Man with a Mission

Along with companies based in his state, the Governor of Pennsylvania looks to Poland for trade expansion.
By : Jeffrey Sparshott

   Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge will lead a trade mission of companies from his state through Central Europe starting next week in an effort to boost exports to the emerging markets, said Gretchen Toner, a spokeswoman for the governor's office.

   Although final details of the trip are not settled, the business side of the delegation is expected to arrive in Warsaw on May 9 and spend nine days in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

   "We're essentially showcasing products in (the trade mission), especially energy, environmental products and high tech," Toner said. "Our opportunities reach beyond the United States. Central Europe is brimming with promise. There is a lot of room to grow. Pennsylvania has products and services … and the governor wants to open opportunities up to Pennsylvania companies and meet with government officials and talk about privatization of industry and the overall economic perspective."

   About 30 companies will participate in the trade mission, though not all of those are expected to be in Poland. The U.S. Commercial Service is working with 14 Pennsylvania-based companies to set up meetings in Warsaw with Polish companies.

   "We expect the meetings to lead to more negotiations and eventually the signing of distribution-agency or joint-venture agreements between Polish and Pennsylvania firms," said David Fulton, commercial counselor at the U.S. Embassy.

   According to preliminary information from the state, the Republican governor will skip Warsaw and proceed to Krakow to join the trade delegation already in progress.

   The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Poland is organizing events in southern Poland. "We want to encourage cordial relations between Krakow and Pennsylvania, and specifically to encourage investment back and forth between southern Poland and Pennsylvania," said Kelly McDonald, assistant director of AmCham in Krakow. "We're really focused on building stronger ties."

   This will be the 18th overseas Pennsylvania trade mission since Ridge took office in 1995, and the eighth led by the governor, his office said. The U.S. Commercial Service works with five or six such trade missions in Poland per year covering a variety of industry sectors, Fulton said.