Southwestern Illinois Trade and Investment Council (SWIL TIC)
Purpose
To raise awareness of global exporting and foreign direct investment as an opportunity for economic stability and growth in southwestern Illinois; to identify and form strategies to address barriers that discourage or limit exports from the region and/or foreign direct investment; and to encourage existing and potential global exporters in the region to support services available that improve their chances for success.
Organization
The Southwestern Illinois Trade and Investment Council's (SWIL TIC) boundaries shall initially include a region that covers the counties of Madison, St. Clair, Jersey, Calhoun, Bond, Clinton, Washington, Randolph, and Monroe counties. The SWIL TIC shall consist of a Board of Directors and a participating membership. The Board of Directors will govern the affairs of the SWIL TIC. The appointed members would include private sector exporters, the county board chairmen of St. Clair and Madison counties, regional port representatives, regional airport representatives, freight forwarders and banking representatives. Ex-officio members will come from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Commerce, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's International Trade Center, Madison County and St. Clair County. Staffing for the Council will be provided through one or more of the ex-officio members. Participating membership shall also be made available to other interested entities from business, chambers, economic development organizations, education, and city and county government.
Process
The SWIL TIC would meet on a quarterly basis. In addition to attending quarterly meetings and supporting initiatives of the Illinois Export Advisory Council, the SWIL TIC Board members and staff would collect baseline data on exporters and exports from the region, set measurable exporting goals for the region, and design work activities and/or events for the participating members that would achieve higher exporting and foreign direct investment levels for the region.
Goals and Objectives
The immediate benefits generated by the formation of and activities by the SWIL TIC include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Greater awareness and compliance of exporting requirements/opportunities
- Identification and activation of a network of local economic development professionals and chamber leaders that encourage and support exporting and foreign direct investment activities within their communities, counties and/or regions
- Increased access to and usage of the region’s exporting assistance programs/services
- Expanded job creation and capital investment
- Greater utilization of the region’s multimodal transportation infrastructure and assets
Activities
- Organize and implement a Reverse Foreign Trade Mission for the region
- Proactively organize individual and/or group foreign market sales missions for the region with the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment (OTI)
- Organize a series of regional seminars/events focused on increasing exports and foreign direct investment
- Institute a Southwestern Illinois Exporter of the Year Award(s)
- Develop a SWIL Trade and Investment newsletter; participate in trade shows
- Work with OTI to engage the Illinois Foreign Trade Offices in marketing the region's multimodal transportation and other assets to spur foreign direct investment
- Organize a mentoring program to assist businesses interested in starting and/or increasing exports
- Make a concerted effort to bring foreign direct investment expertise to the region
Board of Directors [pdf]
- Q&A with David Kniepkamp, President of the Southwest Illinois Trade and Investment Council
- Southwest Illinois Trade and Investment Council Names First Board of Directors
- International Trade Center at SIUE Works with Trade and Investment Council to Promote Region
- Dunstan, Kern Announce Formation of Southwestern Illinois Trade and Investment Council
