"U.S. Commercial Service plans to open new office at Gannon"
By: Peter Panepento
Source: The Erie Times
March 29, 2005

Distance has been the U.S. Commercial Service's enemy in its push to sell northwestern Pennsylvania businesses on the benefits of exporting.

The federal agency's nearest outpost had, until recently, been in Pittsburgh.

And although Pittsburgh is far from an exotic destination for many business owners in Pennsylvania's northwest corner, for entrepreneurs looking to navigate the complexities of foreign trade, it might as well be half a world away.

"When you approach it from the local perspective, it is received a lot better," said Lyn Doverspike, director of the U.S. Commercial Service's Pittsburgh office. "With our office in Pittsburgh, they take advantage of our services, but not to the levels that we want them to."

To close the gap, the U.S. Commercial Service and Gannon University's Small Business Development Center announced plans Monday to create an Erie office that will serve northwestern Pennsylvania businesses that want federal help with researching and taking advantage of exporting opportunities.

The office — which will be housed at the Gannon SBDC, 120 W. Ninth St. — will be run by Erie native and former Gannon SBDC intern Adam Mook.

It will be one of only about 10 U.S. Commercial Service offices nationally that are set up in smaller cities and rural areas, Doverspike said. Most of the agency's existing offices are found in larger cities and overseas.

"We're able to have more accessibility," Mook said. "(In the past), it's been limited. A lot of companies in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties haven't had contact."

Until now, local businesses could work with the Gannon SBDC's International Business Program to get access to resources, such as the U.S. Commercial Service, that could help them research export opportunities and make contact with overseas customers.

By having access to a local U.S Commercial Service office, Gannon SBDC director Debra Steiner said, the region's entrepreneurs will have greater access to these resources — and will be able to get help from SBDC consultants to create more targeted business plans.

The office will also help business owners find new markets for their products — markets that will ultimately bring more money into northwestern Pennsylvania, said U.S. Rep. Phil English, who announced the new Erie office at an event at Gannon's Old Main building.

"From my experience, the more local companies are aware of these services and are willing to plug into them, the bigger the potential," said English, R-3rd Dist. "This is clearly going to create opportunities and jobs in our area."