"IRAQ ROAD SHOW" IN OREGON HIGHLIGHTS GREEN, CLEAN, AND RENEWABLE
U.S.-Arab Chamber, in Portland, Explores Sustainability Initiatives for the Arab World
Following last week's very successful "Iraq Road Show" visit to the State of Washington, the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) has just wrapped up a subsequent visit to the neighboring State of Oregon. In the course of two days, Road Show delegates traveled nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) to meet with Oregon companies and to visit projects designed to promote Iraq-Oregon commercial relations.
"Oregon is blazing new trails when it comes to sustainability, including projects in the more arid regions of the state," noted David Hamod, President & CEO of the U.S.-Arab Chamber. "These technologies and practices have important implications for Iraq, a country with a finite amount of water -- but a nation that is working to become a leader in agricultural innovation and production."
The Portland region today is the West Coast's fifth largest metropolitan area. Portland is focused on enhancing business competitiveness in four industry concentrations: Clean-Tech and Sustainable Industries, Software, Advanced Manufacturing, and Activewear (Nike, Adidas, Columbia, and others). Portland was one of the Federal Government's first Solar America Cities, and the region today boasts the largest solar industry cluster in North America.
The visit to Oregon was hosted by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Embassy of Iraq Commercial Office and with support from the Export Assistance Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In Portland, the state's business hub, a roundtable discussion was organized by Business Oregon and the Portland Business Alliance.
Mr. Naufel Al-Hassan, Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of Iraq, described the visit as an "excellent opportunity to connect with the people of Oregon, who have welcomed Iraq with open arms." He went on to say that Oregon is "one of America's top ten exporting states to the Republic of Iraq, and with some of the programs that we are putting in place in the months ahead, we are hopeful that Oregon will continue to be a solid partner for many years to come."
During their visit to Oregon, Iraq Road Show delegates talked up the Baghdad International Trade Fair, which is scheduled to take place on November 1-10 in Iraq's capital city.
Thousands of jobs in Oregon depend on international trade, one of the few pockets of commercial activity that is generating jobs during the nation's economic downturn. Oregon's manufacturing sector is particularly dependent on international trade, with one in four dollars of sales and a quarter of the sector's jobs tied to foreign customers.
In 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S.-Arab Chamber, the State of Oregon exported more than $50 million worth of goods to Iraq. Most of this was agricultural products and food, as well as machinery and computer-related products.
According to research conducted by the U.S.-Arab Chamber, Iraq is on track to become America's fourth largest export market in the Arab world for U.S. goods and services by 2013.
Exports of U.S. merchandise to Iraq are expected to grow from $1.65 billion last year to $4.40 billion in 2013, expanding U.S. market share in Iraq from 7.05 percent to 20 percent. In the same vein, U.S. services are on track to grow from $1.64 billion last year to $4.13 billion in 2013, representing growth in market share from 17.52 percent to 24 percent.
In the transition from a hydrocarbons-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, Iraq is counting on its scholars to help lead the way. Iraq's leadership has committed to send more than 10,000 post-graduate Iraqi students around the world to study on scholarships, and the United States is on track to become one of the top destinations for these students.
With this in mind, Iraq Road Show delegates paid a visit to Dr. Wim Wiewel, President of Portland State University (PSU), who provided an overview of that university's programs. Located on a 50-acre campus in downtown Portland, PSU is considered a nationally acclaimed leader in sustainability and community-based learning.
Portland State is Oregon's largest and most diverse university, with some 30,000 students who come from all 50 states and from nearly 100 nations around the world. PSU has one of the highest per capita populations of Arab students in the United States, with approximately one-third of its foreign students hailing from the Arab world.
Another center of education, Oregon State University (OSU), a Land Grant school established in 1868, is one of only two universities in the United States that also has Sea Grant, Space Grant, and Sun Grant designations. As Oregon's largest public research school, OSU creates a statewide economic footprint of $1 billion and is the only university in Oregon to hold the Carnegie Foundation's top designation for research institutions.
Oregon State boasts nationally recognized programs in such areas as conservation biology, agricultural sciences, nuclear engineering, forestry, fisheries and wildlife management, community health, pharmacy and zoology. OSU also ranks high in sustainability: fourth among universities nationwide for using renewable energy and first in the Pac-10 Conference.
Against that backdrop, Oregon State University has launched an ambitious undertaking with Iraq that may serve as a model for other such initiatives. Called the National Education Program in Sustainable Engineering (NEPSE) Partnership, the joint venture with Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education began during the summer of 2009, when OSU hosted 19 Iraqi engineering faculty members from 20 Iraqi universities for a hands-on, two-week-long training program in sustainable engineering and green-built design.
Last year, OSU presented Iraq's first seminar in sustainable engineering and green-built design, held in Baghdad. Several months later, in November 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Ministry of Higher Education, OSU, and the State of Oregon to help implement the NEPSE Partnership throughout Iraq.
