The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

with CS specialists to find ways of boosting their exports. [A quick note on nomenclature: During the 20th cen- tury, the U.S. government’s foreign commerce function switched several times between the Departments of State and Commerce. In 1980, it moved again to Commerce, where it was named the Foreign Commercial Service. The next year it was renamed the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, which referred to the combined domestic and international organization. That is still the full and proper name of the service, but the abbreviated “Commercial Service” is heard far more often. Though the phrase “the Foreign Commercial Service” is frequently used, particularly within the FS community, it does not officially exist.] As one CS veteran told the Foreign Service Journal , “We’re looked upon as a friendly face, a helping hand. Other government agencies aren’t viewed like that.” In large part, the Commercial Service is well-liked because its mission — helping American companies export — is universally popular. Exports increase busi- ness profits, create jobs for workers, and help the U.S. economy as a whole. What’s not to like? Professionals in the Commercial Service like to say that their agency is “the best-kept secret in the U.S. gov- ernment.” But Director of Marketing and Communications Douglas Barry admits, “This appella- tion is beginning to melt away.” Promoting the Commercial Service If the Commercial Service is acquiring a higher pro- file, lots of credit must be given to Maria Cino, who has been director general of the service since May 2001. Cino, a lively and outgoing advocate, came to the service from the front lines of Republican Party politics. In 2000, she served first as national political director for Bush for President and then as deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee, where she managed a $250 million media, mail and get-out-the-vote effort in all 50 states. Cino admits that when Commerce Secretary Don Evans first called her about the post, she told him, “I’ve never had an expertise in trade.” But she’s quick to add that the job is “a very close fit to my background. For most of my life I managed national field organizations. We just happened to sell candidates. This is an interna- tional field organization that assists small and medium- sized businesses to export their goods and services.” Cino has rapidly put her own stamp on the organiza- tion. She notes, “In my previous life, you had a very short time to get results. In a campaign, you have six months.” Her most visible initiative is the Export Achievement Awards, a program started in January 2002 to recognize U.S. companies that are new exporters. “We’ve already given out about 370 awards,” Cino said in November. “We use elected officials to present the awards, so we educate our officials.” Cino also aims to increase the number of U.S. compa- nies exporting and the countries they’re exporting to. “Of the companies that are exporting, 64 percent are export- ing to just one country,” she says. She intends to continue to help “underserved com- munities, women-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses,” but has told the Service to focus those efforts more precisely. In recent years, too many training semi- nars for U.S. companies were given for “companies that had no intention of exporting and were not able to,” Cino says. With more careful screening, the CS will work more with companies that “are exporting a little bit, or are just under the line.” A less visible Cino initiative — but one much appreci- ated by the FSOs in the service — is making profession- al development a priority. Eric Sletten, a senior FSO, says, “We have a DG now who has put a huge emphasis on training. For the first time, we have a junior officer training [course] that mimics State’s A-100 experience, and senior commercial officer training. She has strength- ened us institutionally.” Cino clearly values the Commercial Service’s special role as a “seamless operation” combining domestic and international operations. She adds, “It’s absolutely valu- able to have a Foreign Service component. We have 162 international offices. We’re able to say to this customer in Des Moines, Iowa, that you have potential to export your products to Russia, and I’m going to turn you over to our senior commercial officer there and his staff, rather than giving him a plane ticket, waving goodbye, and maybe never hearing from him again.” Too Political? The presence of Cino, a top Republican political oper- ative, as DG points to an issue that critics of the Service F O C U S 22 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 Bob Guldin is a former editor of the Journal . He is now a freelance writer and editor in the Washington area.