COD's International Trade Center Manager Brings ExporTech to Illinois

Local companies are gaining the knowledge to create strong export plans through ExporTech, a national assistance program offered for the first time in Illinois thanks to Zach Person, Program Manager of the College of DuPage SBDC International Trade Center and Metro Chicago Exports.

COD's Person spearheaded the effort and currently serves as a coach and content expert for the program. The three-month pilot workshop, which began in May at the Choose DuPage office in Lisle, combines hands-on work, individualized attention and expert advice to help businesses identify their target markets and proactively reach customers in the global marketplace.

"If companies don't know where to look for this help, they won't find it on their own," Person said. "From start-ups to multi-million dollar companies, this structure combined with the right expertise at the right time is critical. ExporTech partners with all of these important players and brings them into one room."

ExporTech, which is offered in more than 30 states, helps companies enter or expand into global markets and is jointly offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the U.S. Export Assistance Centers of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Person worked with Metro Chicago Exports to bring the program to Illinois, and other collaborators include the Illinois Department of Commerce and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center.

"It's a process of bringing the local economic development 'village' together because it takes a village to bring a great export plan to life," Person said. "Everyone in the room is an extremely smart and savvy business person. One of our main goals is to create a professional cohort of like-minded professionals, because in life and in business, we solve problems together."

Through the SBDC International Trade Center at College of DuPage, which is part of the Center for Entrepreneurship, businesses receive specialized assistance and expert advice that supports export readiness and cross-border business development. The ExporTech program will be offered two to three times each year.

"By helping to fund this SBDC International Trade Center, College of DuPage is thereby helping to bring ExporTech to Illinois," Person said. "Being an advocate inside the SBDC International Trade Center network was an important part of bringing ExporTech to Illinois."

Person earned bachelor's degrees in German Studies and International Marketing from Michigan State University and has spent his career helping companies expand into markets across the world.

"DuPage County has many companies with export potential," he said. "ExporTech in conjunction with the local export development 'village' is a proven system and companies that have leveraged this program have increased their business significantly. The goal of the program drives toward an actionable, tailor-made export plan for each company, combined with a professional support network to help make the plan a reality. Most of the exported products are manufactured locally, so this translates into economic impact for the region as a whole, creating a win-win situation."

The program is grant-funded and each company pays a fee. Scholarships may be available. For more information, contact Person at personz@cod.edu or call (630) 942-3041. For information about ExporTech, visit www.exportech.org.