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A free symposium on business opportunities in Mexico will be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at The Leonardo, 209 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City.
Utah has more than 5,000 companies owned by residents who are natives of Mexico or of Mexican heritage. And the state exports goods and services worth nearly $500 million annually to Mexico.
But that ranks only 37th among states doing business with Mexico, so much more can be done, said Harvey Scott, director of International Trade and Diplomacy for the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED).
"Mexico holds significant opportunities for Utah's economic growth," he said. The Mexico Business Symposium as a way of strengthening the state's ties to that country.
Gov. Gary Herbert will open the symposium with a formal announcement about his trade mission this year to Mexico.
The podium then will be turned over to Javier Palomarez, president and chief executive of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Al Zapanta, president and CEO of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce; Paul Ahlstrom, co-founder of Alta Ventures Mexico; and Eduardo Arnal, Mexican consul in Salt Lake City.
Palomarez said the increasing importance of Salt Lake City's Hispanic community is reflected in the fact that the U.S. Hispanic Chamber will hold its annual meeting here this fall.
"Hispanic-owned businesses are the fastest growing segment in the nation, starting up at twice the national average," he said. "In the past decade, Hispanic firms have grown more than 80 percent in Utah."
To register, go to http://www.business.utah.gov/international.
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Mexico Business Symposium
International Trade and Diplomacy">The Leonardo, 209 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City. Gov. Gary Herbert will speak. To register, go to http://www.business.utah.gov/international.