Legislature(1995 - 1996)
01/24/1995 05:10 PM House WTR
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
JOINT HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEES ON
WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL RELATIONS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM
January 24, 1995
5:10 p.m.
WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL RELATIONS MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ramona Barnes, Chairman
Representative Eldon Mulder
Representative Bill Williams
Representative Gene Kubina
Representative Jerry Mackie
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Beverly Masek, Chairman
Representative Brian Porter
Representative Pete Kott
Representative Jeannette James
Representative Irene Nicholia
Representative Caren Robinson
WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL RELATIONS MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Gail Phillips, Vice Chairman
Representative Gary Davis
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Alan Austerman, Vice Chairman
OTHER HOUSE MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jerry Sanders
Representative John Davies
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Presentation from Chuck Becker, District Director, U.S. Foreign
Commercial Service and Robin Zerbel, Director, World Trade
Center.
WITNESS REGISTER
CHARLES F. BECKER, District Office Director
International Trade Administration
U.S. Foreign Commercial Service
World Trade Center Alaska
421 West First Avenue, Suite 300
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Telephone: 271-6237
POSITION STATEMENT: Overview of U.S. Foreign Commercial Service
E.H. PETE NELSON, Regional Land Manager
TEXACO, Inc.
Post Office Box 100899
Anchorage, Alaska 99510-0899
Telephone: 278-9611
POSITION STATEMENT: Board Member of World Trade Center
ROBIN R. ZERBEL, Director
World Trade Center Alaska
421 West First Avenue, Suite 300
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Telephone: 278-7233
POSITION STATEMENT: Overview of World Trade Center
JOSEPH M. BEEDLE, President
Goldbelt, Inc.
9097 Glacier Highway, Suite 200
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: 790-4990
POSITION STATEMENT: Board Member of World Trade Center
WILLIAM L. BLACHMAN, Ph.D., Dean
University of Alaska Anchorage
School of Business
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Telephone: 786-4125
POSITION STATEMENT: Board member of World Trade Center
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-1, SIDE A
Number 000
The Joint Meeting of the House Special Committees on World Trade
and State/Federal Relations and International Trade and Tourism
was called to order by Chairman Ramona Barnes at 5:10 p.m.
Members present at the call to order were Representatives Barnes,
Mulder, Williams, Masek, Porter, Kott and Nicholia. Members
absent were Representatives Kubina, Mackie, James, Robinson,
Phillips, G. Davis, and Austerman.
Number 033
CHAIRMAN RAMONA BARNES welcomed the committee members and public
to the first meeting of this committee. She introduced
Representative Masek, Chairman of the International Trade &
Tourism Committee. Chairman Barnes stated this committee looks
forward to enhancing the relations of this state and that the
areas of interest will include world trade and how the state can
promote trade that will benefit Alaska. While deals involving
millions of dollars are important, so are opportunities for small
businesses to find trading partners and make investments in
foreign countries. She noted in a recent state economic report
that Alaska's exports fell 24 percent in 1993. Half of that
total is just one commodity--fish, and of the $2.7 billion in
goods exported in 1993, Japan purchased over $2 billion worth.
Chairman Barnes said we must expand trade with other partners
including China, Taiwan and Russia. We also must take a more
active role in asserting our rights with the federal government
as they relate to our state and our state sovereignty.
Number 095
REPRESENTATIVE BEVERLY MASEK, Chairman of the International Trade
& Tourism Committee, also welcomed the committee and thanked the
public for their representation. She said the state had not
taken a strong look toward tourism and that her committee looked
forward to hearing from the public so the committee may have a
good overview of the areas that need work.
Number 116
CHARLES BECKER, District Director, U.S. Foreign Commercial
Service, testified via teleconference from Anchorage. He gave an
overview of the agency and its mission, how they operate; how
they help Alaskan companies; and thirdly, to discuss a
conversation he had with Willie Hensley, Commissioner, Department
of Commerce and Economic Development, and the transition team.
Mr. Becker said the agency is a group of marketing professionals
that spans the globe and has about 135 locations. Those
locations are typically the hottest markets for U.S. products and
services. He stated the agency also has 70 domestic offices.
