CoBPA, NDTO recognize inaugural export course The College of Business and Public Administration and the North Dakota Trade Office recognized the accomplishments of business students and business leaders who completed the college’s inaugural Export Management training course on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Students and business leaders received a certificate of achievement for completing the 12-week export management series developed by the CoBPA and the NDTO. The course is designed to prepare business students and business leaders for expansion into the global marketplace. Attendees learn how to identify export business opportunities in foreign markets and how to avoid the common and not-so-common missteps that can create regulatory headaches and strip businesses of customers and profits. Participants were introduced to international business professionals and a peer network that shared real-life experiences regarding the critical elements of operating an export business. Many skilled instructors participated in the course. For example, Dean Adams, principal brand strategist for Level Brand Inc. of Minneapolis and a former marketing director for 3M Corporation, was a key instructor. Adams shared his expertise in developing a global brand identity. Robert Pelka, vice president of structured trade finance, Wells Fargo HSBC Trade Bank N.A., shared options available to finance export business. About 40 UND business students and 13 business leaders participated in the Export Management Training Course. “We are pleased with our collaboration with NDTO in this endeavor that started more than a year ago. The course was developed and offered with the idea of a hands-on-approach to learning the fundamentals of managing an export business and was taught by the prominent and experienced business managers at the right time in light of President Obama’s new goal to double our exports over the next five years to create 2 million jobs right here in America, as he elaborated in his State of Union Address last week,” said Fathollah Bagheri, professor of economics, who was the lead faculty member for the course. -- Laura Dvorak-Berry, External Relations, College of Business and Public Administration, laura.dvorak-berry@business.und.edu, 777-6937