Mission emphasizes export growth, investment opportunities, renewed ties
ST. PAUL, MN - Thirty-six delegates representing Minnesota businesses, the state's agriculture industry, and education institutions will accompany Governor Mark Dayton on a trade mission to Mexico City and Guadalajara, beginning August 9, 2015. Governor Dayton will also be accompanied by Alberto Fierro, Consul of Mexico in St. Paul. During their visit, the delegation will meet with high-ranking Mexican business leaders and government officials, explore trade and investment opportunities, and renew common ties between Mexico and Minnesota.
"As Minnesota's second-largest export market, Mexico is a very important trading partner for businesses and farmers throughout our state," Governor Dayton said. "The goal of this trade mission will be to establish and build relationships that will help Minnesota companies and producers increase their exports to Mexico, and in doing so, create more jobs here at home."
Throughout the trade mission, Governor Dayton and members of Minnesota's trade delegation will:
- Introduce Minnesota companies to opportunities in the Mexican market
- Showcase investment opportunities in Minnesota
- Grow our state's exports to Mexico,
- Strengthen ties in government, commerce, education, and culture
"Mexico was Minnesota's 11th-largest export market in 2000, the year of the last Minnesota trade mission to this market," said Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. "Today, Mexico is our second-largest export market with $2.2 billion in manufactured goods in 2014. Governor Dayton's trade mission will open doors to tremendous new export opportunities and work to attract new investment to Minnesota, which will further develop the close relationship between our two economies."
Sales to Mexico accounted for 10 percent of Minnesota's total exports in 2014, and exports to Mexico grew by 52 percent between 2013 and 2014 alone. Minnesota's manufactured exports to Mexico are concentrated in: machinery ($374 million), electrical machinery ($313 million), processed foods ($276 million), vehicles ($289 million), plastics ($121 million), iron and steel products ($108 million)
In 2014, Minnesota sold just under $592 million worth of food to Mexico, up more than 77 percent from the prior year.
Minnesota manufacturers and companies doing business in Mexico include Emerson, 3M, H.B. Fuller, Donaldson, Pentair, St. Jude Medical, Medtronic, Banner Engineering, Ecolab, Valspar, Best Buy, Cargill, C.H. Robinson, Dairy Queen, Fastenal and Snap Fitness.
During the trade mission, Governor Dayton and the delegation will tour a distribution facility of Boston Scientific, and visit a Best Buy signature store in Mexico City, Guadalajara Software Center and soy oil processing facility AGYDSA.
The 36 delegates to the mission to Mexico are:
Cristine Almeida, President and CEO, Almeida Public Affairs, St. Paul
Brandon Anderson, President, Von Ruden Manufacturing, Inc., Buffalo
Greg Benson, Owner and CEO, Loll Designs, Inc., Duluth
Laura Bishop, Vice President, Best Buy Co., Inc., Minneapolis
Rick Brimacomb, Founder, Brimacomb and Associates, Minneapolis
Susan Burns, President, Susan Burns, LLC, Minneapolis
Maria Antonio Calvo, Chair, Cine Global, Film Society of Minneapolis and St. Paul
Eric Canny, Dean, Global Education, Augsburg College, Minneapolis
Sergio Castillo, President and CEO, ECO BCG Corporation, Woodbury
Tom Emmer, U.S. Representative, U.S. House of Representatives
Matthew Field, President and CEO, Goebel Fixture Company, Hutchinson
George Goblish, President, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Mankato
Kevin C. Hanson, CEO and President, International Creative Capital, LLC, Wayzata
Nate Heydt, Vice President, Loll Designs, Inc., Duluth
Pat Kelly, Attorney, Fredrikson and Byron, P.A., Minneapolis
Michael Langley, CEO, GREATER MSP, St. Paul
Amy Lindgren, President, Prototype Career Service, St. Paul
Meredith McQuaid, Associate Vice President and Dean of International Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Lance Mueffelman, CFO, Goebel Fixture Company, Hutchinson
Tom Newton, Vice President, KNOCK, inc., Minneapolis
Anna Kate Nolan, Resident Advisor, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul
Michael Nolan, Director, Small Business Development Center, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Earl Potter, President, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud
Luis G. Resendiz, Attorney, Fredrikson and Byron, P.A., Minneapolis
Dan Root, Director, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Shakopee
Steven Rosenstone, Chancellor, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, St. Paul
Dr. Judith Schaefer, President, Cotter Schools, Winona
Nick Scott, Transfer Pricing Director, Grant Thornton, Minneapolis
Lori Stevermer, MN Pork Producers Association, Mankato
Glenn Thuringer, President, Bioverse, Inc., Worthington
Eduardo Hurtado, Marketing Manager, Boston Scientific Corporation Mexico
Luis Vinagre, Marketing Manager, Infusion Therapies Latin America, Smiths Medical
Suzanne Vold, Secretary, Minnesota Division, and dairy farm owner-operator, Midwest Dairy Association, Glenwood
Todd Vollmers, Attorney, Thompson Hall Santi Cerny and Katkov, Minneapolis
Mike Zins, President, Board of Directors, Minnesota Soybean Processors, Brewster
Alberto Fierro, Consul of Mexico in St. Paul, Consulate of Mexico
Also participating in the mission:
Dave Frederickson, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul
Sarah Hinde, Director of External Relations, Office of the Governor, St. Paul
Jennie Maes, Aide to the Governor, Office of the Governor, St. Paul
Barbara Mattson, International Trade Representative, Minnesota Trade Office, St. Paul
Kathleen Motzenbecker, Executive Director, Minnesota Trade Office, St. Paul
Thomas Norman, Director, Workforce Development Division, DEED, St. Paul
Tim Odegard, International Trade Representative, Minnesota Trade Office, St. Paul
Jeffrey Phillips, International Trade Manager, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul
About the Minnesota Trade Office
The Department of Employment and Economic Development's Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) is focused on increasing state export sales in foreign markets and attracting foreign direct investment to Minnesota. The MTO promotes international trade by providing export information, export education and training, and one-on-one counseling to Minnesota companies that wish to sell manufactured goods and services in the international marketplace.
MTO representatives also promote the state's economic interests through four overseas offices: Shanghai, China; Dusseldorf, Germany; Seoul, South Korea; and Sao Paolo, Brazil.
DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at
http://mn.gov/deed. We're on Twitter at
https://twitter.com/mndeed.
