TAMIU IBC Lecture Series Focuses on Immigrant Small Businesses Oct. 21

The impact of immigrant small business owners will be explored at the International Bank of Commerce (IBC) 2015-2016 Keynote Speaker Series Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Student Center (SC) Ballroom.

This event is free and open to the public. A reception will start at 6:30 p.m.

The lecture series is presented by the TAMIU A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and sponsored by IBC.

Featured speaker, David D. Kallick, senior fellow and director of the Immigration Research Initiative, Fiscal Policy Institute, will present, “Bringing Vitality to Main Street: How Immigrant Small Businesses Help Local Economies Grow.” 

Kallick argues that immigrant entrepreneurship is often invoked but not really understood. Immigrants are not “super-entrepreneurs,” but they are more likely than the general population to be small business owners, especially “Main Street” businesses, such as restaurants, grocery stores, retail shops, beauty shops and related businesses.

Often, economic development efforts overlook these small businesses that don’t have much in the way of “exports,” but Kallick says that this is a mistake which leaves potential economic growth on the table.

Kallick’s lecture includes data, case studies and best practices to remove barriers to immigrant entrepreneurship and foster economic growth.

Prior to joining the Fiscal Policy Institute, Kallick was senior fellow at the Preamble Center and spent 8 years as editor of Social Policy Magazine. His writings have been published in the New York Times, Daily News, Newsday and many other media outlets. He is a graduate of Yale University.

For more information, contact Amy Palacios, associate director, Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade, at 326.2820 or amy@tamiu.edu or visit offices in Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 222E.

Additional information is available at http://freetrade.tamiu.edu and https://www.facebook.com/tamiucswht.