Friday, July 11, 2008 - 10:40 AM EDT
Kentucky names director for Mexico trade office
Business Courier of Cincinnati

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development announced Thursday that Silvia Alonso has been hired as director of the Kentucky Agricultural and Commercial Trade Office in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Alonso is working under a contractual agreement between the state of Kentucky and Global Business Partners Mexico, a global trade consulting firm co-founded by Alonso and Efren Flores, the state said in a news release.

Alonso, 31, previously worked for Pennsylvania's Mexico trade office. There, she provided business assistance and conducted market research on behalf of more than 200 Pennsylvania companies.

"With a weak dollar, this is an opportune time for Kentucky producers to look at expanding their markets beyond our borders," Kentucky agriculture commissioner Richie Farmer said in the release. "I am pleased to have someone with Ms. Alonso's qualifications to help our producers sell more fine Kentucky Proud products in Mexico."

Mexico is Kentucky's third-largest trading partner, after Canada and France. Kentucky exported $1.4 billion worth of goods and services to Mexico in 2007. The state exported $305 million in goods and services to Mexico in the first quarter of 2008.

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