The service began in 1980 with the passage of the trade bill at
that time. Prior to that, the service was a function of the
State Department. He commented they have a sophisticated
technical system called a National Trade Data Bank that will
assist companies in conducting business. The agency is now
located with the World Trade Center (WTC). He said they look
forward to working with their "missing" partner, the Governor's
Office of International Trade.
MR. BECKER said that a joint strategic plan with his agency, the
World Trade Center and the Office of International Trade has been
developed to address the problems of trade development in Alaska.
He indicated there would be export seminars.
MR. BECKER said in a brief conversation with Commissioner Hensley
and members of the transition team, he had pointed out that it is
very important that the commissioner take a look at the
Governor's Office of International Trade to make sure that we
work as closely as we can to eliminate any duplication and to
develop the strategic plan to define common objectives and common
implementation strategies.
Number 370
CHAIRMAN BARNES noted as a side comment how pleased she is that
Mr. Becker is working on exporting our cold weather technology as
it relates to our development of our oil patch at Prudhoe Bay.
She also noted that Taipei is one of the largest trade centers in
the world and a sister city to Anchorage, and yet that office is
closed and we could have free space there.
Number 400
MR. BECKER noted that the office was closed about four years ago;
although Alaska has a small contract with an individual there who
is doing excellent work.
Number 425
MS. PETE NELSON, Board Member of the World Trade Center, gave an
overview of the origin and operation of the WTC. The advisory
board is made up of people from the banking community, oil
companies, law firms, Native corporations and retail merchants as
well as government agencies involved in international trade
activities.
Representatives Mackie and Kubina arrived late.
Number 455
ROBIN ZERBEL, Director, World Trade Center, stated the WTC is an
association that consists of 200 organizations throughout Alaska
with its headquarters in New York. She stressed the importance
of how we can increase the success of Alaskan companies without
expanding significantly our financial resources. She said the
mission is to facilitate trade for the member companies. It's a
two-prong approach with networking as the facilitator. Services
and facilities component make up the two parts of the mission.
She commented that we do 80 percent of our business with Russia.
Representatives James and Robinson arrived late.
Number 499
MS. ZERBEL offered the services of the WTC to the state of
Alaska. There are six key elements to the success of trade in
Alaska's future. They are education, leadership from the state
of Alaska, develop a strategy, trade financing, trade missions
and trade shows, and publicity. She offered the cooperation of
her agency to work closely with both committees in any effort to
promote and enhance trade in Alaska.
Number 644
CHAIRMAN BARNES related her trip with Representative Phillips
this past summer to Taipei.
REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES stated that Alaska has just
exported its first shipment of potatoes to Taiwan and that more
shipments were planned.
Number 689
JOSEPH BEEDLE, Board Member of WTC, said this is a public-private
partnership that is funded by 70 percent of people who are
willing to pay for the resources that are provided.
TAPE 95-1, SIDE B
Number 000
DR. WILLIAM BLACHMAN, Board member of the WTC, agreed that the
joint-venturing is going to prove very valuable to Alaska
businesses.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES inquired about the relationship
between the WTC and the mission of the University of Alaska.
MS. ZERBEL explained that it is very important to teach people
how to do business internationally. It's like having a classroom
without walls.
Number 064
REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER noted that there isn't an awful lot
of coordination with the energy industries or timber in Alaska,
but since fish is such a large export, he wanted to know if they
were related in any way to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
(ASMI).
MS. ZERBEL said they work very closely with the Office of
International Trade, who works with ASMI.
MS. ZERBEL commented that the tourism area is one of those areas
that they work cooperatively with convention and visitors bureaus
and the Alaska Visitors Bureau and when there is a cross-over, we
work with them, but the WTC does not take on tourism because they
are not in a position to take on tourism.
Number 120
REPRESENTATIVE CAREN ROBINSON inquired about how to become a
member and how are board members chosen.
MS. ZERBEL stated there is a $300 annual fee and they have many
fund raisers. The board members have been historically appointed
by the chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage.
CHAIRMAN BARNES announced the next committee meeting will be
Tuesday, January 31 at 5 p.m. to hear HB 83 and HJR 8.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the House Special
Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations, Chairman
Barnes adjourned the meeting at 6:05 p.m.
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