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Tennessee Opens Applications for Export Award

Released on Thu, Jun 18, 2009 - 11:36 am under

 2009 Governor’s Conference to Cite Tennessee Companies’ Efforts at Global Trade

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Matt Kisber today announced the state will begin accepting applications for the 2009 Governor’s Award for Trade Excellence (GATE). The awards will be presented at the 56th Annual Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville on September 14 and 15, 2009.
 
“As Tennessee companies take a greater role in the global economy, we’re fortunate to be able to recognize those businesses extending our state’s reach into markets around the world,” said Governor Bredesen. “Tennessee produces many high quality, industry leading products and growing the customer base for those products can create jobs here in Tennessee.”
 
The awards are given to Tennessee companies that have shown strong export growth in three categories: large companies (250 or more employees), medium sized companies (26 - 250 employees) and small companies (25 employees or less). Businesses may nominate themselves or be nominated by a trade association, customer or a person familiar with the company’s achievements.
 
Nominations may be submitted online at the ECD Web site at www.tnecd.gov or an application may be downloaded and mailed to ECD. The deadline for applications is August 21, 2009. The department along with international trade experts from the U.S. Export Assistance Center in Nashville will review applications and make recommendations to the Governor and Commissioner Kisber for final approval.
 
“We’ve seen lots of Tennessee companies generate strong growth by developing overseas customers,” said Commissioner Kisber. “In 2008, Tennessee exports grew nearly 8 percent over the previous year, and Tennessee-made products are becoming well-known and well-respected in all parts of the world.”
 
Winners named in last year’s GATE ceremony included: 
  • The Pasta Shoppe, LLC (small business category) of Nashville, Tenn. manufacturers dried pasta in custom shapes and colors. Capital investments in 2007 allowed the company to grow its exports from 10 percent of sales to 12 percent in 2008. Pasta Shoppe products are sold throughout North America, Asia and Europe. 
     
  • Fillauer LLC (medium business category) of Chattanooga, Tenn. designs and manufactures more than 3,000 types of prosthetic and orthotic devices. The company successfully won a contract from the Pentagon’s National Joint Contracting Command and has seen significant growth in the export of its products around the world, including the Middle East. Fillauer’s technical teams have visited Iraq to train Iraqi physicians in the use of prosthetic devices, and over the course of the last two years, exports as a percentage of sales have nearly doubled to 19 percent.
     
  • Proctor & Gamble (large business category) of Jackson, Tenn. is one of only two plants in the world producing the company’s world famous Pringles brand potato chips, and is the largest North American export plant in the Procter & Gamble family of brands. Shipped to more than 180 nations across the globe, the Jackson plant supplies all Pringles to Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Pacific and Asian countries.
 Questions related to the application process can be e-mailed to Nicole Gagliano at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development at Nicole.Gagliano@tn.gov or by calling (615) 253-1390.
  
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Contact: Laura Elkins
Phone: 615-532-1910