Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference Features New Speed Networking For Buyers and Exporters -- Registration Closes Earliest in History of the Event

U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson Confirmed to Speak at Conference

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Ex-Im Bank's Annual Conference two weeks away, registration has closed - earlier than ever before – with over 1,200 participants signed up to attend. Registrants are representatives from American businesses, financial institutions, government agencies and embassies, and foreign companies. International buyer attendance is expected to be the highest in the history of the event which is being held on April 12th and 13th at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

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The theme of the conference is Your Competitive Edge. It is a unique opportunity for U.S. exporters and international buyers to network and engage in potential deal making. For the first time, Ex-Im Bank is featuring a special "Speed Networking" session that will bring these individuals together to facilitate one-on-one meetings. Ground-breaking technology is being used to connect the non-U.S. buyers to U.S. exporters. Key industry sectors and services will include aircraft and avionics, renewable energy, agribusiness, construction equipment, medical equipment, power-generation, telecommunications, and technology.

U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson will deliver remarks to open the second day of the conference and introduce Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

"We are honored to add Secretary Bryson to our great lineup for this year's Annual Conference," said Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of the Bank. "In addition to furthering President Obama's National Export Initiative and providing the venue for a vibrant exchange of ideas on trade policy, this year we are focused on creating the opportunity for U.S. exporters to gain a competitive edge overseas by meeting face to face with potential foreign investors."

Ex-Im Bank is hosting prominent members of the business, government, and non-governmental communities to speak at the conference including; President Bill Clinton, Chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative, Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel, Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and David Rubenstein, Co-founder and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group. A full listing of speakers, panelists, and moderators is available on the Annual Conference website at http://www.exim.gov/news/annualconf/2012/index.cfm.

ABOUT EX-IM BANK

Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Ex-Im Bank approved $32.7 billion in total authorizations in FY 2011 -- an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6 billion directly supporting small-business export sales -- also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $41 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 290,000 American jobs in communities across the country. For more information, visit www.exim.gov.

SOURCE Export-Import Bank of the United States