Honoring Individuals Who Help Promote Peace and Commerce
November 30, 2011Cory Churches is a Communications and Outreach Specialist with the Office of Public Affairs in the International Trade Administration.
Today we recognized a few of the recipients of a unique award bestowed by the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez. Eight individuals and organizations received the International Trade Administration’s Peace through Commerce Medal Award for 2011.
Rebecca Blank, Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Francisco Sanchez, Under Secretary for International Trade present Jerry Levine, President of Mentor International (center) with the Peace through Commerce award.
Jerry Levine, President of Mentor International, Steve Calderia, CEO of the International Franchise Association and Jack Earle, CEO of the International Franchise Association were on hand to receive their awards and spoke highly of the efforts of the Commerce Department and partners in promoting exports and jobs across America.
The award, reintroduced by Sánchez, recognizes an individual, group, or organization, either domestic or abroad, whose actions have significantly promoted and developed U.S. export initiatives, encouraged innovative approaches, and improved overall U.S. trade relations.
“The Peace through Commerce Medal winners have all played a crucial and proactive role in increasing trade and strengthening our countries overall relations. They also assist us in fully exercising President Obama’s National Export Initiative,” Sánchez said. “Their efforts have led to increased exports of U.S. manufactured goods and services, thus creating jobs at home and stimulating the economy.”
President Obama’s National Export Initiative seeks to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014, supporting millions of jobs.
The Peace through Commerce Medal dates back to the first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, who commissioned the medal in 1790. Jefferson gifted the medal, formerly known as the Diplomatic Medal, to foreign diplomats who aided the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. The medal is most renowned for its inscription, To Peace and Commerce, centered along the top.
The 2011 Peace through Commerce Medal Award recipients are:
- China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Beijing, China
- Fred Irwin, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Germany and Vice Chairman of Citigroup, Global Markets Deutschland AG, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frederick Lam, Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong
- International Franchise Association, Washington, D.C.
- Jerry Levine, President, Mentor International, San Francisco, Calif.
- Kiran Pasricha, Confederation of Indian Industry, Arlington, Va.
- Pete Peterson, President, Peterson International, Inc., Victoria, Australia
- Putera Sampoerna, Founder, Sampoerna Foundation, Jakarta, Indonesia
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