NASBITE International is a professional organization for the global business community housed at Cleveland State University's Monta Ahuja College of Business. Their mission is to advance global business practice, education, and training.

Advancing Global Business

  1. To coordinate and administer the Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) credential.
  2. To promote an exchange of information and resources among global business education and assistance professionals.
  3. To offer professional development for those engaged in global business education and assistance.
  4. To provide advocacy and leadership for global business education and assistance professionals.

 

Historic Timeline of Key Events

1980: A strong movement began to place international trade education in a more prominent position in colleges, universities, and various public service institutions. Many programs were initiated at educational institutions, world trade centers, chambers of commerce, and other trade-related groups. In addition, Small Business Development Centers, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, were beginning to join the groundswell of activity.

1986: John Otis, founding director of Oregon’s statewide international trade program, decided it would be a good idea to invite all SBDC-, university-, and chamber-based international trade programs from throughout the country to a conference in Oregon.

1988: The first conference located in Portland, OR was held in May, sponsored by the Portland SBDC program, Seattle Community College, and the SBA.  It was a huge success, attracting 130 attendees from 30 states and Puerto Rico. The format for the conference was so successful that it became the basis for future NASBITE conferences. A National Steering Committee was soon formed. Planning sessions were held in St. Paul, MN to develop the new organization and the next conference. At the end of two days, NASBITE (National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators) was born, six standing committees were formed, the mission statement developed, five major objectives were crafted, and an editor for the first newsletter was appointed.

1992: NASBITE was awarded tax exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization.

2000: NASBITE embarked on a new mission to develop a credential that would raise the level of practice in the field, provide professional development goals, and showcase competency. Over the next several years, Jim Foley, from Bradley University, led the effort to develop the NASBITE CGBP (Certified Global Business Professional) credential. NASBITE contracted with Professional Examination Service (PES) in New York to help create the body of knowledge and the test protocol. In cooperation with numerous federal and state government, and corporate partners, as well as the Centers for International Business, Education, and Research (CIBERs), and practitioners the NASBITE CGBP™ credential was developed.

2005: The first CGBP credentialing exam was given on March 20th during the NASBITE annual conference.

2006: NASBITE changed its name to NASBITE International to better reflect the expanded population of global business professionals being served beyond small business and educators as well as to reflect the expansion of partners worldwide.

2010: Computer-based testing became available in October in more than 20 countries.

2012: April marked a milestone with 1,000 CGBPs credentialed.

2013: CGBP recertification was launched in January.

Today: Over 1,500 candidates have received the CGBP credential (including nearly 150 U.S. Commercial Service International Trade Specialists).