As a member of the President’s Export Council, Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian(opens in new window) attended the body’s first meeting on June 29 in Washington, D.C., presenting a set of recommendations that were shaped by the council members to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her administration designed to accelerate America’s return as the global leader in manufacturing, innovation and science.

The recommendations Jahanian detailed focused on the areas of innovation and technology(opens in new window), and included suggestions to align export promotion and development programs with place-based investments and competitiveness initiatives, and to enhance critical standards and governance of the nation’s export enterprise. These recommendations aim to continue the momentum from the Economic Development Administration’s investments that have strengthened innovation ecosystems in all 50 states and the over $470 billion in private sector investment in American manufacturing capability since President Joe Biden took office. Raj Subramaniam, president and CEO of FedEx Corporation, also presented a summary of trade facilitation(opens in new window) recommendations from the council.

The President’s Export Council serves as the U.S. president’s principal national advisory committee on international trade. Established in 1973, it advises the president on government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance, promotes export expansion, and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor and government sectors. It includes members(opens in new window) of the private sector who are appointed by the president, cabinet secretaries and congressional members — five from the Senate and five from the House. It reports to the president through the secretary of commerce.

Jahanian was appointed(opens in new window) to the President’s Export Council by Biden on Feb. 28, 2023.