Kansas has customers around the world

The following is a column by Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson:

In the past four years, we’ve seen our economy recover and rebound.

One of the reasons for our success has been an understanding that as a state, we’re not just competing with neighboring states for new jobs and industry – but we’re competing in a global marketplace, with opportunities and potential compensation all over the world.

That’s why our Department of Commerce has been forward-thinking in reaching out to investors not only in the U.S., but also Asia and Western Europe, to tell them our story about why Kansas is such a great place to do business.

As a result, companies from around the world are investing in Kansas, hiring Kansas workers and buying Kansas products.

Last year, Kansas businesses set a record 8.6 billion dollars in exports.

To further our outreach, I recently attended the 39th Annual Joint Meeting of the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association, as well as the Osaka International Investment Program. 

Japan is Kansas’ fifth-largest trade partner, purchasing nearly $370 million in Kansas goods in 2006 – a 42 percent increase from the previous year.

These events, attended by several hundred people, provide important opportunities to meet with Japanese business leaders and government officials with a goal of promoting what Kansas has to offer in areas such as aviation, agriculture, bioscience, and renewable energy. 

We also shared with them our interest in working together to rebuild the sales of Kansas beef in the Japanese market. 

Efforts such as this are critical to the state’s future success in the global market.  Face-to-face interaction is required to nurture those relationships and build the trust that is a vital part of doing business in Japan – and around the world.

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