strategies. In particular, I would like to thank our Founding Investor — the City of Savannah — who believed in us from day one. And finally, we can’t forget the small yet amazing team and regional board of directors who guide and support WTCSav every step of the way.

Over the past 10 years,  we have been fortunate to be recognized twice by the World Trade Centers Association as one of the “most active” centers in the world. We plan on even more activity for the next decade, so come be a part of it with us. 

This commentary was written by Leigh Ryan, vice president of World Trade Center Savannah and Foreign-Trade Zone 104