Invest Atlanta and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta hosted EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis (EXIM) for a roundtable discussion on May 20 with Atlanta-based minority and women business leaders who export to share information on exporting and how that can help businesses achieve sustainable growth and compete effectively in the global marketplace.

Chairman Lewis led the roundtable discussion in Invest Atlanta’s offices, where she was joined by Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO, Invest Atlanta and Nancy Flake Johnson, president and CEO, Urban League of Greater Atlanta.

Through partnerships like EXIM Bank, Invest Atlanta is building pathways for small- and large-scale manufacturers to access export financing and overseas markets. 

Access to these resources will increase the global competitiveness of our local economy by empowering local businesses to participate in the global marketplace.

“Hosting EXIM President and Chair Lewis for this important discussion is the kind of insightful programming that we understand helps give small businesses the tools they need to compete in the global marketplace,” said Klementich. “Small businesses make up nearly 90% of Georgia exporters, and we are eager to assist those in Atlanta improve their success by selling products globally.”

“The Urban League of Greater Atlanta is honored to be a key partner that helps facilitate the focus on Atlanta-based small, women and minority-owned business owners’ access to the Export-Import Bank of the United States’ portfolio of services and resources,” said Johnson.

EXIM is the official Export Credit Agency (ECA) of the United States that focuses on maintaining and creating U.S. jobs through exports. In May, Lewis announced the creation of a new Council on Small Business, which will be a subcommittee of EXIM’s Advisory Committee and provide recommendations on ways EXIM can help more American small business exporters find new markets, achieve more sales, and lower the risk of selling internationally.

In 2021, EXIM authorizations for minority- and women-owned businesses increased 10 percent. Eighty-seven percent of EXIM’s transactions directly benefitted U.S. small business exporters and 33 percent of total direct export value supported small businesses.