The geographic distance between Utah and Mexico has not changed, but the psychological distance continues to decrease.
Utah Valley University hosted a Doing Business with Mexico conference Thursday and included a landmark signing of a Utah chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Pres. Matthew S. Holland welcomed business leaders and students, speaking in both English and Spanish.
"Utah is on the precipice of something incredible with this landmark agreement that has the potential to reach 110 million consumers in Mexico," Holland said. "This partnership will positively change the course of doing business with Mexico forever."
Newly appointed Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox was also on hand to officiate at the signing.
The event fit in with UVU in several ways.
"It was part of our global spotlight on Mexico," Holland said. "We do one of these every year. This year it is Mexico." During the academic year, there are many events that introduce students to the country and create a bond between the two entities. "We have a lineup of events that are both substantive and meaningful," Holland sad. "I think it is our best lineup yet."
"It really fits at an intersection of two or three things that are the core of what we aspire to do," he said. "We want to be an inclusive institution with a continuing commitment to that value. This was an outreach to a close and important neighbor, trading partner and a geographically close country that we need to deal with effectively."
UVU also follows the path of engaged learning and Holland said the relationship with Mexico fits with that.
"The United States and Mexico do $1.5 billion in trade every day," he said. "Utah exports $5 million in goods and imports $5 billion annually."
"This is a very important relationship," he said. "We need to understand it, study it, understand the people, the transactions and the opportunities. This was a chance for our business students and business leaders to hear experts talk about the tremendous potential that exists and is currently quite under leveraged. We could be doing so much more to benefit our economy and productivity."
Norman Wright, the dean of UVU's Woodbury School of Business, called the conference a success.
"I talked to a local business owner after the conference ended and he was gushing about it," he said. "He said he saw a number of connections that were going to help his business move forward. For me that is a great outcome."
Sometimes business people overlook what Wright called the "miracle of Mexico." They can get caught up in lower labor costs in China, but overlook factors such as the proximity of Mexico and the less expensive shipping costs.
"That makes Mexico a great place for people from the U.S. to do business," he said.
The conference included several breakout sessions, and a primary sessions, with about 150 people attending.
"They were from government, the Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, students and faculty," Wright said. "That was a nice event to tie together the various communities."
Signing the official chamber partnership marked the ninth site in the U.S. that is involved in the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.
"This is the Intermountain region," Wright said. "We have the headquarters in Salt Lake City."
The chapter in Utah is one more step in the institutionalization process between Mexico and Utah, creating that soft landing that many businesses demand when looking at international expansion opportunities. Now, Utah businesses can simply reach out to the new chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, and they can be put directly in touch with hundreds of businesses in Mexico -- and vice versa.
"Utah is the most linguistically diverse state in the country with 180 different languages spoken," said Harvey Scott, director of international trade and diplomacy for the Utah governor's office. "Our economic stability, diversity and vitality, and level of engagement with the Hispanic community positions us well to draw attention as Mexican businesses consider U.S. operations."
"This partnership is about how Utah companies command a presence outside of the U.S., and who they should look to first," Scott said. "The U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and Utah want to get it right, and this is great next step to achieving our goals."
President Holland said UVU was pleased to play a leading role in the conference.
"It matched nicely with our mission dating back to our roots as an applied technical school," he said. "We still have that spirit of application, bringing academic leaders, business leaders and students together on important issues and promoting positive outcomes, UVU plays that role very well."
Utah Valley University hosted a Doing Business with Mexico conference Thursday and included a landmark signing of a Utah chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Pres. Matthew S. Holland welcomed business leaders and students, speaking in both English and Spanish.
"Utah is on the precipice of something incredible with this landmark agreement that has the potential to reach 110 million consumers in Mexico," Holland said. "This partnership will positively change the course of doing business with Mexico forever."
Newly appointed Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox was also on hand to officiate at the signing.
The event fit in with UVU in several ways.
"It was part of our global spotlight on Mexico," Holland said. "We do one of these every year. This year it is Mexico." During the academic year, there are many events that introduce students to the country and create a bond between the two entities. "We have a lineup of events that are both substantive and meaningful," Holland sad. "I think it is our best lineup yet."
"It really fits at an intersection of two or three things that are the core of what we aspire to do," he said. "We want to be an inclusive institution with a continuing commitment to that value. This was an outreach to a close and important neighbor, trading partner and a geographically close country that we need to deal with effectively."
UVU also follows the path of engaged learning and Holland said the relationship with Mexico fits with that.
"The United States and Mexico do $1.5 billion in trade every day," he said. "Utah exports $5 million in goods and imports $5 billion annually."
"This is a very important relationship," he said. "We need to understand it, study it, understand the people, the transactions and the opportunities. This was a chance for our business students and business leaders to hear experts talk about the tremendous potential that exists and is currently quite under leveraged. We could be doing so much more to benefit our economy and productivity."
Norman Wright, the dean of UVU's Woodbury School of Business, called the conference a success.
"I talked to a local business owner after the conference ended and he was gushing about it," he said. "He said he saw a number of connections that were going to help his business move forward. For me that is a great outcome."
Sometimes business people overlook what Wright called the "miracle of Mexico." They can get caught up in lower labor costs in China, but overlook factors such as the proximity of Mexico and the less expensive shipping costs.
"That makes Mexico a great place for people from the U.S. to do business," he said.
The conference included several breakout sessions, and a primary sessions, with about 150 people attending.
"They were from government, the Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, students and faculty," Wright said. "That was a nice event to tie together the various communities."
Signing the official chamber partnership marked the ninth site in the U.S. that is involved in the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.
"This is the Intermountain region," Wright said. "We have the headquarters in Salt Lake City."
The chapter in Utah is one more step in the institutionalization process between Mexico and Utah, creating that soft landing that many businesses demand when looking at international expansion opportunities. Now, Utah businesses can simply reach out to the new chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, and they can be put directly in touch with hundreds of businesses in Mexico -- and vice versa.
"Utah is the most linguistically diverse state in the country with 180 different languages spoken," said Harvey Scott, director of international trade and diplomacy for the Utah governor's office. "Our economic stability, diversity and vitality, and level of engagement with the Hispanic community positions us well to draw attention as Mexican businesses consider U.S. operations."
"This partnership is about how Utah companies command a presence outside of the U.S., and who they should look to first," Scott said. "The U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and Utah want to get it right, and this is great next step to achieving our goals."
President Holland said UVU was pleased to play a leading role in the conference.
"It matched nicely with our mission dating back to our roots as an applied technical school," he said. "We still have that spirit of application, bringing academic leaders, business leaders and students together on important issues and promoting positive outcomes, UVU plays that role very well."
