SBEA Named First Association Partner for OPIC

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a federal agency that insures exporters against political risk and assists US companies seeking to expand abroad, has named SBEA as its first association partner. We are honored by OPIC’s decision. We believe that this partnership will yield tangible benefits to SBEA members seeking to obtain OPIC financing and insurance, including expedited treatment of information requests and access to OPIC officials. The partnership comes at a time when OPIC is shifting a major part of its focus to small business. A new Small Business Department, under James Polan, has just been rolled out, and OPIC has allocated nearly half of its underwriting resources to the Department. We are aware of at least one SBEA member who has already obtained financing through the new Department. To explore the possibilities for your company, call the SBEA office, or go to OPIC’s web site, www.opic.gov, and click on “OPIC and US Small Business”.