James F Dicke

The head of Crown Equipment Corporation, James F Dicke, has been appointed a member of US President George W Bush's export council.

Secretary of commerce Carlos M Gutierrez said business leaders like Dicke were one of the best resources for identifying trade barriers and opportunities for US exports and for promoting the president's trade policy.

The council, established in the 1970s, advises the US president, through his secretary of commerce, on enhancing exports and encouraging US companies to increase exports and enter new markets.

Crown operates nine plants in Australia, Germany, Mexico, and the US and is expanding into China. It has distributors in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and the Pacific Rim.

Founded in 1945 by the Dicke family, privately-owned Crown has more than 7,300 employees. Annual sales revenues exceed USD1.2 billion.

The president's export council includes private-sector members who have no set term of office, five US senators and five House of Representatives members.