The Florida Space Authority hosted a planning meeting of the Florida District Export Council (DEC) to discuss the upcoming Opportunity Malaysia 2005 trade mission to occur in February 25 - March 5, 2005.

The authority, whose mission is to provide economic development for the state through space-related business and educational activities, is an early candidate for participation in the delegation that will showcase Florida's technology and leadership in a half dozen key sectors identified by the US Commercial Service as having greatest potential for sales to Malaysia.

Joining the meeting were state and local economic development leaders who are working with the DEC to identify Florida companies who are leaders in their field in the interest of recruiting them to what mission planners intend to be a high quality, high impact delegation conducive to establishing long term links with this key country in the crossroads of southeast Asian trade.

Florida's chief for economic development, Darrell Kelley, CEO of Enterprise Florida, hailed plans for the mission as a vital opportunity to expand upon Florida's efforts to broaden its export base which has been traditionally linked to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Others expressing enthusiasm at the space port meeting were Michael Corbit, executive director of Internet Coast, Chris Pollock of the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and J. T. Tarlton who heads the Broward Alliance.

John McCartney, Florida Director for the US Commercial Service, the export promotion arm of the US Department of Commerce, outlined the steps that his team and his counterparts at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were taking to set the stage for mission recruitment and execution. Also on hand was Bernhard Schutte, a DEC associate, whose advance trips to the country resulted in high level interest on the part of the Malaysian government and a high degree of support being established to ensure a successful mission.

For more information on the trade mission, contact the DEC at 954-356-6640 or visit malaysianmission.com

Written by: John McCartney US Dep. Of Commerce