Name: Rachel Benton Title: Executive Director Organization: International Trade Council of Kansas City Inc. (ITC) Contact Information: 3013 Main St. Kansas City MO 64108 (816) 285-9040 www.itckc.org
Rachel Benton’s background as a Peace Corps business volunteer in Ukraine fits right in with her current position as the executive director of the International Trade Council of Kansas City. In the Peace Corps, Benton worked at a not-for-profit educational advising center that assists students, teachers and professionals interested in study or training abroad.
Benton earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Louis University, majoring in international business and marketing. She then earned a master’s degree in international management from Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management.
Benton has been with the council since January 2004. She is the only employee of the ITC, which is led by 22 volunteer directors. Benton supervises administrative functions and works with the committee chairs to coordinate the council’s activities. She also represents the ITC within the metro’s international community and with other international organizations outside the region.
The council was founded in 1944 under the sponsorship of the late J.C. Nichols. Its mission is to promote global commerce through focused education and networking. The council supports individuals and businesses in the Greater Kansas City area so they can compete successfully in world markets and contribute to the strength and stability of regional industries.
The ITC’s modular, self-contained seminars and meetings address topics within world trade and economics related to exporting, importing and country-specific influences. Benton said local professionals teach the “nuts and bolts” educational programs, and ITC brings in internationally recognized experts to conduct the in-depth seminars scheduled throughout the year.
“Continued success in international business in our region entails generating and disseminating our combined personal knowledge,” Benton said. Council membership is varied and includes senior executives, mid-level managers and trade specialists from large corporations; owners, managers and trade specialists from small and medium businesses; and independent entrepreneurs.
The council has upgraded its Web site and incorporated a job board that consists of affiliated trade associations. The ITC has added a monthly executive roundtable forum conducted by Boardroom Business Consultants to promote collaborative thinking, and it has collaborated with the Kansas World Trade Center and FCIB, an international business group that benefits ITC members through program discounts.
Benton said that in February, ITC is reintroducing TradeWins, an international trade game that exposes participants to the common pitfalls of international business transactions.
Future plans are to collaborate with the University of Kansas Center for International Business and Education Research (KU-CIBER) to pursue a Certified Global Business Professional prep course and trade certificate program. Individuals who complete the course will receive a certificate in international business and also be better prepared to take the national Certified Global Business Professional exam offered through the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators.
ITC also plans to establish itself as part of the Private Sector Liaison Officers network to give small businesses easier access to the World Bank Group (WBG) products and services. Ellen Jensen is the managing editor of Kansas City Small Business Monthly magazine.
