Israel Hernandez

United Parcel Services Inc. is to host a Global Small Business Forum at the Georgia Aquarium downtown on Tuesday, Nov. 13, that will feature advice from representatives of private companies and government officials on how Atlanta-area small businesses can become more involved in global trade.

The forum also will feature an awards ceremony for the winners of UPS’ “Out-of-the-Box” Small Business Contest that was launched in 2005. Last year, several companies including one dedicated to teaching children about money management and another that provides products and ideas to help people with dementia, were rewarded for their creative thinking and business concepts.

The contest was opened up this year to applications from companies with annual 2006 revenues of at least $250,000 but not more than $10 million from Canada, China, Mexico, the Philippines and Singapore as well as the United States. Prizes range from $5,000 to $25,000 in cash along with other benefits. The deadline for this year’s applications has passed.

Israel Hernandez, secretary for trade promotion and general director of the Commerce Department’s U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, is to speak at the half-day event on how small businesses can make the most of global trade.  In March, the Commercial Service announced a new initiative with UPS to grow exports from U.S.-based small- and medium-sized enterprises.

A panel on small business trends around the globe based on UPS surveys in Canada, Latin America and the U.S. will be moderately by Laurel Delaney, president and founder of Chicago-based Global TradeSource Ltd.

Another panel moderated by Bo Burlingham, author and editor-at-large, Inc. magazine, is to feature small businesses including the successes of the 2007 winners of the “Out-of-the-Box” contest.

The forum from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. is open to all small businesses that register in advance at www.pressroom.ups.com/smallbizforum.