History of the California Council for International Trade

On October 1, 2007, the California Council for International Trade (CCIT) merged with the California Chamber of Commerce International Trade Committee to create the CalChamber Council for International Trade.

Throughout its long history, CCIT has been a dedicated statewide coalition of California’s leading voices supporting free and open international trade policy. CCIT’s partners include:

• Large and small manufacturers;
• Exporters and importers;
• Providers of financial technological, transportation and entertainment services;
• Educators;
• Non-profit and governmental economic development agencies; and
• Former federal and state trade officials.

For nearly half a century, the CCIT has been the only statewide organization solely dedicated to advocating sound U.S. trade policy to open foreign markets for the benefit of West Coast producers of goods and services that need those markets to fuel jobs and economic growth.

For more detailed history and photos, see below.

CalChamber CIT Member Receives Peace Through Commerce Award

(November 30, 2011) Jerry Levine, President of Mentor International and long standing member of the CalChamber Council for International Trade and chair emeritus of the California Council for International Trade received the Peace through Commerce award 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.   Pictured: 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.  Photo by U.S. Department of Commerce.

Original CCIT Articles of Incorporation, executed on December 23, 1959 and filed January 25, 1960

CCIT 2001 Amended By-Laws

CCIT 1998: About CCIT and IPR Issue

CCIT Reunion February 3, 2006

(From left, Front Row) Jerry Levine, Mentor International, John Leitner, W.J. Byrnes & Co, Hal Shenson, H. Shenson International, Janice Cooper, Pacific Resources, Nicholas Unkovic, Squire Sanders, Jeremy Potash, Potash & Company, Stephen J. Potash, Potash & Company, (From left, Back Row) Mary Kay Ryan, Atlas Asia-Pacific, Dave Kenny, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, Joe Rollo, California Wine Institute, Susanne Stirling, California Chamber of Commerce, J.H. Dethero, Crocker National Bank, Walt Payne, Blue Diamond Growers, Roger Baccigalupi, RB International, and Everett Golden, Otis McAllister Inc.

At the CCIT reunion, from left John Leitner, President & CEO of WJ Byrnes & Co, Roger Baccigalupi, Chairman, RB International and J.H. Dethero, Vice President, Crocker National Bank enjoy as others reminisce.		From left, Janice Cooper, President, Pacific Resources, Everett Golden, President, Otis McAllister, Inc., and Susanne Stirling, Vice President, CalChamber listen to other colleagues at the CCIT reunion.

Sampling of CCIT Annual Export Award Recipients & Speakers

• Secretary Malcolm Baldridge, U.S. Department of Commerce

• Secretary John R. Block, U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Secretary Ron Brown, U.S. Department of Commerce (Speaker)

• John Chambers, President & CEO, Cisco Systems

• California Governor George Deukmejian

• Congressman David Drier, U.S. House of Representatives

• California Lt. Governor Meryvn Dymally

• Andy Grove, Founder, Intel Corporation

• Ambassador Carla Hill, U.S. Trade Representative  (Speaker)

• Scott McNealy, President, Sun Microsystems

• Robert Monagan, Chair, World Trade Commission

• Jim Morgan, Applied Materials

• Secretary Robert Mosbacher, U.S. Department of Commerce (Speaker)

• Lew Platt, Hewlett Packard Company

• Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Chair, President Council of Economic Advisors (Speaker)

• Secretary Ann Veneman, U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Senator Pete Wilson, U.S. Senate
  
  

CCIT Programs / Events

• Monterey Congressional Forums  (1999 - )

• ASEAN Ambassadors to the United States to Los Angeles / San Francisco (1983)

• Credit: The Key to U.S. Expansion Seminar (1972)

Warren S. Titus, CCIT Chair 1970 - 1972 and Founder, Royal Viking Line San Francisco		William A. Muriale, CCIT Chair 1969 - 1970

Jerry Levine, CCIT Chair 1977 - 1980 with J.H. Dethero, CCIT Chair 1975 - 1977		Arch Hardyment, CCIT Chair 1984 - 1985, John Sculley, Apple, CCIT Awardee, and Jerry Levine, CCIT Chair 1977 - 1980

Jack Gomperts, CCIT Founding member and Chair 1966 - 1969 with Deputy Secretary Luther H. Hodges Jr., US Department of Commerce (1980 - 1981)		J.H. Dethero, CCIT Chair 1975 - 1977, CA Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally, and Robert Gomperts, CCIT Chair 1972 - 1975

Left, CA Senator Pete Wilson, U.S. Senate with Jerry Levine (right), CCIT Chair 1978 - 1980		Left to Right, Betty Neuhart, Director - San Francisco, US Department of Commerce, USTR Ambassador Clayton Yeulter, CA Secretary of State March Fong Eu, and CCIT Chair Robert D. "Bob" Heist, Evergreen Shipping

Secretary John Block, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Walt Payne, CCIT Chair 1980 - 1982, and R.L. DeLap, CCIT Chair 1982 - 1983		Secretary Malcolm Baldrige, U.S. Dept of Commerce, Betty Neuhard, Director - San Francisco, U.S. Dept of Commerce, and Walt Payne, CCIT Chair 1980 - 1982