2014

Global Milwaukee Committee

Connecting to Expand Business Opportunities Globally

RCM is in the early stages of developing a program to help manufacturers in Wisconsin believe that the world can be a trustworthy place to do business –by leveraging our unique global organization that’s been built on a 100-year history of trust and Midwestern values.

One of the first steps in exploring new marketplaces is often simply finding a few key business people who can be trusted.  That challenge seems especially difficult outside the U.S., which prevents many manufacturers from seriously thinking about exporting their products.

Rotary International has 34,000 clubs in nearly 200 countries around the globe – 28,000 clubs outside the U.S. – comprised of nearly one million business people who value ethics. One of the basic tenets of Rotary is the encouragement of these high ethical standards in business and the professions. As any member who has attended a Rotary meeting abroad can attest, these shared Rotary values can lead to an instant sense of camaraderie and trust.

RCM gathers Rotarians and area manufacturing executives monthly to discuss global business and learn how Rotary might provide a framework for building trust in international business relationships. In the coming months, the group will be gathering data and forming a pilot program to test Rotary’s benefits as a “trust bridge” for doing business globally.