Dr. Catherine Mater, Sustainability Programs Director for the OSU College of Engineering and the driving force behind the new Partnership, discussed OSU's relations with Iraq during NUSACC's business roundtable session in Portland. She noted, "The Oregon-OSU-Iraq Partnership in sustainable engineering signed last year is a unique collaboration that brings higher education and commercial development together in Iraq. The Partnership expands curriculums in engineering, construction, and agriculture around sustainability disciplines that are immediately connected to specific construction projects undertaken by the Ministry of Higher Education on university campuses throughout Iraq. Lessons learned become immediate lessons lived."
She concluded, "With the upcoming signing of the Partnership work plan, we will begin immediate implementation of joint research and curriculum development matched with the launch of the 'Oregon Invest in Iraq' campaign, which focuses on construction projects for the Ministry of Higher Education."
Dr. Mater and Oregon State University arranged for Iraq Road Show delegates to make two site visits in Oregon. The first, by plane, was to Eastern Oregon, where OSU is conducting groundbreaking research designed to make Oregon's desert bloom. The second site visit was to the Food Innovation Center (FIC), an OSU Agricultural Experiment Station for food producers, processors, marketers, and entrepreneurs that is "committed to taking food products to market and advancing Northwest foods." Both visits provided insights into cutting edge research that has the potential to revolutionize the way food is raised and distributed to consumers around the world.
Nearly 90 percent of Oregon's exporting companies are small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition to meeting with a number of SMEs recommended by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Iraq Road Show delegates traveled to the headquarters of Evergreen International Aviation, which has been doing business around the world for more than four decades. With its fleet of Boeing 747s and more than half a million hours of experience, Evergreen has been actively involved in supplying cargo to Iraq in recent years and is looking to play an even larger role in that nation's rebuild and economic growth.
While on site at Evergreen, Road Show delegates were treated to a VIP tour of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, an iconic collection that includes a B-17 bomber, an SR-71 Blackbird, a Titan II missile, and the wooden Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the "Spruce Goose"), the largest flying boat ever built, and one that boasts the largest wingspan of any aircraft in history.
The Museum, home to the Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute, strives to "create an environment that not only teaches children, youth, and adults about aircraft, but also demonstrates the importance of human skills like mathematics, science, teamwork, determination, and perseverance."
The last public event of the Iraq Road Show to Oregon, a roundtable discussion at the Portland Business Alliance, attracted a wide variety of Oregon businesses. Emcee of the event, Doug Badger, Director of the Pacific Northwest International Trade Association, characterized the roundtable as a "unique opportunity for companies in the greater Portland region to hear about the vast opportunities that Iraq and the greater MENA region have to offer."
He concluded, "There is great value in carrying this message 'beyond the beltway,' and there are many Oregon firms that are taking an interest in this growing market. We appreciated the opportunity to work with the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, a knowledgeable partner and a conduit to the entire Arab world."
"Oregon is blazing new trails when it comes to sustainability, including projects in the more arid regions of the state," noted David Hamod, President & CEO of the U.S.-Arab Chamber. "These technologies and practices have important implications for Iraq, a country with a finite amount of water -- but a nation that is working to become a leader in agricultural innovation and production."
The Portland region today is the West Coast's fifth largest metropolitan area. Portland is focused on enhancing business competitiveness in four industry concentrations: Clean-Tech and Sustainable Industries, Software, Advanced Manufacturing, and Activewear (Nike, Adidas, Columbia, and others). Portland was one of the Federal Government's first Solar America Cities, and the region today boasts the largest solar industry cluster in North America.
The visit to Oregon was hosted by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Embassy of Iraq Commercial Office and with support from the Export Assistance Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In Portland, the state's business hub, a roundtable discussion was organized by Business Oregon and the Portland Business Alliance.
Mr. Naufel Al-Hassan, Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of Iraq, described the visit as an "excellent opportunity to connect with the people of Oregon, who have welcomed Iraq with open arms." He went on to say that Oregon is "one of America's top ten exporting states to the Republic of Iraq, and with some of the programs that we are putting in place in the months ahead, we are hopeful that Oregon will continue to be a solid partner for many years to come."
During their visit to Oregon, Iraq Road Show delegates talked up the Baghdad International Trade Fair, which is scheduled to take place on November 1-10 in Iraq's capital city.
Thousands of jobs in Oregon depend on international trade, one of the few pockets of commercial activity that is generating jobs during the nation's economic downturn. Oregon's manufacturing sector is particularly dependent on international trade, with one in four dollars of sales and a quarter of the sector's jobs tied to foreign customers.
In 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S.-Arab Chamber, the State of Oregon exported more than $50 million worth of goods to Iraq. Most of this was agricultural products and food, as well as machinery and computer-related products.
According to research conducted by the U.S.-Arab Chamber, Iraq is on track to become America's fourth largest export market in the Arab world for U.S. goods and services by 2013.
Exports of U.S. merchandise to Iraq are expected to grow from $1.65 billion last year to $4.40 billion in 2013, expanding U.S. market share in Iraq from 7.05 percent to 20 percent. In the same vein, U.S. services are on track to grow from $1.64 billion last year to $4.13 billion in 2013, representing growth in market share from 17.52 percent to 24 percent.
