GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County Chamber of Commerce announced this week that Kelly O’ Bryant, Director of the International Trade Assistance Center, will serve as the speaker for the September First Friday event to be held September 7.The event will be held from 8-9 a.m. at the Ohio Valley Bank Annex, located at 143 Third Ave., Gallipolis. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. and a light breakfast will be served, as well as Silver Bridge Coffee.

O’Bryant will give a presentation on the importance of international trade, the export process, cultural aspects in conducting business overseas and resources available to businesses in the region. In addition,she will talk about the International Market Access Grant for Exporters (IMAGE) and how it can help companies expand their international footprint.

“Kelly O’Bryant, Director of the International Trade Assistance Center will tell us exactly how important international trade, the export process and conducting business overseas really is — even to a small, rural area such as ours,” said Gallia County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lorie Neal. “With technology ever-changing, it has transformed the way we do business. Even small businesses now have options that didn’t exist 10 years ago — to market and sell their product around the world — and I think that is very exciting.”

A special presentation will take place at the end of the event when Marilyn Tanious from Ohio Magazine presents the award associated with the magazine’s recent announcement that Gallipolis has been chosen as one of Ohio’s Best Hometowns for 2012-2013. As a result, Gallipolis will be featured in the cover story of their November 2012 issue.

This event is free to the public. To RSVP or for more information, contact Kathy Stump via email at stump@galliacounty.org. Interested parties may also visit the Chamber of Commerce website at www.galliacounty.org.