News

Marsha E. Berry joined the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) as vice president of communications this week, where she will oversee Ex-Im Bank's communications, media relations, event coordination and other outreach activities. Berry comes to Ex-Im Bank from the White House where she served as deputy assistant to President Clinton and director of communications for the First Lady.

Marsha Berry's superb management and communications skills will be invaluable in carrying out Ex-Im Bank's mission of increasing export sales by US companies, including small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses and companies in rural, inner city and other underserved markets, said Ex-Im Bank Chairman James A. Harmon.

We want to raise people's knowledge of Ex-Im Bank and the resources it offers to US exporters to compete in emerging markets around the world, Berry said. This education process extends to emerging markets around the world. In my travels in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions, for example, I've been impressed with the strong entrepreneurial skills of extremely small, women-owned businesses. Ex-Im Bank financing can enable such firms to buy US products and in the process support economic and job growth at home and abroad.

Prior to her White House post, Berry worked as media liaison for the Senate Appropriations Committee, and before that as communications director for the Senate Democratic Policy Committee. She holds a bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Vermont.

Ex-Im Bank is an independent US government agency that helps finance the sale of US exports primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing loans, guarantees, and insurance. Ex-Im Bank supported nearly $17 billion in exports in the 1999 fiscal year.