Official Site of The State of New Jersey

BEST OF LUCK BILL!
At the end of this year, Bill Spear, Manager of the Office of Export Promotion, will begin his retirement after 27 years of remarkable service with the State of New Jersey. 

Through his dedication, compassion, wisdom, and sense of humor, Bill brought joy to all of us in the Office of Export Promotion and the Business Action Center. 

Bill, you will be missed, but we are so happy for this next chapter in your life.

Thank you for everything and enjoy every minute of your well-earned retirement!

For the last 12 years, Bill was the Manager of the Office of Export Promotion, and the Director of the New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program (NJ STEP). Working with NJ’s small and mid-sized companies interested in expanding their sales and customer base through exporting. 

Registration is OPEN – SIDO NTE Training Program
Registration for SIDO’s 2026 New to Export Training is OPEN!  For more information on the training please visit our website, which also includes a registration LINK for you and your companies.
Deadline for registration is March 2, 2025.  The instructor-led session dates are scheduled for April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28.  Pre- and post-training Coaching sessions will be scheduled between our Coaches and the companies separately. Currently, SIDO does not anticipate another training cohort for 2026.

ICYMI: New Jersey STEP Graduation Policy
The NJ State Trade Expansion Program is designed to provide companies with support aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and long-term success in exporting. The program's graduation policy, mandated by the U.S, Small Business Administration (SBA), states participants are to graduate upon meeting specific criteria, which is: receiving an overall total of $50,000.00 in awards and / or in the program for five (5) years, whichever comes first.

This signifies the company has begun to establish a foundation in exporting and is prepared to maintain and build their independence without ongoing STEP support. Upon graduation, you may think you are no longer able to work with the Office of Export Promotion, but, that is the furthest from the truth, we welcome all companies to continue to access follow-up with us for additional resources and networking, such as OEP or BAC hosted webinars, networking events, referral networks, and work with all of the Business Action Center offices, to ensure sustained success beyond the program's structure.

What is "Success" to You?
Is it seeing your firm's consumer packaged goods on the shelves of a British store? Perhaps, it is entering the United Arab Emirates with a breakthrough cosmetic? Or, it might be selling your firm's AI-powered consulting services in Japan.
 
Whichever country, or language, spells "Success" to you, the Office of Export Promotion is your go-to resource. Send an email to Marielle Wolf at marielle.wolf@sos.nj.gov.
 
Let’s talk about what your “Success” will be!

What Was Your Favorite Memory of 2025?
Here are the Office of Export Promotion’s Answers!

Bill:
Working with the NJ Food Council to help create domestic opportunities for our small food and beverage companies. This started the ability for the small businesses to evolve into international markets.

Jean:
I was proud to support three New Jersey companies in showcasing their products at international exhibitions in Germany, France, and Italy in 2025. Expanding overseas is a bold move for small businesses, but it’s a vital and impactful step toward promoting exports and driving growth.

Marielle:
Being able to support 28 companies and watch them make great international connections at the 2025 Summer Fancy Food Show!

Sophie:
It was an honor to work with the NJBAC team and 25 local partners to bring the South Jersey Export Webinar Series to business communities within the eight southernmost counties in the State. Throughout the series, which had 92 live participants and over 200 total views, we provided tools for international market research, export planning, and assessing a company’s export readiness.

‘Tis the Season For a Little International Traditions

Tomte: In various Scandinavian locations they have the legend of the Tomte.  In the early years, the Tomtes were said to be short, gnomish characters who watched over families farms.  These characters were seen as kind and thoughtful because they generally looked out for people, but they were not very nice to people who did not demonstrate good stewardship over their farmland.  Overtime, their appearance changed to more human-like features, and they started to take on a role similar to that of Santa Claus. The Tomtes ride in a sleigh that doesn't fly, live in the woods by children's homes, and aren't fat with rosy cheeks.  The Tomtes also do not sneak into people's houses to bring the gifts, instead, a parent dresses like a Tomte and brings the gifts to the child in person. 

Hanukkah: Hanukkah symbolizes the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and the triumph of religious freedom over oppression. The holiday commemorates the Maccabees' victory over Greek-Syrian forces in the 2nd century B.C.E. and the miraculous, eight-day lasting of a single day's worth of oil for the temple lamp. This is why Hanukkah is known as the "Festival of Lights" and is a celebration of hope, endurance, and the power of a small group to overcome a larger one.  
Many of the most well-known Hanukkah traditions are universal. Whether you’re in Argentina or Zimbabwe, Jews will mark the eight-day festival by lighting a menorah, eating fried foods and recounting the victorious story of the Maccabees and the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem.

But Jews around the world have also developed Hanukkah customs that are unique to their local community. For example, while jelly-filled donuts (sufganiyot) are a mainstay among Ashkenazi Jews, Hanukkah in southern India is celebrated by making gulab jamnun, a milk-based ball of dough that is deep fried and then drenched in sugar syrup. The sweet treat is also consumed by non-Jewish Indians during other celebrations like Diwali.

Have an Export-Related Need? NJBAC Office of Export Promotion Can Help.
The Office of Export Promotion works with New Jersey’s small and mid-sized companies interested in expanding sales and their customer base for their products and services through export. Companies interested in global business activity can tap into a number of resources on business export planning available through the NJBAC Export Promotion unit.

Have a Business Need? NJBAC Can Help.
The NJBAC offers no-cost technical assistance, training, and problem-solving. From site selection and incentive identification to one-off questions, the NJBAC is here to support all NJ businesses. In addition to the Office of Export Promotion, NJBAC is home to the Office of Small Business Advocacy, Office of Business Advocacy, and the Office of Planning Advocacy. The NJBAC offers free online chat and telephone (800-537-7397) assistance in English and Spanish to any New Jersey business. The NJBAC Small Business Manual, a one-stop tool for many business concerns, is available online. A Spanish version of the manual is also available for download. A print copy in both versions is available on request.

Please feel free to share the information in this email with other NJ companies interested in exporting.

Please note we will be sending out these OEP Updates emails typically once a month. If there is a topic you would like us to address, please tell us. If you would rather not receive these emails, let us know and we will remove you from our list.

Best Regards,

The Office of Export Promotion Team
William E. Spear Jr., Manager, NJBAC Office of Export Promotion
Marielle Wolf, NJSTEP Project Director and International Business Advocate
Jean Chang, International Business Advocate
Sophie Werner, International Business Advocate