Appointed Secretary of the California Trade and Commerce Agency by
Governor Wilson in 1992, Julie Meier Wright is the senior businesswoman
in the Administration. Her offices include the Offices of Tourism,
Business Development, Local Development, Small Business, Foreign
Investment and Strategic Technologies as well as the California Film
Commission. She also oversees the Governor's nine foreign investment
offices and the California World Trade Commission. Prior to her
appointment as Director of the former California Department of Commerce
in 1991, Ms. Wright was director of public relations for the Space and
Defense Sector of TRW Inc., where she earlier served as director of
public affairs for the Electronics sector. Previously, she worked for
Hoffman Electronics Corporation, El Monte where she was responsible
for marketing communications and headed the corporate communications
department. She holds a B.A. in criminology from University of
Maryland and has completed a number of graduate management courses and
seminars. Recently I was privileged to interview Ms. Wright about her
exciting position in the Wilson Administration, her work on behalf of
businesswomen and the challenges she faces in balancing her life and
career. I am pleased to share with you this snapshot of our State's
senior businesswoman.
-- Judy Bloom, founding President, PBWC
How has Governor Wilson and your Trade and Commerce Agency made it easier to do business in California?
Governor Wilson single-mindedly fought for reform since he entered the Governor's office and in 1993, thanks to bipartisan support, we saw three major accomplishments: workers' compensation reform saving $4 billion annually; tax reform aiding many small businesses, manufacturing and research and development; and regulatory reform...although there is certainly more needed. He supported the creation of the Trade and Commerce Agency and moved me from my position as Director of the California Department of Commerce to Secretary of the Agency and member of his Cabinet. Both the Governor's Council on California Competitiveness and ADEPT (Assembly Democratic Economic Prosperity Team) recommended the reforms and the creation of the new Cabinet level agency. I believe I was chosen for the new position because I had been Director of Commerce for one and one-half years, enjoyed significant success and was helping companies solve problems and promoting economic development. Part of my new role was to expand export which I did by doubling export with 5 new foreign offices. As the leader of foreign missions to sell the State I found that California needed to tell the story of its business climate reforms. Once we corrected the flaws, there was a much better story to tell. We were benchmarking ourselves to take partisanship out of the debate and make it strictly a competitiveness issue.
What is your relationship with women's business organizations like NAWBO, PBWC, etc.?
Trade and Commerce Agency is responsible for the Governor's Conference on Women, held annually in Southern California. I have no direct memberships in women's organizations other than the International Women's Forum and the Los Angeles Trusteeship for the Betterment of Women. I am a firmly pro-choice Republican with a focus on the economy. If we focus on the economy, women will benefit because we are among the most significant hurt in downsizing but also the quickest to start new businesses. Did you know that there were 406,000 new jobs created in 1996? The Agency had hoped to get us back to the 300,000 new jobs/year clip of the '80s. The faster rate of growth really benefits women because as more human capital is needed, more women will advance based on merit.
What can international trade offices do for women owned businesses who are interested in international trade?
Too many business owners including women see California as their only market and miss the opportunity or avoid the international market potentials. Those who are interested can contact the Trade and Commerce offices to learn about export regulations, language/cultural barriers and how to promote their businesses differently for different parts of the world. The focus of both the domestic and foreign offices is on small and midsize businesses that are export ready with time and money to get into the market. The Agency engages in extensive government-to-government relations, especially in Asia, and can help businesses with export finance, against firm sales or letters of credit; with export development by taking groups to industry trade shows; with trade missions both taking Americans overseas and bringing foreigners to do business in California; with sharing trade data and technical assistance, answering questions on a wide spectrum of issues. 25% of California's economy is tied to export or foreign direct investment. Last year about $105 billion in merchandise was exported and about $35 billion in services. We also had nearly $100 billion in foreign direct investment. This year California will be a trillion dollar economy. The US wasn't a trillion dollar economy until 1970! I believe that all issues are women's issues and that my job is to promote growth, looking at the best industries and technologies for the 21st century, keeping my eye on economic development and working to support education and the other infrastructure that supports business growth.
Would you participate in Town Hall meetings around the state, perhaps cosponsored by Chambers of Commerce?
