Plans Made To Establish Trade Group New Alliance Would Replace Defunct City Organization

Local and state business leaders plan to form a Spokane Regional International Trade Alliance.

The new organization will be launched formally on March 5 at a luncheon at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute.

Chairman John Wagner said the group will encourage increased development and awareness of international trade by building on existing relationships with local businesses and government as well as ties to West Coast ports and trade groups.

“It’s a regional focus,” he said. “We’ve received very good support from the ports.”

Mic Dinsmore, executive director of the Port of Seattle, will be guest speaker at the luncheon.

The alliance grew out of discussions in September which involved public officials and business people looking for a way to replace the international development office.

The city of Spokane closed that office at the end of the year for budget reasons. It had served as a clearinghouse for trade information and as a liaison with visiting foreign delegations and Spokane’s sister cities.

Wagner said the city has committed $60,000 to the alliance’s first-year budget. The county also is being asked for money, he said.

The Momentum economic development group has pledged $25,000, he said, but that funding is contingent on an equal degree of support from businesses in the area.

The total budget will be $160,000.

Wagner said organizers have been holding informational meetings with different business groups, exporters and non-exporters to explain the alliance’s mission and build support for the initiative.

He said an interim board of directors with about 12 members will run the alliance initially, with Karen Marshall acting director.

, DataTimes