The Foreign Service Journal, May 2009

M A Y 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 25 rank of assistant secretary, is almost always a political appointee. Like State, FCS has separate geographic regions managed by regional direc- tors, each a Foreign Service officer serving in a headquarters assign- ment. Unlike at State, however, FSOs at Commerce are only a tiny fraction of the headquarters staff. The U.S. & Foreign Commer- cial Service is unique among the five foreign affairs agencies in hav- ing a robust domestic network of more than 100 U.S. Export Assistance Centers. Located in most major cities across the United States, the centers traditionally make the initial contact with first-time ex- porters and assist them in carrying out their maiden for- ays into foreign markets. To facilitate better cooperation between overseas posts and the centers, all commercial officers are now required to serve one tour in a USEAC. In the past, international trade specialists and commercial officers serving in the centers encountered resistance when encouraging Amer- ican companies to consider export- ing. Many, particularly small and medium-size businesses, viewed the United States itself as a large, dynamic market that was more than adequate for their needs. This view has begun to change somewhat with the progress of globalization. Still, many first-time exporters make initial sales to Canada and Mexico to bol- ster their confidence before exploring other markets. For instance, after the Hatco Corporation had its first success in Mexico in 2005 as a result of FCS assistance, the com- pany reported: “We are looking forward to adapting this successful platform to many other international markets in the future.” F O C U S In 2008 FCS supported more than 12,000 business successes, totaling almost $70 billion worth of exports in nearly 200 markets around the world.