NASCO 2008 Conference

GUANAJUATO -- More than 500 leaders from local, state, national and international governments and businesses of every size from across North America attended North America's SuperCorridor Coalition's (NASCO) annual NASCO Conference 2008 hosted by the State Government of Guanajuato and Guanajuato Inland Port June 4-6, in the capital of this central state.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa sent Mexican Energy Secretary Georgina Kessel as his personal representative to deliver conference inaugural remarks. Kessel emphasized that Mexico recognizes that growing global trade and rising North American trade flows "have generated challenges in infrastructure, logistics and public policy." She praised the nonprofit, tri-national NASCO and its efforts to unite public and private sector trade and transport stakeholders to overcome these challenges and "promote a secure, efficient transport system in North America that facilitates cross-border trade." Guanajuato Tourism Secretary Sergio Enrique Rodríguez Herrera estimated the three-day conference produced a positive economic impact to the state of $3.5 million U.S., spread across the city of Guanajuato, the capital of León, and nearby Silao.

The Leaders Summit, an annual meeting of North American Governors and Premiers, was held during the NASCO Conference, and was attended by Premier Gary Doer of the Canadian Province of Manitoba and Premier Jean Charest of the Province of Québec. Host Governor Juan Manuel Oliva was joined by the Governors of the Mexican states of Nuevo León, Zacatecas and Michoacán. Illinois State Senator Martin Sandoval, Chair of the Illinois Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee, participated in the Leaders' Summit, as well.

The NASCO Conference was attended by numerous high-level officials of Canadian provinces and Mexican and U.S. states, including more than a dozen state Secretaries of Economic Development and their senior staffs, along with major leaders of inland ports and intermodal facilities and seaport directors. Top company executives in attendance included Mike Haverty, CEO of Kansas City Southern Railroad; officials from Mexico's Ferromex Railroad; Roberto González Barrerra of food/tortilla giant Grupo Maseca and Banorte Bank; senior executives from FedEx; and leaders of small, mid- and large-sized trade, logistics and transportation firms across North America.