CREDIT OFFICER MARINA CHU SELECTED FOR MANSFIELD FELLOWSHIP
Marina L. Chu, a credit officer of the Export Credit Insurance Division of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), has been selected as a Mansfield Fellow and is one of eight participants from federal agencies and a U.S. armed service branch who entered the program in September. Established by Congress in 1994, Mansfield Fellowships are building a core of U.S. government officials who serve as resources on Japan. Chu has been an Ex-Im Bank credit officer since the agency began administering its export credit insurance program internally in 1992 and has handled insurance transactions supporting exports to Latin America, Asia and the Far East. She has also participated in the Federal Women's Executive Leadership Program.
Ex-Im Bank is honored that one of our talented trade professionals has been chosen for this exciting opportunity. Ms. Chu has done outstanding work at Ex-Im Bank, and we look forward to her further contributions to our programs and transactions involving Japan, Ex-Im Bank Chairman James A. Harmon said.
Mansfield Fellowships provide for a year in Japan working full-time in professional positions in the Japanese government, preceded by a first year in the United States of intensive, full-time study of the Japanese language and area studies. During the year in Japan, Chu will gain an in-depth understanding of the Japanese approach to export credit issues and will explore ways for the Export-Import Bank to develop stronger relationships with Japanese trade agencies.
The other U.S. government organizations with staff in the sixth group of Mansfield Fellows are the United States Navy, the Department of Health and Human Services (United States Public Health Service and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Computer Crimes Squad and Violent Crime and Counter-terrorism Matters), and the U.S. Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that provides export credit insurance, loans and loan guarantees to finance exports of U.S. goods and services, mainly to developing markets. In fiscal year 1999, Ex-Im Bank helped to support nearly $17 billion of U.S. exports.