Export-Import Bank of the United States Chair Reta Jo Lewis Tours Silicon Valley
WASHINGTON – Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis visited Silicon Valley this week where she met with local business leaders and elected officials and toured several companies.
Chair Lewis kicked off her trip Monday visiting the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the first-ever Chair-level EXIM visit for the organization. During the meeting, Chair Lewis highlighted EXIM’s financing capabilities and worked to explore potential avenues where EXIM support could be leveraged in transformational export areas. Following the meeting at DIU, Chair Lewis met with executives at Softbank to discuss EXIM key priorities and work to identify mutually beneficial opportunities. Chair Lewis closed out her first day in Silicon Valley participating in a fireside chat and roundtable with Quad Investors Network Chairman Karl Mehta which was also hosted by members of TiE. During the event, she spoke with a group of business leaders and innovators about critical and emerging technologies and the EXIM programs, such as CTEP and Make More in America, that have been designed to support them. The event ended with Chair Lewis hearing from some of the participants about the ways in which EXIM could further support transformational export areas.
On Tuesday, Chair Lewis, with Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, hosted a Gamechanger Roundtable with area business and community leaders. EXIM shared with them ways EXIM financing can support the region before hearing from business leaders about potential opportunities. Following the roundtable, Chair Lewis toured Nextracker, a leading industry supplier of solar module tracking solutions and one of the leading suppliers on EXIM’s recent $900 million Angola transaction – the Bank’s biggest renewable deal of 2023 which supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and an estimated 1,600 American jobs. While at Nextracker, Chair Lewis met with Nextracker senior leadership to discuss the future of American manufacturing in solar and renewable energies.
“EXIM is more dedicated than ever to expanding our support of American manufacturers,” said Chair Lewis. “With this visit to Silicon Valley, one of the largest innovation and manufacturing hubs in the country, we are further demonstrating our commitment to reshoring the U.S. supply chain and bolstering the domestic workforce with EXIM’s goods and services.”
Chair Lewis ended her time in Silicon Valley at Lam Research, an innovator in the semiconductor industry, meeting with senior staff members to discuss EXIM’s Make More in America initiative and other programs. The group also discussed areas for potential cooperation and shared priorities, which include strengthening the American supply chain. Following the conversation, Chair Lewis toured the Lam Research facility.
“Lam Research appreciates the critical role EXIM Bank plays in strengthening U.S. competitiveness and is especially encouraged by Chair Lewis’ leadership in supporting a resilient semiconductor supply chain,” said Darcy Price, Managing Director, Global Trade, Lam Research.
The tour of northern California ended in the state’s capital, Sacramento, with Chair Lewis attending the California Manufacturers and Technology Association’s (CMTA) board meeting. During the meeting Chair Lewis delivered a keynote address and the EXIM team provided the CMTA members with an EXIM overview, emphasizing how EXIM supports manufacturers and discussing the products EXIM offers for the industry. Following the meeting, Chair Lewis attended a CMTA-hosted reception which featured several state legislators and high-level business leaders.
ABOUT EXIM:
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov.
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