2025 Navigating Foreign Trade Zones & Tariffs: Opportunities and Challenges for Small Business

Understanding the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) program in today's ever-changing tariff environment is critical for businesses looking to compete in today’s global economy. This session will explain how FTZs work, the advantages they have provided for reducing costs associated with international trade, and how tariffs can impact supply chains, production and investment strategies, and overall competitiveness. Attendees will hear from an expert and longtime practitioner in the FTZ program who will provide an overview of the U.S. FTZ program, the means by which it has enhanced the competitiveness of U.S.-based value-added operations, attracted and supported major investments and job creation in Alabama, and who will discuss practical considerations for evaluating FTZs in today's turbulent trade policy environment. 

Whether you’re directly involved in international trade, or have suppliers and/or customers who are, this presentation will offer you practical solutions to consider in dealing with the bottom-line challenges posed by recent developments in U.S. Trade Policy.

In partnership with the Port of Huntsville
 

Greg Jones​
Foreign-Trade Zone Advisor

Greg Jones is a Foreign-Trade Zone Advisor for the Port of Huntsville, the City of Birmingham, and the City of Mobile, all of which have established Foreign-Trade Zone projects in the State of Alabama. Greg has 39 years of experience in the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program, and is a past Chairman and an Honorary Life member of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones.
 
In his past experience as a Foreign-Trade Zone consultant, Greg has been successful in expanding FTZ benefits into several new industry sectors, and has been involved in a number of successful regulatory and legislative initiatives, including the effort to expand FTZ Weekly Entry procedures to all types of Zone operations.
 
He has given numerous lectures on various Zone-related topics, and has authored a number of articles on the Zones program in trade, industry, and economic development publications.
 
In addition to working extensively with the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board and U.S. Customs Headquarters, Greg’s regulatory, legislative, and advocacy efforts have required his interaction with representatives of the International Trade Commission, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Director of Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce, the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Congressional Budget Office.