EXIM Bank Announces Small Business Award Winners
Washington, D.C. - In recognition of exemplary contributions to America's small business exports, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) today announced the recipients of its small business awards for exporter, lender, broker, new broker, and members of EXIM's Regional Export Promotion Program (REPP). The awards will be presented at EXIM's 2019 Annual Conference, being held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on March 28-29. The awards ceremony will take place at the luncheon on Friday, March 29.
"Expanding small business exports is critical to our nation's economic prosperity and to growing jobs in America. EXIM is honored to recognize this outstanding customer and these trade professionals who are committed to our mission of increasing American jobs through exports," said EXIM Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Goettman.
The winners of this year's small business awards are:
Exporter of the Year: Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods (Milwaukie, Oregon) uses EXIM's export credit insurance to export its nutritious products that are shipped to more than 60 countries.
Broker of the Year: Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd. (Edina, Minnesota) is a top EXIM broker-receiving the bank's award for the fourth time-that brought in the greatest number of new-to-EXIM customers in 2018 and achieved one of the highest retention rates among brokers.
New Broker of the Year: Emelev LLC (Park Ridge, Illinois) founded by former EXIM employee Ursula Wegrzynowicz, is a woman-owned firm that provides trade finance, risk management, and advisory services to exporters in Illinois and surrounding states. The company achieved strong sales of the bank's insurance policies since becoming a registered EXIM broker last July.
Lender of the Year: The Huntington National Bank (Columbus, Ohio), is an active provider of EXIM-guaranteed working capital loans in support of small business exporters in the Midwest and beyond.
REPP Member of the Year: Alabama International Trade Center (AITC) at the University of Alabama helps the state's small businesses learn about EXIM products to realize global opportunities. In fiscal year 2018, AITC facilitated about $1.6 million in EXIM authorizations.
REPP Member of the Year: The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is Mississippi's leading economic and community development agency that assisted companies across the state through a trade-focused road show that enabled EXIM to provide export consultation to more than 150 small businesses.
ABOUT EXIM BANK:
EXIM Bank is an independent federal agency that provides competitive and necessary export credit to overseas purchasers of U.S. exports to promote and support American jobs. A robust and fully functioning EXIM Bank can assist the United States in leveling the global playing field for U.S. exporters when they compete against foreign companies that receive the support of their national export credit agencies. EXIM also contributes to U.S. economic growth and the support of more than a million jobs through the support of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) around the country. Since 2000, EXIM Bank has provided $14.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury after paying for all of its administrative and program expenses.