The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation will embark Friday, Jan. 8 on an international business mission to Israel with community and business leaders from the Mahoning Valley.

The idea of a business mission to Israel was initiated several years ago by the Federation and is unprecedented in its size and scope for the Valley. This mission also continues the new initiative set forth by the Regional Chamber in 2009 to enhance the global footprint of the Mahoning Valley.

The one-week trip will entail business-to-business meetings among Valley company representatives and their Israeli counterparts, lectures and presentations by industry and government leaders on the Israeli and Mediterranean markets and technological exchanges between highly regarded Israeli universities and Youngstown State University.

Among those representing the Valley on the mission will be Warren Mayor Michael O’Brien and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. The participation of both mayors demonstrates the continued regional approach that is making the Mahoning Valley an innovative place to do business, said Eric Planey, Regional Chamber vice president for International and National Business Attraction.

In addition to O’Brien, Williams and Planey, those traveling on the mission are:

• Dr. Peter J. Kasvinsky, associate provost for Research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Youngstown State University
• Dr. Martin Abraham, dean, YSU’s STEM College 
• Tom Humphries, president and CEO, Regional Chamber 
• Sam Kooperman, executive vice president, Youngstown Area Jewish Federation 
• Bonnie Deutsch Burdman, director, Community Relations/Government Affairs, Youngstown Area Jewish Federation 
• Paul Cusson, president, Northern States Metals, Youngstown 
• Mike Garvey, president, M-7 Technologies, Youngstown 
• Julie Michael Smith, chief development officer, Youngstown Business Incubator 
• Jack Scott, president, Applied Systems and Technology Transfer (AST2) and a YSU alumnus
• Jim Osterloh, Chief Technology Officer, AST2

Syncro Medical Innovations of Youngstown also will be represented by the Chamber.

Planey noted that the mission’s theme is to increase the Valley’s interaction with high-technology manufacturing processes, access to innovations in clean technology and access to the Israeli market for prospective export and joint venture opportunities.

The trip will include site visits and one-on-one meetings with Israel’s vast array of business incubators, including visits by Mayor O’Brien and members of the Warren Cleantech incubator steering committee — Scott, Osterloh, Smith and Garvey — to Cleantech incubators in Israel. Such interaction will help ensure that the Warren incubator achieves the desired goal of being a cornerstone of new technology innovation for Warren and Valley businesses, propelling the area into new markets.

Mayor Williams will have the opportunity to showcase the progress of Youngstown with visits in conjunction with several Youngstown-based companies, including Northern States Metals and M-7. Further, the presence of YBI and YSU representatives will enhance the area’s standing as a hub of innovation in areas such as metals and related supporting technologies. YBI representatives also will meet with several Israeli software companies that are considering expanding into the North American market.

Burdman said, “That this delegation traveling to Israel includes two mayors, high-level officials from YSU, and prominent business leaders is a true testament to the current forward-thinking, regional approach to position the Valley to be a mecca for investment and development.”

This mission also is a strategic opportunity for YSU to enhance academic, scientific and student exchanges and to promote Centers of Excellence in advanced materials analysis, metals and metrology, alternative energy and other areas envisioned within U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan’s Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh Tech Belt, Burdman said.

Planey added, “This Israel mission is the second wave of the Chamber’s international strategy following the November 2009 mission to China and Taiwan that successfully promoted the Valley to companies that are considering investing into the area.”

Some statistics on the Israeli economy demonstrate why it’s an appropriate market for the Valley to visit: 

• More Israeli companies are listed on the NASDAQ than all of Europe combined and than all of India, China, Korea, Japan combined. 
• More global venture capital is invested into Israel each year on a per-capita basis than the U.S. and Europe, even during this global downturn. 
• Israel spends more on research and development per capita than anywhere in the world.

Burdman said, “The Youngstown Area Jewish Federation is very excited to be working with the Chamber on this project. We fully support the Chamber’s international attraction strategy and look forward to our continued efforts to ensure the success of this mission.”

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