CHARLESTON,
W.Va. – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin presented the Governor’s Commendation for
International Market Entry to representatives of 49 West Virginia businesses.
The award honors companies that have successfully exported to a new country in
the past year.
Gov. Tomblin joined the West
Virginia Export Council and the West Virginia Development Office on June 22 to
commend the West Virginia companies.
“West Virginia businesses are
competing in today’s marketplace, whether it is around the corner or around the
world,” said Gov. Tomblin. “Our businesses, big and small, are succeeding in
expanding their sales horizons to new markets, creating and retaining jobs here
at home.”
West Virginia’s exports in 2010
reached a record level of $6.4 billion. The state’s 2010 exports grew by 33
percent over the previous year, outperforming the U.S. export growth rate of 21
percent. West Virginia’s all-time-high performance exceeded its previous record
of $5.6 billion, set in 2008.
This award is based on the tradition
of displaying the first dollar a business earns. The Governor’s Commendation for
International Market Entry frames currency from each new country to which the
recipient business began exporting in 2010.
The 49 companies honored this year
matches the previous record set in 2009. Since its inception in 2002, the
program has presented a total of 1,123 awards recognizing sales to 148
countries.
Putnam County businesses receiving
Commendations this year were:
-
Clark International Logistics
LLC, Poca; Brazil; Thailand; Korea; Taiwan; Kenya
-
Eagle Research Corp.,
Hurricane; China
Source: WV Commerce Department,
www.wvcommerce.org