April 19, 2012 - A number of experts have pointed out that one way to grow the American economy – and create more American jobs – is to sell stuff overseas. One of those experts is Fred Hochberg, chairman of the Ex-Im Bank. The Bank’s job as the official export credit agency of the government, is to enable purchases by overseas buyers of American goods and services by providing those buyers with financing as a part of the purchase package. This is harder than it sounds.

April 12, 2012 - A number of Pacific Rim countries, not just China but also Australia and others, have economies that are growing faster than ours. The U.S. Commerce Department, and particularly the International Trade Administration, really wants to help you sell stuff – not just manufactured goods, but services as well – in those markets.

March/April, 2012 - It’s Kevin Bell’s job to help ensure that the owners of the companies Chrysler Group LLC spends money with are demographically similar to the consumers who buy the company’s vehicles.

March 29, 2012 - Earlier this year we asked Corp! digital and print readers to participate in the second of a series of surveys of business leaders to get their impressions of the way the economy is headed. This narrative description of the raw numbers says essentially that as far as business is concerned, with few exceptions, the country is headed in the right direction.

March 8, 2012 - The popular television program “Mad Men” deals with an era that is ancient history to many of its viewers. Today, about a month before before Administrative Professionals Week – and Day – the office world has changed to the point where Don Draper and company wouldn’t recognize it. There’s a reason for that.

Feb. 23, 2012 - When the White House wants to make a point about economic recovery they bring the big guns into the field. Recently the president went to Master Lock in Milwaukee to emphasize the need to “insource” jobs by repatriating them rather than outsourcing them overseas, while the vice president went to American Seating in Grand Rapids, Mich. to laud a company that’s been keeping jobs in America for more than 125 years. The two companies involved have a remarkably similar take on how they work with their employees.

Feb. 16, 2012 - National winners of the 2011 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For exemplified the best of the best in innovative human resource initiatives that encouraged such key characteristics as employee engagement and commitment and positive work/life balance.

January/February 2012 - Talk to Gary Heidel for any length of time about economic redevelopment efforts in Michigan, and you’ll hear him repeatedly use terms such as “teamwork,” “collaboration” and “partnerships.” Heidel, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority since October 2010, says it’s going to take a variety of public and private entities working together to reshape the state’s economy.

Feb. 2, 2012 - Remember your first car? It was more than just a way to get around, it represented a new freedom and independence from relying on someone else to get you where you wanted (or needed) to go. No matter what kind of car it was or who built it, its roots spread deep in American technology and culture. A new auto-centric experience awaits visitors at a “destination” museum that lets you take some of their exhibits “home” with you via technology.

Jan. 19, 2012 - It’s auto show season around the country but at a small company in New York City it’s always auto show season – with the emphasis on show. Picture Cars East “prepares” cars – and trucks and SUVs – to be blown up or otherwise mishandled in movies, commercials and, increasingly, in music videos.