Ultimately, it was a discussion of what's best for Colorado businesses, but at "The Importance of International Trade," speakers and attendees took the conversation to several important topics including economics, diversity and inclusion, workforce education, defense and peace. This roundtable discussion, held at Denver International Airport (DEN) on December 6, 2016, featured remarks from Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Stéphane Lessard, Canada's Consul General in Denver, as well as several distinguished partners and panelists. This event was brought to the Colorado business community with City and County of Denver, Denver International Airport and Colorado Business Roundtable (COBRT).
Remarks by Mayor Michael B. Hancock not only included his vision and goals for Denver but an excellent look to the past. Denver has long been positioning itself on the global stage, with continuous support from the City and County of Denver and a history of innovative mayors such as Federico Peña, Wellington Webb and Gov. John Hickenlooper.
We had a strong showing across industries from energy to agriculture. Our event partners brought expert advice and perspectives. Dan Haley, President of Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA), discussed the importance of finding new markets for Colorado producers of crude oil and natural gas. Jeff Campos, President of Global Chamber in Denver, discussed the bold opportunities afforded to our businesses through the central location of Colorado and our global connections available through Denver International Airport. Karen Gerwitz, President of World Trade Center Denver, said that international trade is her favorite topic, especially when sharing such encouraging news about job creation -- exporting has brought 100,000 jobs to Colorado, for example.
Next to take the podium was Stéphane Lessard, Consul General of Canada in Denver. We were honored to hear from Mr. Lessard, especially as he discussed the upcoming celebrations for Canada's 150th Anniversary of Confederation. He reminded us of the immeasurable value of a strong and neighborly border as well as the measurable value of trade between our nations. "Canada is the #1 customer of the United States," said Mr. Lessard.
The final part of this event, "The Importance of International Trade," brought together experts with diverse professional yet similar goals about maximizing the opportunities of international trade for Colorado businesses. It included formal remarks but also some candid discussion about how national politics affects the entire planet as well as our own backyard businesses. Panelists included:
--Abdul Sesay, International Business Development Manager at Denver Office of Economic Development - City of Denver Office of Economic Development
--Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice President of Colorado Farm Bureau
--Tyler Rauert, Associate at Messner Reeves LLP and Board Member, World Trade Center Denver
Other partners included Chamber of the Americas and Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI).
Thank you to all of our attendees, partners and interested media for bringing this timely and necessary continued discussion to our state and city.
Photos by ICOSA Media
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