Kentucky World Trade Center

Some 41 international dignitaries representing 22 nations joined government and business leaders from throughout the Commonwealth to celebrate the 14th Annual World Trade Day event on June 7th at the Lexington Convention Center in downtown Lexington.

A special highlight of the event was the outstanding keynote address given by T.R. Reid. Mr. Reid is a Bureau Chief for the Washington Post, a NPR featured commentator, and the author of six books in English and three in Japanese, including The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy, and Confucius Lives Next Door.Prior to the Washington Post, Mr. Reid majored in Classics at Princeton University and subsequently worked as a teacher, a naval officer during the Vietnam War, and a lawyer. At The Washington Post, he has covered Congress, national politics, and four presidential campaigns. As the paper's bureau chief in Tokyo and in London, he has spent most of the past decade overseas.In his address, Mr. Reid covered pertinent world issues from his national best seller The United States of Europe, and gave us a better understanding of the relationship between the United States and Europe.

Dignitary Guests

A delegation of dignitaries from foreign Embassies, Consulates and Trade Commissions throughout the United States traveled to Kentucky to promote trade and investment opportunities with their countries. A 'Tour the World' trade fair allowed international businesses in Kentucky to discuss trade issues specific to their company with each of the foreign officials.

Among the countries represented at World Trade Day 2006 were Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

World Trade Success Award Winners

For the past 14 years, the Kentucky World Trade Center (KWTC) has recognized firms for their outstanding successes and contributions to international trade during the World Trade Success awards luncheon. As the featured event of World Trade Day, the awards luncheon has become Kentucky's largest annual gathering of international trade professionals, with over 360 executives and government officials in attendance this year.

This year the KWTC is proud to congratulate the following four winners of the World Trade Success awards competition, selected from a pool of nominations and entries by a panel of business professionals:

Big Ass Fans
Briggs & Stratton Corporation
Kentucky Community & Technical College System
Papa John's International

Click here to see each company's business profile.

Congratulations to all of the award winners
for their contribution to Kentucky's international business success!

The Kentucky World Trade Center would like to thank their Patron members and Sponsors for making World Trade Day possible!

World Trade Day 2006

Highlights International Trade in Kentucky