In the transition from a hydrocarbons-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, Iraq is counting on its scholars to help lead the way. Iraq's leadership has committed to send more than 10,000 post-graduate Iraqi students around the world to study on scholarships, and the United States is on track to become one of the top destinations for these students.
With this in mind, Iraq Road Show delegates paid a visit to Dr. Wim Wiewel, President of Portland State University (PSU), who provided an overview of that university's programs. Located on a 50-acre campus in downtown Portland, PSU is considered a nationally acclaimed leader in sustainability and community-based learning.
Portland State is Oregon's largest and most diverse university, with some 30,000 students who come from all 50 states and from nearly 100 nations around the world. PSU has one of the highest per capita populations of Arab students in the United States, with approximately one-third of its foreign students hailing from the Arab world.
Another center of education, Oregon State University (OSU), a Land Grant school established in 1868, is one of only two universities in the United States that also has Sea Grant, Space Grant, and Sun Grant designations. As Oregon's largest public research school, OSU creates a statewide economic footprint of $1 billion and is the only university in Oregon to hold the Carnegie Foundation's top designation for research institutions.
Oregon State boasts nationally recognized programs in such areas as conservation biology, agricultural sciences, nuclear engineering, forestry, fisheries and wildlife management, community health, pharmacy and zoology. OSU also ranks high in sustainability: fourth among universities nationwide for using renewable energy and first in the Pac-10 Conference.
Against that backdrop, Oregon State University has launched an ambitious undertaking with Iraq that may serve as a model for other such initiatives. Called the National Education Program in Sustainable Engineering (NEPSE) Partnership, the joint venture with Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education began during the summer of 2009, when OSU hosted 19 Iraqi engineering faculty members from 20 Iraqi universities for a hands-on, two-week-long training program in sustainable engineering and green-built design.
Last year, OSU presented Iraq's first seminar in sustainable engineering and green-built design, held in Baghdad. Several months later, in November 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Ministry of Higher Education, OSU, and the State of Oregon to help implement the NEPSE Partnership throughout Iraq.
Dr. Catherine Mater, Sustainability Programs Director for the OSU College of Engineering and the driving force behind the new Partnership, discussed OSU's relations with Iraq during NUSACC's business roundtable session in Portland. She noted, "The Oregon-OSU-Iraq Partnership in sustainable engineering signed last year is a unique collaboration that brings higher education and commercial development together in Iraq. The Partnership expands curriculums in engineering, construction, and agriculture around sustainability disciplines that are immediately connected to specific construction projects undertaken by the Ministry of Higher Education on university campuses throughout Iraq. Lessons learned become immediate lessons lived."
She concluded, "With the upcoming signing of the Partnership work plan, we will begin immediate implementation of joint research and curriculum development matched with the launch of the 'Oregon Invest in Iraq' campaign, which focuses on construction projects for the Ministry of Higher Education."
Dr. Mater and Oregon State University arranged for Iraq Road Show delegates to make two site visits in Oregon. The first, by plane, was to Eastern Oregon, where OSU is conducting groundbreaking research designed to make Oregon's desert bloom. The second site visit was to the Food Innovation Center (FIC), an OSU Agricultural Experiment Station for food producers, processors, marketers, and entrepreneurs that is "committed to taking food products to market and advancing Northwest foods." Both visits provided insights into cutting edge research that has the potential to revolutionize the way food is raised and distributed to consumers around the world.
Nearly 90 percent of Oregon's exporting companies are small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition to meeting with a number of SMEs recommended by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Iraq Road Show delegates traveled to the headquarters of Evergreen International Aviation, which has been doing business around the world for more than four decades. With its fleet of Boeing 747s and more than half a million hours of experience, Evergreen has been actively involved in supplying cargo to Iraq in recent years and is looking to play an even larger role in that nation's rebuild and economic growth.
While on site at Evergreen, Road Show delegates were treated to a VIP tour of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, an iconic collection that includes a B-17 bomber, an SR-71 Blackbird, a Titan II missile, and the wooden Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the "Spruce Goose"), the largest flying boat ever built, and one that boasts the largest wingspan of any aircraft in history.
The Museum, home to the Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute, strives to "create an environment that not only teaches children, youth, and adults about aircraft, but also demonstrates the importance of human skills like mathematics, science, teamwork, determination, and perseverance."
The last public event of the Iraq Road Show to Oregon, a roundtable discussion at the Portland Business Alliance, attracted a wide variety of Oregon businesses. Emcee of the event, Doug Badger, Director of the Pacific Northwest International Trade Association, characterized the roundtable as a "unique opportunity for companies in the greater Portland region to hear about the vast opportunities that Iraq and the greater MENA region have to offer."
He concluded, "There is great value in carrying this message 'beyond the beltway,' and there are many Oregon firms that are taking an interest in this growing market. We appreciated the opportunity to work with the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, a knowledgeable partner and a conduit to the entire Arab world."
