by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
All the fireworks being created by the Super Bowl should sound like a muffled pop if Jacksonville can use the global limelight to achieve its “manifest destiny” and become a “truly great international city.”
“Our notion was, we ought to imagine what we can do to truly become an international city,” said Eric Smith, in opening Wednesday’s Northeast Florida International Summit 2004 at Florida Coastal School of Law.
“If we can do that,” he added, “we can attract these other events (the Olympics, another Super Bowl) back here sooner. We can help our economy; we can carry out Mayor (John) Peyton’s vision for one of the most literate cities in America. And we can carry out our seaport’s and airport’s vision of being a great transportation center.”
The special guest for the all-day summit was Zhao Mingpeng, mayor of Jinzhou Municipal People’s Government. The coastal city in northeast China is in the middle of a transportation hub, “which is probably the reason why they made arrangements for me to visit Jacksonville, which I understand is also a port city, where commerce is very important,” Zhao said through an interpreter.
The mayor is in the United States as part of the International Visitors Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The goal of the international exchange program is to help people of different countries get to know each other.
“There was the opportunity to come to this important meeting where all these important business people are,” he said. “I hope this will be the beginning of a chance to make the acquaintance of people who will get to know our city and for us to get to know better your city.
“Hopefully there will be some further cooperation in the future.”
Zhao was being guided around the city by Guillermo Mora, with the International Visitor Corps of Jacksonville, who had lined up several meetings with local officials.
A partial list of others attending included City Council president Elaine Brown; Dan Kleman, chief operating officer for the City; Rick Ferrin, managing director of the Jacksonville Port Authority; Michael Kelly, president and CEO of the Super Bowl Host Committee; and Jorge Azzurieta, president of Florida Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.
The ability of the United States to compete in the new international marketplace is made more difficult by federal agencies’ current commercial structure, which is “disjointed and dysfunctional at best,” said the keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. John Mica.
“We devote very few resources to business, both domestically and internationally.”
American business traditionally has been dependent on domestic markets, but that has already begun to change, he said.
“Nineteen of 20 potential customers in the future will be outside the United States,” Mica said.
Although we have “excellent” port, airport and highway systems, he said, trade is evolving toward more air transportation — on which Jacksonville could use more work.
Scanning some airline schedules, Mica pointed out there are only three nonstop flights to Miami, five to Tampa and none to Orlando. Allowing for the changes in Orlando flights, the trip takes seven hours, “which is why so many people drive.”
“We have assets, but we don’t have the access we should have,” said Mica.
In addition to improving air capability, improvements need to be made in infrastructure and developing an educated work force that can handle complex, high-tech manufacturing jobs.
Asian markets are important to the United States in general and Northeast Florida in particular, said George Banks, chair of the Florida Council on International Development., who went on his ninth trade mission to Korea in June.
Banks has a list that includes a variety of goods and wood products that South Korea would like to import. In addition to some of the better known American franchises, such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s, Koreans are also interested in several regional businesses, including Bono’s, Firehouse Subs and Bubba Burgers, made by Hickory House.
“They’re very intrigued by taking something out of the freezer and popping it right on the grill,” said Banks.
State Rep. Don Davis accompanied Banks on the trade mission, making his first trip to Korea since 1952, when he was in the U.S. Army. While there, Davis — who had fought along what would become the Demilitarized Zone — was presented the medal for Ambassador for Peace.
“International development in all countries, as well as Korea, is done through personal relationships,” said Davis. “George has done a great job of developing relationships with the people of Korea. It’s going to pay big dividends to our city in terms on international trade in the future.”
International trade is “a tremendous source” of employment for Floridians, about 800,000 of whom owe their livelihood to international business,” said Manny Mencia, senior vice president of International Trade and Business Development for Enterprise Florida.
“From the international standpoint, our objective, basically, is to sell our product around the world,” he added. “Our product is the state of Florida. And our forte is helping medium-small companies to enter, expand and succeed in international markets.
“If you’re in business in Florida today, you simply cannot afford to ignore the international market place. International business is good for your company, it’s good for your workers and it’s good for your community.”