A delegation of high ranking business executives from Atlanta, Georgia is due in Israel as part of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region mission, for a whirlwind week of meetings with local business leaders and government officials. The group anticipates that these meetings will lead to mutually beneficial investment and economic development opportunities.
While the group is in Israel, they will participate in the "Globes" Israel Business Conference 2008, and also meet with representatives from the Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute, and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.
With strong representation from energy, bio-tech, water technologies and communications professionals, members of the delegation are slated for meetings with CEOs of leading companies in each of these industries. The delegation will also hold seminars for local medical device and communications companies that are being hosted by IBM and RAD Data Communications.
The group will also explore business opportunities with Shai Agassi’s Project Better Place and Escape Rescue Systems, a company which has developed an innovative system for high-rise building evacuation. They will also meet telemedicine companies throughout the country including at the Galil Center for Telemedicine at the Technion in order to promote the US-Israel TeleHealth Business Exchange that will be held in Atlanta in February 2009.
A session with venture capital firms is set for Herzliya, and the group will meet companies in Ra’ananaAtlanta’s official Sister City, and Yokneam Atlanta’s Jewish partnership community.
“We look forward to a very productive week of meetings and networking with some of the country’s most successful companies as well as with many targeted start-up firms,” said Tom Glaser, President of the Atlanta-based American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region (AICC) that organized the mission. “Israeli companies have a strong record of success in Georgia, and we look forward to helping even more of them as they enter the US market through our proven track record of support.”
The delegation includes John W. Oxendine, currently the Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner of the State of Georgia; Margaret Bellville, former Executive Vice President of Cox Communications; Ervan Hancock, manager of Renewable and Green Strategies for Georgia Power; and Ben Taube, Executive Director of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.
Sherwin Pomerantz, Georgia’s Trade and Investment Representative in Israel, said, "The arrival of this delegation demonstrates that despite the global economic downturn, Georgia is actively exploring new business and investment opportunities and building relationships with Israeli companies to further advance collaboration efforts."
About 50 Israeli companies have their US or regional headquarters in Georgia. There are daily non-stop flights between Tel Aviv to Atlanta.