Events Calendar
In This Section
Fed officials warn weak recovery won't spur jobs
Work force evolves, falters since 1982
Web sites offer help in finding scholarships
Refinance before low rates rise again
Microsoft to upgrade portal to boost Bing
Chevy Equinox is stylish, full of thoughtful touches
Most Read Stories
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Unusual sports bar to be sold at auction
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Family found dead in Ohio home
Circle K on Brown Street robbed
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Woman says clinic refused to help her get pregnant because she's not married
Blogs:
Pets:
Officials: NYer Had 20 Dead Dogs Buried in Yard
The Heldenfiles:
Monday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Time for Kokinis, Browns to agree and part ways
Akron Zips:
MAC Roundtable
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Bye week coming at good time for Flashes
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
Varsity Letters:
Report: Grant visited Michigan State
All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
50 business, development leaders build relationships
By Paula Schleis Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Friday, Sep 07, 2007
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher is heading a delegation of nearly 50 business and economic development leaders to Japan today, hoping to nurture relationships that will lead to new jobs and investments in Ohio.
Japan is Ohio's largest single-country source of foreign direct investment, with 300 facilities employing more than 60,000 Ohioans. Japan is also Ohio's third-largest export market, according to the state.
Representing Northeast Ohio during the week-long trip is Akron Deputy Mayor Bob Bowman, FirstEnergy Director of Economic Development Patrick Kelly, Tom Waltermire and Carin Rockind of Team NEO, and Case Western Reserve University's vice president of research, Mark Coticchia.
Rockind said Team NEO has at least a dozen meetings scheduled, many of them with companies in the biomedical and alternative energy industries. Most of the Japanese businesses on their radar already have a foothold in Ohio, or have been brought to their attention by other Please see Mission, C7
area businesses.
''Our specific goal is additional investment in the region,'' Rockind said. And face-to-face meetings are important because ''Japanese culture is very relationship-based.''
A visit to the Bridgestone Firestone headquarters, a company already with a significant presence in Akron, is on the agenda.
''Anyone who is here already, we want to thank them for being here and assure them of the state's commitment to them,'' Rockind said.
Additionally, Ohio wants to make sure if Bridgestone or any other local company is looking to expand, ''we want those new investments to come our way,'' she said.
The week's events include the 2007 Midwest U.S.-Japan Association Conference in Tokyo, which will be attended by nine other state delegations. Those states are expected to have dozens of representatives meeting with Japanese businesses throughout the week as well, but Rockind said Ohio's neighbors aren't necessarily the competition.
In today's global economy, for any particular project, ''We might be competing against Texas, we might be competing against Poland,'' she said.
This is the first official overseas business mission for Fisher, who took office in January and also serves as the director of the Ohio Department of Development.
''I look forward to starting new relationships, deepening existing ones and, most importantly, demonstrating that Ohio has the innovation and vision to move with the changes in today's economy,'' he said in a written statement Thursday.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher is heading a delegation of nearly 50 business and economic development leaders to Japan today, hoping to nurture relationships that will lead to new jobs and investments in Ohio.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
