NEWS RELEASE
October 30, 2009

CONTACTS:
Jody Edgerton, North America Works Conference Coordinator, jedgerton@marc.org; 816/701-8251
Jody Ladd Craig, Public Affairs Director, jcraig@marc.org, 816/701-8241

Interested individuals can still register for North America Works plus National Forum on TradePolicy 2009 Conference, Nov. 4–6
Conference features innovative technology and expert speakers from NAFTA countries
For the first time, business leaders, policy makers, elected officials, and members of the academic and research communities from Canada, the United States and Mexico will gather in KC and participate in interactive conference sessions and online chats with satellite sites throughout North America. Participants will be able to view presentations on streaming video via the NING social network and share comments and questions in the NING chat room.

Two special events provide additional opportunities to build results, business opportunities and an expanded network throughout North America and along the international trade corridor during this 5th annual conference.

The Official Conference Opening, Wed., Nov. 4, is hosted by the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City and the Mexican Restaurant Association (MERA) Three celebrity chefs from Mexico will be at the opening reception and have provided their authentic recipes to the hotel for the reception. The chefs are Alma Cervantes (Sinaloa), Jorge Alvarez (Mexico DF) and Patricia Cabrera (Morelia — Kansas City’s sister city)

Music will be provided by the Trio Alma Purepecha, also from Morelia, coming to Kansas City especially for this event and to participate in the 30th Anniversary celebration of the city’s “Sociedad Hidalgo.”

North America Night, Thurs., Nov. 5, is co-hosted by ANIM (Agence nationale et internationale du Manitoba), Destination Winnipeg, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago.

David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times is the keynote speaker and his presentation is titled: International trade policy in the Wake of the great Recession: Lessons from Obama’s First Year.

Other expert speakers from the US, Canada and Mexico include:

• Stephen Blank, Ross distinguished Visiting Professor of Canada–US Business and Economic Relations, Western Washington University; co-chair North American. Transportation Competitiveness Research Council.
• Chris Sands, senior fellow, Hudson Institute keynoting “Ports and Borders: Does Security Still Trump Trade?”
• Albert Zapanta, president, US–Mexico Chamber of Commerce, “Buy American” New U.S. Protectionism?
• Jose Luis Paz, head of the Trade and NAFTA Office-Mexico’s secretary of the economy, Embassy of Mexico in the United States – lunch keynote
• Benjamin Teitelbaum, of the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation, “Greening Trade Corridors”
• Diane Gray, president and CEO, CentrePort Canada, “Trilateral Solutions and Innovations” Trade, Transportation and the Environment. (CEO Roundtable)

The conference Web site: www.marc.org/naw has the agenda, registration, hotel and other pertinent information on the conference. Major conference partners and organizers are Mid-America Regional Council, CIBERs from KU, Indiana and Ohio, and the city of Kansas City, Mo., in cooperation with presenting sponsors — KCMO Port Authority and the Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund.

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