Asia/Pacific Business Outlook 2000; U.S. Commerce Secretary Speaks at USC International Trade Conference

Business Wire, March 17, 2000

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2000

Robert L. Mallett, Deputy Secretary of Commerce for the U.S. Department of Commerce, will address a two-day international trade conference at the University of Southern California.

Asia/Pacific Business Outlook 2000 (APBO 2000) -- the 13th annual workshop on business challenges and opportunities in the Pacific Rim marketplace -- will be held March 23-24 at USC's Davidson Conference Center in Los Angeles.

More than 400 international business executives and senior commerce officers are expected to attend 70 forums and seminars sponsored by the International Business Education and Research (IBEAR) Program of USC's Marshall School of Business and the Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mallett holds the second-highest position within the U.S. Department of Commerce. As its Chief Operating Officer, Mallett is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a very diversified cabinet-level Department comprised of nine agencies. He plays a lead role in promoting full market access for American companies in countries around the globe.

Mallett has a special interest in promoting small, medium-sized and women-owned businesses, both in international trade and in domestic procurement standards. Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Deputy Secretary Mallett practiced law and served as Washington, D.C.'s City Administrator and Deputy Mayor under Sharon Pratt Kelly. Mallett will provide opening remarks at USC's trade conference on March 23.

USC's Asia Pacific Business Outlook is consistently recognized as the premier event for American business executives seeking to learn about trade in the Asia-Pacific region. "It offers unparalleled learning, business counseling and networking opportunities in an effective time-saving format," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce William M. Daley.

President Bill Clinton, in a memo of endorsement from the White House, said: "Open and competitive trade enriches us all by spurring innovation and promoting growth and prosperity. I commend the participants of this annual conference for helping to lead the way in this endeavor."

Other speakers at the conference will include Thomas J. Barrack, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Office, Colony Capital, Inc.; James W. Owens, Group President and Executive Office Member, Caterpillar, Inc.; John S. Wadsworth, Jr., Chairman, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Asia Limited; and Chris Campana, Deputy Secretary, California Trade and Commerce Agency.

APBO 2000 will host seminars devoted to emerging opportunities in finance, telecommunications, transportation and real estate. China, Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand and Korea are among 13 critical Asian markets examined during the two-day event. Participants at APBO 2000 will be able to schedule one-on-one meetings and join roundtable discussions with Asia-based U.S. Senior Commercial Officers and seasoned business executives.

Among the companies and organizations lending their support to this event are Atlantic Richfield Company, Korean Air, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, California Trade and Commerce Agency, Federal Express, The Asian Wall Street Journal, AmTrade International Bank, Coudert Brothers and the Far Eastern Economic Review.

For registration and further information, contact IBEAR Executive Programs at 213/740-7132 or visit www.apbo-conference.com.

About the USC Marshall School of Business

Founded in 1920, the Marshall School of Business and its several major research centers offer world-class teaching and research. Both U.S. News & World Report and Business Week rank Marshall in the Top 25 for full-time MBA programs. In the latest U.S. News rankings released in March 1999, the Marshall School's EMBA and MBA-PM programs were both ranked in the Top 10.

In a 1998 study by Fortune magazine, the Marshall School was named 7th best business school for Asians. USC ranks among the nation's top universities in the number of foreign students it enrolls and the number of Pacific Rim business leaders it has trained.