Washington, DC…RCRC partnered with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz) and other California economic development organizations at the 2018 SelectUSA Investment Summit (Summit) in Washington, D.C. last week. RCRC staff participated in a number of conversations with foreign entities interested in making investments and creating jobs in rural California. More than 3,000 people attended this year’s Summit, including 1,200 business representatives from 66 foreign markets, and economic development organizations (EDOs) from 51 U.S. states and territories. Summit speakers included U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, as well as 10 Governors, and five Cabinet Secretaries.

“SelectUSA continues to be the premier event for international companies looking to enter American markets,” said Secretary Ross. “With millions in investments announced over the past few days, hundreds of American jobs will be created in communities across the country.”

This year’s event included more than 2,700 individual matchmaking meetings among the companies and EDOs in attendance. Secretary Ross also unveiled a report on the immense benefits rural communities have received from foreign direct investment (FDI) – just since 2003 the value of greenfield FDI in non-metro areas has totaled nearly $56.8 billion.