Ethiopian intern learns how the McKinney Chamber of Commerce helps businesses grow

By Brandi Hart
McKinneyUpdate.com editor
Created at 10:45 p.m. on April 13, 2009

The various office buildings and complexes, road construction along major highways, and array of companies ranging Raytheon, Encore Wire, and to the Collin County Regional Airport to the unique shop on the square are just some places that have impressed Bereket Teka, who is visiting McKinney from Ethiopia.

Teka has been getting acquainted with McKinney and spending his time learning the ropes at the McKinney Chamber of Commerce and how it helps businesses grow and also retain employees.
"McKinney is special and is just like heaven! The city by itself is awesome and the people are awesome," Teka said.

The 28-year-old arrived in McKinney on March 30 and will leave on May 30. He is working as an intern through the Center for International Private Enterprise, or CIPE, and through the Chamber Leadership, Interns, and Knowledge Sharing program. It provides young professionals from chambers and business associations from countries overseas to establish ties with counterpart chambers abroad to benefit from an international perspective.

Pictured above is Bereket Teka, who is visiting McKinney as an intern at the McKinney Chamber of Commerce from now until May 30. Teka is bringing his experiences working with businesses in Ethiopia, where he lives and will share his experiences and knowledge he gains in McKinney with his chamber staff. Photo by Brandi Hart / McKinneyUpdate.com

Teka serves as the secretary general of the Regional Chamber of Commerce based in Ethiopia. Teka has a bachelor's degree in economics and a diploma, which is equivalent to an associates degree in accounting. His office is located in Mekelle, which has more than 400,000 people, and is located in Ethiopia. Teka was very impressed with the various highway interchanges when he traveled through Dallas from the DFW Airport, and he was also impressed with the shopping malls, businesses, buildings, and development in McKinney and the metroplex, he said.

In Mekelle and throughout Ethiopia the pace of development is much slower, Teka said. "The development is pretty much difficult. Here, everything is developed and in Ethiopia we are still in the early development stages. Our economy is getting better and better, and the standard of living is also going to get better," Teka said.

Since he arrived Teka has attended Chamber events and leadership training, and attended the April 4 and April 5 McKinney City Council meetings. He also met business leaders in McKinney. He also went with Chamber staff members to the North Texas Women's Conference and attended the Chamber Young Professional's group lunch on April 8 at City Hall to learn about city government from City Manager Frank Ragan. Teka said he is impressed with the Chamber's services, he said.

"They provide a lot of different packages of services to the business community. This is the best city because I can explore and get a better experience and provide it to the Regional Chamber of Commerce of Ethiopia," Teka said.

He also praised the Chamber staff and said all the staff members are very committed to their jobs, the Chamber's mission and the staff is very organized and cooperative, Teka said.

Teka said the one thing he doesn't see that McKinney and neighboring cities could benefit from would be having more means of public transportation other than the Collin County Committee on Aging buses or vans, or taxis.

"The only thing I don't see is public transportation in McKinney," Teka said, such as a rail system or buses. "In the capital city of Ethiopia you can see thousands of buses and tens of thousands of taxis. I think it would help simplify life in McKinney. I think in a couple of years when the population increases in McKinney that the city is going to have a major traffic jam, and that's not good for the environment."

Teka is very thankful and excited about his internship opportunity, and is also enjoying his experience in McKinney as it is his first time to visit the United States, he said. Teka has also visited a cousin who lives in Lubbock and also got a chance to visit Dallas, as well, he said.

For more information about the Chamber, visit www.mckinneytx.org .

 

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