National Association of District Export Councils

The National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC, formerly known as National DEC) consists of 16 District Export Council (DEC) members who have been elected to the NADEC by District Export Council members from each of the eight U.S. Department of Commerce - U.S. Commercial Service Networks. The mission of the NADEC is to provide support and guidance for fulfillment of the mission of the DECs, and to facilitate communication between the DECs, between the DECs and the U.S. Department of Commerce, and between the DECs and the international business community and policymakers. National District Export Council, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that maintains a 501(c)(6) federal income tax status. District Export Councils are organizations of business leaders from local communities, appointed by various U.S. Secretaries of Commerce, whose knowledge of and expertise in international business provides a source of professional advice for their region's local firms. Closely affiliated with the U.S. Commerce Department’s Export Assistance Centers and the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, the 60 DECs that exist throughout the country support the U.S. Government’s export promotion efforts. Currently there are approximately 1,600 DEC members who volunteer their time and specialized expertise to assist small and medium-sized businesses in their local communities establish or increase export sales, thus promoting our country’s economic growth and creating new and higher-paying jobs for their communities. DEC members also sponsor and participate in numerous trade promotion activities, as well as advocate for effective trade policy positions. In addition, DECs play a major role in the planning and coordination of export activities for their communities.