Kumar to lead U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

   The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed Arun M. Kumar as assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, which is part of the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration.
   “In this role, he will lead the agency’s efforts to assist and advocate for U.S. companies in international markets. Promoting U.S. trade and investment is crucial to remaining globally competitive, which is a key priority of our ‘Open for Business Agenda,’” said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement.
   The USFCS helps businesses sell their goods overseas by providing trade counseling, market intelligence, business matchmaking, advocacy, and commercial diplomacy and trade promotion programs. The agency has about 1,400 staff members across more than 100 U.S. cities and in 72 countries.