Bill Burnett

The business case for exporting is compelling. From a company ownership and leadership perspective, the one strategy that can accelerate the valuation of a company fastest is exporting. The data here is compelling. Exporters enjoy higher margins and thus earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) goes up. Market risk goes down significantly because exporting puts the company into multiple economies, which diversifies risk. When market risk goes down, the valuation multiple goes up. By exporting to just a couple of countries, companies see their valuation immediately rise by 50 percent or more.

Over the past four years, the seven-county Milwaukee region grew at a healthy 1.9 percent average annual growth rate. What's interesting about that growth is that 80 percent of it came from a growth in exports.

The 2014 Governor's Export Achievement Awards will be presented and publicly announced at the 50th Annual Wisconsin International Trade Conference, in Milwaukee on Tuesday, May 13.