HOUSTON – September 10, 2007 - U.S. Congressman Al Green and members of his congressional staff visited the International Trade Center in southwest Houston on Thursday, August 23rd to participate in the signing ceremony of the partnership agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service and the International Trade Center, a division of Southern News Group. The agreement opens the door for the Houston office of the DOC’s Commercial Service to establish a satellite office at the ITC headquarters located at 11122 Bellaire Blvd. in Houston. The Commercial Service will offer its full package of international trade and investment services to foreign delegations visiting Houston as well as to business in the community that want to do business overseas. The new office has the approval of the United States Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

Beginning in September 2007, the International Trade Center will work closely with the DOC Commercial Service to present international trade seminars and exhibitions as well as educational academic and cross-cultural after school learning and enrichment programs to the youth in the Houston area.

Also in attendance at the signing ceremony were Jacqueline Ellis, Chief of Staff for Congressman Green, Lucinda Daniels, District Director and Counsel for the congressman, Brendan Kelly, Trade Specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service, Wea H. Lee, President and CEO of Southern News Group and John Robbins, Marketing Manager for Southern News Group.

Congressman Al Green stated that he was “…personally very excited” about this program that brings together private enterprise with government resources. The congressman went on to say that he feels that the concept of the Department of Commerce working together with the International Trade Center holds “great promise and could be a model for the rest of the Department of Commerce offices around the country.”.