Mentor program heads list of new initiatives for the Kentucky DEC - Kentucky District Export Council

Like many groups around the country, the Kentucky District Export Council (DEC) is in the process of reinventing itself. A year ago, the members of the DEC felt that the group was beginning to lose steam. Its long-standing projects had all reached successful conclusions. The DEC's Strategic Plan for Kentucky Export Development, presented to Governor Brereton Jones in 1993, had encouraged Kentucky to make export development part of its long-term economic development strategy. This in turn had led to the creation of a permanent International Trade Office in the State's Cabinet for Economic Development. The DEC had also published the first photo directory of its members, providing great publicity for its programs while giving trade development groups a valuable counseling tool.

Looking for exciting new initiatives, the DEC wanted to exercise the talents of its members and further realize its members' common goal of expanding Kentucky exports. The DEC's Executive Committee and the Louisville Export Assistance Center (EAC) worked together and reviewed the structure and activities of the DEC in depth, proposing important changes to both.

Following a recommendation of the Executive Committee, the DEC voted to increase its membership from 30 to 40 individuals in order to expand representation of Kentucky's rural areas without reducing the number of members from the industrialized regions of Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky. The DEC also voted to replace an old and sluggish "committee" structure with a dynamic, new "task force" system. Designated "task force leaders" now work independently on specific functions -- such as government liaison and program development -- subject to approval by the Executive Committee. They draw on any or all DEC members as needed for specific tasks, giving everyone a chance to work on an interesting mix of projects.

Undoubtedly, the most important new initiative adopted by the Kentucky DEC is its Export Mentor Program. In their efforts to help Kentucky exporters, DEC members were eager to move beyond "how to" seminars to a more creative, hands-on approach that would have a sustained impact, indeed a quantifiable difference, for a few, specific firms. Starting from a concept paper drafted by the EAC, the DEC pulled together a mentor team reflecting all aspects of a successful export operation: a seasoned export manager; international banker; freight forwarder; international trade lawyer; and export counselors from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the Kentucky World Trade Center, and the Louisville Export Assistance Center. This team meets with a small number of new exporters on a regular basis, helping to answer their questions, resolve problems, and otherwise accelerate their export development.

The Louisville EAC screened potential clients for the program and selected three high-potential firms with a commitment to exporting and an interest in being mentored by a team of professionals. Six, three-hour meetings were projected for the first year, requiring advance preparation by all parties. Profiles on each company and the mentor team were prepared by the EAC and distributed prior to the first meeting. The initial session, held in May 1997, was given to introductions, with a review of each firm.

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