Ever thought about going global with your business but wondered how it can be donefi

The answer may lie with the proposed World Trade Center in Utah -- whose goal is to help more small- and medium-sized Utah companies export overseas in order to generate more jobs at home.

And Utah County, home to nutraceutical direct sellers such as Nu Skin Enterprises and Tahitian Noni, can play a critical role in mentoring other companies on developing international business plans and understanding the rules of engagement in the global marketplace.

Leading the international push is Lew Cramer, a law graduate of BYU, who was appointed CEO of the World Trade Center by Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on Friday. The center will be located in downtown Salt Lake City.

Cramer, a former US West executive and current chair of the Global Affairs Council of the American Management Association, had helped lobby for support for UTOPIA and more federal funding for Orem city projects in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of the U.S. Department of State's International Communications and Information Policy Board.

Utah is no stranger to doing business overseas. Of a total of $6.1 billion exported in 2005, $325 million went to China -- the state's fifth largest partner, according to the 2006 Economic Report to the Governor. More than 1,500 Utah companies are already doing business overseas, according to the Governor's Office of International Trade and Diplomacy. That office annually assists between 100 and 150 companies set up global operations, including many from Utah County.

The center's role

"But the challenge is getting more small- and medium-sized companies in Utah to export. Many of them aren't ready for several reasons," Cramer said. "Some have an attitude deficit. Why should I ship to Pakistan when I can ship to Phoenixfi Going global can be messy because you have to export your product in a language other than English. But international trade makes good business sense and dollars because of the opportunities available. That's the goal of the World Trade Center -- to show them those benefits."

The proposed World Trade Center in Utah can play a pivotal role in the Rocky Mountain region because there aren't any between Denver and California, said Jack Sunderlage, chairman of the board for World Trade Center Utah. There are 58 World Trade Centers elsewhere in the United States.

By providing international trade education, resources and networking, the World Trade Center in Utah can help businesses establish bilateral trade ties in Mexico, Canada, India and China -- key markets Huntsman has identified in the past -- during the next three to five years.

Why exportfi

"Every $1 billion worth of exports creates about 22,500 jobs in the U.S. annually. Last year, Utah exported more than $6 billion. If we can bring those numbers up dramatically, jobs here will also increase dramatically," Cramer said. "That's one criteria I'll be judged on -- will our trade figures increase with the new World Trade Center in Utahfi"

Cramer says he hopes to tap local business groups statewide including the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce to identify Utah companies that are already doing business overseas and to get their expertise and membership in the World Trade Center Utah.

To that end, World Trade Center Utah is conducting a survey of about 100 companies statewide that have overseas operations in order to identify and meet the needs of Utah companies wanting to go global, Sunderlage said.

"There are lots of innovative companies in Utah with great technology and product, but they may not have the resources available to go global," he said.

The World Trade Center can provide translation services, trade education on tariffs, import taxes, cultural dos and don'ts, and the legal infrastructure of countries where Utah companies want to do business. It can organize and host overseas trade delegations, meetings, symposiums and bring in speakers with international trade expertise.

The trade group is now considering proposals from three developers for the construction of a 25-30 story, 450,000-square-foot Class A office building in downtown Salt Lake City. The building could house the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, the state Office of Economic Development, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce and other businesses.

Cramer's role

For Cramer, whose position as chief executive takes effect Sept. 12, the first order of duty will be to grow membership in Utah's World Trade Center. Members of World Trade Center Utah will be able to network with some 300 centers of the World Trade Center Association in more than 100 countries.

Cramer, who has many years of experience in the global telecommunications sector and in government, has the right credentials and passion for the job, Sunderlage said.

Cramer is managing director of Summit Ventures International Inc., a Washington, D.C., consultancy specializing in international business development, project financing, and advocacy issues for local and international companies. He had served as assistant secretary of commerce for international trade, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for science and electronics, and White House fellow with the U.S. Trade Representative during the administrations of former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.