Thursday, November 3, 2011

South Korea & Gwinnett County Expand Thriving Partnership

Global Business and International Relationships thrive in Metro Atlanta’s most diverse county

November 3, 2011- The Gwinnett Global Business Council, in partnership with Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett, welcomed today Gwinnett’s sister-community Gangnam-Gu, South Korea, Mayor Shin, and the Seoul Gangnam-Gu SMI Trade Delegation for a day of business to business networking to further solidify the significant relationship. Events such as a ribbon cutting ceremony, Global Business Connections Luncheon, proclamation signing, and formal dinner celebrated the relationship between Gwinnett County and the Gangnam-Gu District, endorsing the goals of Partnership Gwinnett and fortifying Gwinnett County as an economic center for global business.

Gwinnett County Chairman Charlotte Nash said, “Today, we welcome our sister community of Gangnam-Gu, South Korea, not only to our county, but to Georgia and to the United States.  It is our pleasure to extend hospitality and the promise that we will continue to work with them in tandem to create more opportunities for local business relationships in the global market.”

Council members and local business leaders at the Global Business Connections luncheon welcomed the trade delegation. The luncheon also featured Craig Lesser, Managing Partner of the PendLeton Consulting Group and former Commissioner of Economic Development for the State of Georgia, discussing the potential local impact of the pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea.
The Gwinnett Global Business Council was formed by Partnership Gwinnett to help Gwinnett Economic Development increase foreign investment into the Metro-Atlanta area, as well as support the recruitment and expansion of internationally based companies. The Global Business Council currently supports over 500 international companies located in Gwinnett County.

“We are honored and excited to partner with Gangnam-gu, an economically strong, international community, and welcome the Mayor and delegates to Gwinnett County,” states Jay Eun, President of Golden Stella, Inc and member of the Global Business Council. “The development of this relationship promotes the efforts of Partnership Gwinnett to increase foreign direct investment and accelerate global business growth in the Gwinnett area.”

The former mayor and delegates for the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea, first visited Gwinnett County in January 2008. This successful visit led to the signing of a sister-community agreement between the Gwinnett County Commission and Chamber and the Gangnam-gu district at Gangnam government offices in June 2009.

Nick Masino, Vice President of Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett commented, “The goal of our efforts is simple: we want to increase foreign direct investment into Gwinnett County while seeking opportunities for our existing industries to expand. Developing relationships with our partners in Gangnam not only provides international business opportunities, but also leverages two thriving economies to support overall economic stability.

The first of its kind for Gwinnett County, the union will enable Gwinnett businesses to expand their global industries and network. The partnership with Gangnam-Gu District, located in the Republic of South Korea, the 13th-largest economy in the world, will present Gwinnett County opportunities for increased economic growth. Gangnam-Gu is one of the 25 Gu’s (local government districts) which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most affluent areas of Seoul and is located in the southeast of the city, with a population of approximately 563,000.

“Global business development, especially in Asian communities, is all about establishing and building relationships,” said Jim Maran, President and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber. “Through Gwinnett’s sister-community agreement with Gangnam, we now have a direct connection out of which the Gwinnett Chamber can offer relevant business-to-business trade and investment opportunities as we have done here today. It’s a great partnership and we look forward to its continued growth in 2012.”

To learn more about the Gwinnett Global Business Council, future Global Business Mission trips how to get involved in local economic development efforts, please visit www.partnershipgwinnett.com

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