It is most productive if a group gets together at least 100 people and I or an agency representative will speak. The hardest thing for the Agency is to keep awareness high with over 800,000 small companies in California. To help in this task, in 1994 we leveraged $180,000 into a $14 million ad campaign. Organizations provided time and space for CALIFORNIA: The Climate is Right. CNBC is carrying Self made in California, a TV series about California-grown companies. The first year the news media stepped up to help us talk about California. Now we have learned we can best tell about California by telling the story of California-grown companies like Apple, Bank of America or Countrywide. Coming soon is The California Experience, once an appropriate title sponsor is found to help us produce an I-MAX film and traveling high-tech exhibit.
What do you enjoy the most about your job? the least?
I love the international side and the opportunity to do what I could never do in the private sector. I love being in my role as the first Secretary of Trade and Commerce with the unparalleled opportunity to compete for highly competitive jobs, bring them to California and see everyone win. On the negative side, the job is very consuming, seven days/week. Fortunately, I believe that we senior officials are very blessed with good, committed staff. My pet peeve is someone who wants to ride along and not pull the wagon. I am blessed with some of the best appointees and civil servants in the state and they are busy. My only hot button is: if you want me to take action on an issue or appear at an event, make sure I'm current.
What did you bring from your private sector experience that has helped you the most in your current job?
I appreciated government's impact on business, but at the same time understood the need to look for solutions with private sector input. The closer the policy is to the constituency, the better. I am really proud of Team California, a collaboration of state, local, public and private enterprise to do projects, set policy and problem solve.
Since you intend to return to the private sector, what will you take back to your work that you have learned in government?
There is no substitute for personal activism: one person CAN make a difference. For CEOs and employees to be engaged in public policy and understand how it impacts the company is vitally important. Dedicated public servants have the desire to do the right thing, though they may differ on what that is. It is not a mysterious process: have a dialogue with people who affect you ; invite a legislator out to your plant; remain continuously engaged in dialogue and say thank you when they do something good. The challenge for business is to realize that public policy is a competitive arena just like any other. To not be engaged, you give up the debate. There are lots of opponents to business that represent single issue groups and they will be there and carry the day if the business side is not heard.
When should women starting new businesses go to your Agency?
Go to Trade and Commerce first and, if appropriate, you will be steered to the SBA (US Small Business Administration) or one of forty-five Small Business Development Centers (SBDC's) in the state offering Technical Assistance and links to public and private loan programs. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men and are finding help in trade organizations and women's networks. The Women Business Owners Council, created by PBWC founder Jackie Speier, looked at the issues of securing financing and government contracts by women owned businesses and could not discern that women had a more difficult time than other small business owners in either area. Their difficulties seem to have more to do with the kinds of businesses they were trying to start without collateral. Now, of course, both Bank of America and Wells Fargo have launched major initiatives to reach out to women owned businesses.
Trade and Commerce also includes the Office of Tourism. What does it do?
California is now twenty-first among the states in funding promotion of tourism. We have done very well with a small program, but we see a slowly eroding market share. This year we are doing a referendum with the travel industry to create a big public/private promotion that will allow a stronger international presence. Four percent of trips in California are made by foreigners but twenty-five percent of spending by tourists is done by foreigners. Tourism, incidentally, is a fabulous industry for women who are re-entering the job market, for those without a college education and for those aspiring to move into management, as 20% of tourism jobs are in management.
What is the role of your Agency in the current welfare reform debate?
To facilitate the employment of those currently on welfare, we must concentrate on job creation, reforms to enhance the attraction of work, and the issues that impede the ability of single parents to work: child care, transportation, need for flex time. There is also a need for tort reform in employment law. Business needs to be actively engaged and share best practices to give companies the sense we can do this. 37% of those on welfare do have work experience. We need to reach out to medium size companies with 100-1,000 employees that employ the largest number of people and enlist their help in putting former welfare recipients to work.
What do you do to have fun?
I exercise regularly, lifting weights and stretching. I love to travel and frequently take extended weekends in different parts of the state. I also have the ability to turn off and sleep instantly and soundly. My husband teases that I must have a special sensor that knows when the pressure is off. Those who know me well, have heard about my slumber party group--a close circle of women friends who get together two to three times a year. They are very important as boosters and as critics. I leave them each time feeling rejuvenated and energized, having laughed more than with anyone else.
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