The Massachusetts Export Center has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion and is helping to keep America competitive in the global marketplace. I commend them for contributing to last years record in goods and services exports, said Gutierrez.

The SBDC Service Center Excellence and Innovation Award honors Small Business Development Centers for their innovation and excellence in assisting entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their business goals. There are over 1,000 SBDCs in the United States, and the Massachusetts Export Center was the nation-wide winner of this award, which was presented by Steven Preston, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, also met with the Massachusetts Export Center as part of the award ceremony. In these tough economic times, exports are driving our economy and that's why the Massachusetts Export Centers work is so important, said Senator Kerry. I'm proud that the folks at the Export Center are doing such an exemplary job helping Massachusetts small businesses sell their goods overseas. Well be working in Washington to make sure that all small businesses have access to the kind of excellent assistance that the Massachusetts Export Center provides for our small firms.

Pictured left to right (click to enlarge): The staff of the Massachusetts Export Center with their colleagues at the U.S. Department of Commerce (pictured from left to right):  Julia Dvorko, Central Massachusetts Regional Director Massachusetts Export Center; Marie Hladikova, Trade Services Manager Massachusetts Export Center; Paula Murphy, Director Massachusetts Export Center; BreAnne Yothers, Assistant Trade Specialist Massachusetts Export Center; Ann Pieroway, Western Massachusetts Regional Director Massachusetts Export Center; Edward Merguerian, International Trade Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service; Dorothy Zur Muhlen, Director U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service; Israel Hernandez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Promotion

We are proud of this recognition that the Massachusetts Export Center has earned nationally for its hard work to help small businesses export their goods all over the world, said Secretary Daniel O'Connell, Governor Patrick's chief housing and economic development advisor. The Export Center has proven to be a key resource for small businesses as well as trade and professional associations.

The Massachusetts Export Center has offices in Boston, Worcester, Holyoke and New Bedford, and serves more than 1,000 businesses per year. Between 2005 and 2006, the Centers clients increased their export sales by 27 percent on average three times the nine percent growth rate for the states overall export performance during the same time period. In 2006, clients reported more than $160 million in export sales as a direct result of the Centers assistance, helping to retain or generate over 2,000 jobs.

The Massachusetts Export Center is a part of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) network, a partnership of the United States Small Business Administration, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and a consortium of institutions of higher education led by the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.