SSTI Member in Michigan Receives Presidential Export Award

A delegation of Automation Alley representatives recently traveled to the White House to receive the 2008 "E" Award for exporting. The Presidential 'E' Award was created by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to recognize persons, firms or organizations which contribute significantly to increase U.S. exports.
 
Since 2001, Automation Alley, a Michigan technology business association and SSTI affiliate member, has conducted eight trade missions and plans a mission to Brazil later this year. The missions focus on small and mid-sized companies in the automotive, electronic equipment, machinery, alternative energy, environmental, biotechnology, information technology and medical fields. Automation Alley directly attributes the trade missions to generating more than $130 million in new business and economic development for company participants in the region, in addition to creating nearly 100 new jobs in Southeast Michigan.
 
Of the 16 “E” awards made in 2008, Automation Alley is one of only three service organizations recognized and the only one exclusively serving the extensive tech community of its service area. The other service providers recognized with this year’s “E” awards were the Massachusetts Export Center in Boston and the Global Business Edge Program of the Albers School of Business & Economics at Seattle University. The remaining 12 E award recipients were private companies.
 
In addition to the “E” Awards, the U.S. Department of Commerce program used the “E Star” award to recognize three organizations and businesses for continued superior performance in exporting. 
 
More information about the E award is available at: http://www.commerce.gov/NewsRoom/PressReleases_FactSheets/PROD01_006046