MICHAEL BROOKS
Michael Brooks
Michael Brooks is the Associate Director of the Alabama International Trade Center (AITC), an economic development program of the University of Alabama designed to help grow Alabama’s economy by providing one-on-one, confidential & no-cost advising and research to small and medium-sized companies.
The Trade Center, established at UA in 1979, utilizes professional staff, students, and industry consultants to help both new-to-export and experienced exporters increase their bottom line and diversity their customer base by entering and growing in foreign markets. AITC is part of the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network (ASBDC), a statewide resource for local, state, and regional organizations on entrepreneurship and small business initiatives, with additional specialty programs Capital Access, Procurement, and Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery.
Michael began his career as an International Trade Specialist with AITC in 1998, leading several Trade Center programs, including business development, student internship program, trade counseling, and export financing; he has represented Alabama on multiple foreign trade missions, and helped to coordinate several reverse trade missions in conjunction with the Southern US Trade Association (SUSTA). In 2009 he joined the leadership of the Alabama SBDC Network as the Associate State Director. In this position, he serves as a liaison to SBA and other business development organizations, manages the development and implementation of network’s strategic plan, oversees the accreditation process for the state’s 10 SBDC locations, and drives innovation and performance improvement across the Network.
In 2007 he was honored as the SBDC State Star for Alabama, an award that recognizes exemplary performance and contribution to the small business community. In that same year he was the first person in Alabama to achieve the CGBP (Certified Global Business Professional) credential established by NASBITE International. In 2010 he served as the interim director for Network’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), which seeks to grow Alabama’s economy by helping existing businesses identify, bid on and win contracts from federal, state, local, and corporate entities. In 2018, Brooks was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Alabama District Export Council (DEC), a private, non-profit organization of international businesspeople who provide guidance and assistance on international markets to local businesses in conjunction with the U.S. Commercial Service office.
Brooks, a native of Slidell, Louisiana, received an MBA in Strategic Management & Marketing, and a BS in International Business from The University of Alabama. He currently serves as Chairman of the AlabamaGermany Partnership and serves on the board of the North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA); in 2014 he was nominated to serve on the Accreditation Committee of the national Association of Small Business Development Centers.
In 2012, Brooks joined the Culverhouse College of Business as an adjunct professor, and began teaching IBA 460 – Export-Import Management to senior-level undergraduate students. The primary purpose of IBA 460 is to help students understand the fundamental skills involved in export/import management including key research, pricing, shipping, and payment issues. Students learn practical aspects regarding the impact of tariffs, trade agreements, and foreign exchange rates on export sales. By the end of the semester, they will have acquired a vocabulary of terms and knowledge of key organizations used on a daily basis by import/export companies. In an effort to keep course content tied tightly to industry, every class highlights specific jobs – and skills required – in international trade operations.