Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Meets With U.S. Company CEOs

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke met with CEOs from several U.S. companies today at two roundtable discussions that addressed how the U.S. Government can help American businesses increase exports through President Obama’s National Export Initiative and how the administration and the Commerce Department can work with the business community toward economic growth and job creation.

This morning, Locke co-hosted a business roundtable luncheon with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 15 leaders of small- and medium-sized U.S. companies at the State Department. The roundtable, hosted by the State Department's Business Community Coordinating Committee, recognized a joint partnership between the Commerce and State departments in making U.S. businesses more competitive abroad. Discussion focused on President Obama's National Export Initiative and the obstacles businesses face when selling their goods and services in international markets.

Following the roundtable, Locke met with a small group of major U.S. company CEOs at the Commerce Department to discuss ways to foster economic growth and create jobs. He also asked for their suggestions on how the administration and the Commerce Department can assist in achieving their business objectives. 

For a list of U.S. companies that participated in today’s meetings, see below.

Ryan Black, CEO, Sambazon
Greg Brown, CEO, Motorola
Dave Cote, CEO, Honeywell
William Dudley, COO, Bechtel
James Flaws, Vice Chairman, Corning, Inc.
Brad Horwitz, President and CEO, Trilogy International Partners/Comcel, Haiti
Roberta Lipson, CEO, Chindex International
Robert McDonald, CEO, Procter & Gamble
W. James McNerney, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO, The Boeing Company
Blake Mycoskie, Chief Shoe Giver, TOMS Shoes
Gregory Page, Chairman and CEO, Cargill, Inc.
Dina Rothstein, Co-Founder and EVP, SURevolution
John M. Smart, President, Smart Communications
John P. Surma, Chairman and CEO, U.S. Steel Corporation
Sally Susman, SVP External Affairs and Worldwide Communications, Pfizer
Ralph Thomson, Chairman Emeritus, Transnational Automotive Group
William C. Weldon, Chairman and CEO, Johnson and Johnson, Inc.