Northern Wisconsin International Trade Association (NWITA) is a non-profit membership organization committed to expanding the knowledge, interest, and activity in international trade in northern Wisconsin and the surrounding regions.

NWITA is a result of the Partnerships in International Education (PIE) initiative funded by
a US Department of Education Title VI grant and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The
founding partners of NWITA are the UW-Eau Claire's College of Business and Center for International Education, the Wisconsin Department of Commerce Bureau of Investment and Export, and the student organization AIESEC.

The NWITA provides the support, resources, and a networking platform for area businesses as they compete in a global economy. We are a partnership organization designed so our members can work together to foster international trade in Northern Wisconsin and the surrounding regions. We assist and mentor area businesses in their international endeavors through consulting, speaker events, online resources, student interns, and newsletters. We hope that through this NWITA we will be able to foster a strong link between business and education, giving all entities a better understanding of international issues.

To Help Your Business Grow in the Global Market

For the last ten years or so I have worked as the International Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, covering the northern part of Wisconsin. Part of my role was to assist companies that wanted to export their products to world markets. We helped with issues like market research, trade missions, understanding tariffs, taxes, and shipping issues. But one element was missing in the northern part of Wisconsin which can really help people in international trade. We did not have a professional international trade association to help bring people together and network with each other about their personal experiences in international trade. We decided it was time to form the NWITA and use this organization as a focal point of welcoming people together to share their experiences and to help each other understand the dynamics of global markets.

This organization will help companies learn about trade, how to successfully enter the market-place, expand overseas, and at the same time reduce the risk of going into the global marketplace. We will be bringing speakers into the area, to address timely and important issues. We will be publishing a newsletter to keep people updated on changes. We will be offering services of university professors and students through internships, to help companies with their specific needs in marketing, market research, finance and other disciplines.

We welcome your ideas and suggestions to help us grow this new organization and would you like to see you actively participate in NWITA and make it a part of your business growth strategy.

I see NWITA as an organization that can help my current organization expand into new foreign markets. I hope that we can grow the NWITA to bring people together and meet the needs of small, medium, and large companies, educational institutions, and public sector entities. I hope to see you at one of our future events!

—John Konkel
International Marketing and Sales Director, Kretz Lumber Company, Inc.