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GOV. BLAGOJEVICH WELCOMES
DELEGATION OF TOP ISRAELI SCIENTISTS TO ILLINOIS –
PROVIDES A FORUM TO DISCUSS ILLINOIS' HOMELAND
SECURITY MARKET DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
The Governor Seeks to
Strengthen Illinois-Israel Collaboration and Set the
Stage for Upcoming Homeland Security Trade Mission
to Tel Aviv
CHICAGO - Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today welcomed
a group of high-level scientists from the State of
Israel, in town for next week's BIO 2006 conference,
to learn about Illinois' emerging activity in the
homeland security industry from several of the
state's public and private sector leaders at
Northwestern University's Chicago Campus from
9:30-11:30am. The Illinois Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity's (DCEO) Homeland Security
Market Development (HSMD) Bureau sponsored the event
along with Northwestern University's Homeland
Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (HSIEC).
To build upon this partnership, Gov. Blagojevich is
sponsoring a homeland security trade mission to Tel
Aviv, Israel in June and encourages interested
Illinois companies to explore this growing market
overseas.
"As the global economy continues to evolve, we are
investing in the technologies of tomorrow through
the development of the homeland security industry
and fostering partnerships with research
institutions and businesses throughout Illinois –
and across the globe. This event provides a unique
opportunity for Illinois to showcase its leadership
and collaboration among private, public and
university partners in this emerging industry to
Israeli science and technology leaders. This
collaboration will continue to flourish as we send a
delegation of Illinois companies to Israel in June
to explore opportunities and business partnerships
in the homeland security sector," Gov. Blagojevich
said.
Presenters at the event include Matthew Summy,
Deputy Director of the HSMD Bureau, and Bret
Johnson, Director of Northwestern University's HSIEC,
who will speak to Illinois' leadership in the
homeland security industry; as well as researcher
Larry Danziger, Associate Vice Chancellor for
Research and Professor of Pharmacy at the University
of Illinois at Chicago; and representatives of
leading private sector homeland security companies,
such as SSS, Research, Motorola and Univa.
The Israeli delegation is coming to Chicago to
participate in BIO 2006, the prestigious
international life sciences conference, which runs
April 9th – 12th at McCormick Place and to forge
partnerships with state and regional players in
biotechnology and related sectors. Delegates from
Israel include Dr. Eli Opper, Chief Scientist for
the State of Israel; Yair Amitay, Managing Director
of the Israeli Industry Center for Research and
Development; Dr. Ora Dar, Director of Life Sciences
in the Chief Scientist's Office; and Moshe Shoham,
the Israeli Trade Commissioner and Consul for
Economic Affairs for the Midwest in Chicago
"Israel is proud to have such a strong partnership
with the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago,
said Moshe Shoham, the Israeli Economic Consul for
the Midwest. "The Israeli economy centers around the
technology, nano-technology, homeland security and
life sciences sectors. The rich business community
in Illinois contributes significantly to bringing
Israeli research and development to the
international market. Our key business leaders and
government personnel, including Acting Prime
Minister Olmert, consider Illinois and Chicago to be
important markets, and they travel here often to
stay on the cutting-edge of business."
"Gov. Blagojevich and I are thrilled that the world
is coming to Chicago for BIO 2006, and we are
especially pleased that this impressive Israeli
delegation will get a first hand look at the
homeland security opportunities that are available
in Illinois. These partnerships will be enhanced
even further when Illinois companies head to Israel
in June," State Senator Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston)
said.
"Illinois has advanced as a real leader in the
homeland security industry, and this partnership
with top scientists from Israel allows us to share
our policies, innovation and research and
development activity and establish ties for
collaboration down the road. With Chicago hosting
BIO 2006 in just a few days, Gov. Blagojevich and I
look forward to realizing more partnerships and
collaborations with foreign delegations and
promoting Illinois' tremendous resources and
opportunities for our companies to grow and expand,"
DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
The State of Illinois Homeland Security Trade
Mission to Tel Aviv, Israel is scheduled for June
16-22, 2006. Gov. Blagojevich's Office and
Northwestern University's HSIEC are still recruiting
companies and other institutions to participate in
the mission. For more information about the trade
mission or to sign-up directly, contact Matthew
Summy, msummy@ildceo.net or 312/814.3958.
Gov. Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns regional
economic development strategy is the most
aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs
in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all
approach to economic development just doesn't work,
the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions –
each with a regional team that is empowered and
expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and
challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible,
specific actions to make each region more
accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial
and more attractive to businesses. It is about
upgrading the skills of the local workforce,
increasing the access to capital, opening new
markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and
retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about
successfully partnering with companies and
communities, both large and small, to help all of
Illinois reach its economic potential. |
