Sharpe Mixers Meets with U.S. Secretary Gary Locke

In 2004, Sharpe Mixers participated in then Governor Gary Locke's "Governor's Mission to China". The trip was a success and paid immediate dividends as Sharpe quickly became a leading provider of fluid-gas desulferization absorber mixers in China.

Now holding the title of U.S. Commerce Secretary, Locke recently returned to Washington state to discuss the progress of the president's National Export Initiative. A select handful of small and medium-sized business owners from the Seattle area were invited to his keynote address and a roundtable discussion. Amongst the attendees was our CEO/President, Jay Dinnison.

Dinnison said, "I was honored to have been included in this small roundtable discussion with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. Sharpe Mixers received help on several occasions in years past when he was Governor Locke of Washington State, and he remembered us as one of the success stories from his Trade Mission to China in 2004. He also met with one of our customers in 2005 to help seal a pending order that was key in our success in China. Sharpe Mixers has since sold around a thousand mixers into China and continues to do business in the region."

He further explained, "Secretary Locke was visiting Seattle to discuss President Obama’s National Export Initiative and get input from businesses on how to better serve this purpose. He explained that US manufacturing exports have increased 22% in the past year; showing that President Obama’s goal of doubling US exports over the next five years is currently on track. I made a number of contacts at the meeting and received information on how to further promote Sharpe Mixers in other countries as well. While I can’t say our exports have increased recently as a direct result of this initiative, there is no disputing that Gary Locke’s assistance in the past has resulted in many millions in business for us overseas. Sharpe has also seen an increase in business in 2010 as a result of Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; a welcome boost to our business which had seen a drop after the financial meltdown in 2008. I am very excited for the future of Sharpe Mixers under the current administration."