Will 2011 be the year the U.S. economy turns the corner and begins creating jobs and reducing unemployment? Of course businesses, citizens and governments that have struggled through the recession are hoping for the best and want to see growth in revenues, investments and job creation.  When we look back we might point out a silver lining in the forced belt-tightening…after all it made everyone do more with less, take a closer look at the assets we have to work with, and to a certain extent, caused a more collaborative, creative approach toward the economic development of our region.

A renewed focus on international business and global logistics is a great example of how our region came together to assess our strengths, assets and how they might be leveraged to exploit opportunities.  Over a dozen private, public, nonprofit organizations and individuals recognized the growth potential for businesses in our region and began working collectively to elevate the importance of international business by establishing the International Trade Center at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC).  Local international business gurus at Neogen received the first-ever International Trade Award during LRCC’s Celebration of Regional Growth event for their impressive global presence and local growth.

Successful leaders have a global mindset and think beyond our borders.  International business is a proven growth strategy that companies, regions and states have adopted as a cornerstone of successful economic development activities. Miami, Norfolk, Long Beach, Houston, New Orleans and New York are well-known international hubs due to their geographic location and proximity to seaports that are undeniably the gateways to United States and global commerce.

But what about Louisville, Kentucky or Memphis, Tennessee? North American hubs for UPS and FedEx, respectively.  And who would guess that Columbus, Ohio would be one of the country’s leading air cargo operations at Port Columbus and Rickenbacker Airport?

Leaders in these communities like ours—that were not blessed with natural seaports—had to develop a shared vision and work collectively to develop the necessary infrastructure, attract public and private investment, and grow their global logistics capacity and capabilities to become recognized for their important position as global logistics hubs.

To facilitate future growth for Greater Lansing and the state of Michigan, the Capital Region Airport Authority has developed the infrastructure, facilities, programs and staffing that have positioned Port Lansing as a Global Logistics Centre.  With all this in place, the challenge now is to get the word out and get businesses to ship their international freight through Port Lansing.

On November 10, 2010, Port Lansing held its first Global Logistics Conference at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. The event was attended by nearly 120 people—private businesses shipping internationally, logistics service providers and legal experts, international bankers—including the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. and conference sponsor Citizens Bank.

Additionally, comments were made by local officials, MSU faculty, economic development and community leaders, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, with closing comments provided by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow regarding the United States government’s efforts to grow exports and how Port Lansing plays an essential role in facilitating international trade.

MSU professor David Closs, Melissa Roy from the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and Kevin Smith of Sandler & Travis Trade Advisors explained that Michigan could create as many as 66,000 jobs over the next 10 years if we work collaboratively throughout the state to leverage assets we have in place, and make a concerted effort to establish Michigan as a global supply chain hub.

Attendees also heard about the benefits and challenges of going global from veteran international businessmen including keynote speaker John Sztykiel, CEO of Spartan Motors; publisher of The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Chris Holman; and Lansing’s “expert exporter” Joe Badra of ICCS, among others. In addition to hearing major mistakes to avoid when doing business around the globe, attendees were told that international business isn’t easy, but it’s something a company must do in this global economy in order to grow to the next level.

Those of us involved in the conference were pleased to have increased awareness about Port Lansing and the economic growth potential that could be achieved by supporting the development of Port Lansing. Companies also learned how to utilize this asset and save time and money. Equally important, we took another opportunity to encourage Michigan business leaders to expand their level of global commerce and do it right here in the Greater Lansing area. Public and private sector involvement and use of Port Lansing will drive economic growth for the region, as a logistics ecosystem evolves right here in our backyard.

Unfortunately none of us is too good at predicting what 2011 holds for us. That’s why leadership in Greater Lansing continues to take the necessary actions to position our region for economic growth by developing key assets and encouraging businesses to step outside their comfort zones and grow globally.

To learn more about the inaugural Port Lansing Global Logistics Conference, global logistics and international business resources available in our region, visit www.portlansing.com or call 517-886-3716.

		Brent Case is the director of Foreign Trade Zone No. 275 and international market development at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Case works with the Capital Region Airport Authority to increase the amount of global commerce being conducted in the Greater Lansing area.