The Kansas Department of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2018 Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award, which is presented to a single Kansas business for excellence in international trade and marketing. The winner will be announced in June 2018 during Business Appreciation Month.

Nominated companies will be evaluated on the totality of their international efforts. Qualifications include:

• Number or percentage increase in jobs due to international activities

• Innovations in global marketing

• Number of countries exported to

• Effective use of international distributors

• Long-range international strategies and prospects for future growth

• Commitment to the state and local community

• Foreign language promotional materials and general promotional activities

• Trade shows and/or international expositions

“It’s a vast world out there, which provides enormous opportunities for Kansas businesses to grow their business through exporting,” says Nick Jordan, interim Kansas commerce secretary. “Through this award, we want to honor those businesses that are contributing to our growing Kansas economy by making it big in international markets.”

The Governor’s Exporter of the Year receives:

• An invitation to attend the Team Kansas awards banquet in the spring, where top businesses from across the state are recognized.

• Statewide recognition of your business excellence.

• Use of the award to market your products.

• Membership in the Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council (KITCC).

• Increased networking opportunities.

• A site visit from the Governor to honor the company's management team and employees.

Kansas exporting is growing significantly.

Statistics from the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank’s October Kansas Databank states that Kansas exports grew 17.7% during the 2nd quarter of 2017 — compared to only 6.5% nationally. Kansas annual exports totaled $10.18 billion in 2016, which represents nearly 7% of Kansas GDP. Based on research recently conducted by Dr. Raffaele De Vito of Emporia State University, Kansas’ per capita exporting out-performed all surrounding states (by dividing total exports by state population), plus nearby states such as Arkansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. In fact, Dr. De Vito says, “When it comes to per capita export dollars, we out-performed 25 other states.”

Businesses can nominate themselves or be nominated by any other organization or individual. Visit kansascommerce.gov/exporter to learn more about the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award and to download nomination forms. The nomination deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 26.

Nominations can be emailed to April Chiang at [email protected] or mailed or faxed to:

Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council
c/o Kansas Department of Commerce, April Chiang
1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100
Topeka, KS  66612-1354
Fax: 785-296-3490

Source: Kansas Department of Commerce