Expand International Sales through your Kentucky Resources

08/05/2026
12:00 PM to 12:45 PM
(GMT-04:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

About

Grow your Kentucky business and increase your domestic and international sales. Join experts from the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY MEP), the World Trade Center Kentucky, the U.S. Commercial Service, the Kentucky Small Business Development Center, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and the Kentucky Caninet for Economic Development for an overview of the state and federal programs that can help your company expand.

Whether you are a manufacturer, agricultural producer, technology company, professional services provider, or other growth-oriented business, this free webinar will introduce valuable resources to help you identify new customers, enter global markets, improve competitiveness, access funding and technical assistance, and accelerate growth. Learn where to turn for expert guidance and discover how these organizations can support your business at every stage.

LEARN ABOUT OUR EVENTS

We invite you to explore the wide variety of events that we offer to help U.S. companies expand their global sales.


Speakers

Tara Amis Speaker image

Tara Amis

Client Solutions Manager at the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership

KY-MEP
Dr. Omar Ayyash Speaker image

Dr. Omar Ayyash

President at the World Trade Center Kentucky

Joseph Doyle Speaker image

Joseph Doyle

International Trade Specialist at the United States Department of Commerce

Fausto Sarmiento Speaker image

Fausto Sarmiento

Center Director at the Kentucky Small Business Development Center

Jonathan Van Balen Speaker image

Jonathan Van Balen

Import/Export Advisor at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture

Jonathan Van Balen has served as the Import/Export Advisor for the Office of Agricultural Marketing of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) since January 2007.

 

During his time at KDA, Jonathan has assisted companies and producers with registration of products, documentation, and issues involving agricultural exports around the world. He has coordinated and hosted buyers’ missions from Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Mexico, Taiwan, and Türkiye for different agricultural sectors. He has also coordinated pavilions at trade shows in and trade missions to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Japan, Perú, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

 

He works closely with the Southern United States Trade Association, the American Hardwood Export Council, the Hardwood States Export Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, and the U.S. Commercial Service to assist Kentucky’s agricultural exporters.

 Jonathan also manages an advertising and marketing cost-share program with a biannual budget of approximately $800,000 for Kentucky agricultural producers who have direct Kentucky farm impact through sales of agricultural products.

 Jonathan has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology/Anthropology from Denison University in Granville, Ohio and a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, with a focus in international law.

jonathan.vanbalen@ky.gov

Victoria Wood Speaker image

Victoria Wood

Senior Project Manager at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development