"Make it Monday" forum - SBA Export Guaranty Loan Programs and EXIM Bank Programs & Services

Join Special Guest Speakers: Lee Gibbs from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of International Trade and John Brislin from the Export-Import Bank of the United States to learn how to utilize federal government resources to discover and grow your foreign market opportunities.

Whether you're new to business, new to exporting or new to market firm, learn of the services available to help make you successful including:

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Lee Gibbs is the Export Finance Manager for the SBA Office of International Trade covering the Washington, Alaska, and North Idaho areas; he joined the SBA in January of 2016. Prior to that Lee had been with Zions bank for the past 17 years utilizing the SBA  International Finance Programs and was at one time the Export Lender of the year nationally and received the SBA Export Financing Pioneer Award. He has over 38 years of experience in Agricultural, Commercial, and SBA lending and he has a strong understanding of the practical application and use of all the SBA Export Loan Programs. 

Lee earned a bachelor’s of science degree from Brigham Young University. He has served on various “District Export Council’s” and presently serves on the advisory board for the University of Idaho’s College of Business. He has also traveled to many places around the world helping to promote the sale and export of US Goods and Services.

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John Brislin joined the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank) as Director of the Seattle Regional Office in August 2012.  He supports Exporters, Delegated Lenders and Registered Brokers in Washington State, Idaho, Alaska.  EXIM Bank is an independent, self-sustaining federal agency that exists to support American jobs by facilitating the export of U.S. goods and services – at no cost to U.S. taxpayers.
John was previously President and CEO of the Export Finance Assistance Center of Washington (EFACW).  During his tenure, EFACW won the EXIM Bank City / State Partner of Year Award for 2012.  John also served on the National Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank of the United States in 2012.

John has over 23 years of international banking experience. He first worked for the Bank of Boston / Bank of America in their International Trade Operations in Boston, Massachusetts. After moving to Washington State, John joined the Bank of California / MUFG Union Bank in International Trade Operations ascending to the role of International Operations Manager.  He managed Trade Payment Operations in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington supporting Pacific Northwest clients.  John transitioned over to a Global Trade Sales Officer covering Trade Finance and EXIM Bank Programs for the Pacific Northwest Region at Union Bank.

John participates in the Washington Export Outreach Team (WEOT) which is a group of Local, State and Federal agencies who work cooperatively together across Washington State to support Washington Exporters.  

John who is originally from Syracuse, New York has resided in Washington State for the past 22 years.  John has a degree in Business Administration from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.  John brings his significant private sector banking experience and more recent public sector experience at EFACW and EXIM Bank to assist Pacific Northwest businesses to export goods and services internationally.

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