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Since May of this year, Shau Zavon, President of
the GCCCC has represented the organization in a leadership role as
the Co-Chair of the Economic Development Committee of the Cincinnati
2012 World Choir Games. The goal of the Committee is to leverage the
2012 Games to strategically promote the Cincinnati region as a
destination for foreign businesses. Former GCCCC board member Peter
Song is also a member of the Committee.
In July, the Committee organized a business mission to four Chinese
cities led by Mayor Mark Mallory in conjunction with the 2010 World
Choir Games taking place in Shaoxing. The delegation included
representatives from the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport, Ulmer
& Berne, SS&G Financial Services, Duke Energy, the Convention &
Visitors Bureau, Kolar Designs, Procter & Gamble and the Cincinnati
USA Regional Chamber of Commerce.
From July 19 – 28, the delegation visited Shanghai, Changchun,
Hangzhou and Shaoxing. It was a successful mission that included
high level meetings with the leadership of Chinese businesses and
Chinese government officials.
Shanghai began with a visit to the 2012 Expo. Our delegation was
joined by other Cincinnatians in China for the World Choir Games
bringing our delegate count to 28 people - a very strong presence.
Visiting the USA Pavilion, we were greeted by Martin Alintuck, the
Pavilion President and CEO. He was familiar with the Cincinnati
story and was impressed with the number of people we brought with us
to sell the city.
We were received by the leadership of and in the same manner at each
of the four other Pavilions for the seven hours we were on the
grounds. The USA Pavilion, however, holds special significance
because their corporate sponsors include Procter & Gamble as well as
General Electric. Yes, a hometown connection but they are also
sponsors of our delegation activities. Five Pavilions may not seem
like a lot but for most attendees they see maybe one or two in a
day.
That evening, the delegation hosted eighty guests - from throughout
the Province - at our Shanghai-Cincinnati Business Reception. We
were joined by Mr. Wang Lie, the Vice President of the China Council
for the Promotion of International Trade. The program was brief but
included comments from Mayor Mallory,Vice President of Shanghai
CCPIT Wang Lie; both P&G and GE spoke about their connections to
China and Cincinnati; and the President of Convention and Visitors
Bureau touched on the 2012 World Choir Games and invited guests to
visit Cincinnati for the Games in 2012. Committee co-chair Shau
Zavon was the emcee of the reception and the networking and
sentiments about Cincinnati were incredible!
The following day, additional meetings were coordinated with the
leadership of General Electric, Zhangjiang High-tech Industrial
Park, and Mr. Zhou Muyao, former Deputy General Director of the
standing committee of the Shanghai People’s Congress and the former
Deputy Mayor of Shanghai. The delegation had a great discussion
about building relationship between Shanghai and Cincinnati
throughout lunch with Mr. Zhou Muyao.
On the third day the delegation visited Changchun to meet with the
leadership of the Dacheng Industrial Group, the leading corn
processing company in China, which also has connections to the
Cincinnati area through the Global BioChem Technology Group. The
delegation introduced different facets of Cincinnati in an effort to
attract one of the Dacheng Industrial Business Units to locate their
North American headquarter in Greater Cincinnati area. At the
invitation of Changchun Mayor Cui Jie, the delegation was treated to
a luncheon featuring the foods of Changchun and Jilin Province and
discussed the possibilities of the friendship city alliance.
Before visiting Shaoxing, the delegation stopped in Hangzhou where
they had an opportunity to meet with Mr. Wang Jianman, a Vice
Governor of the Province. Over late dinner, the group discussed
opportunities for Hangzhou and Cincinnati to develop closer ties.
In Shaoxing, the delegation hosted a China-US Investment Forum with
more than 60 registered attendees. Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and
Shaoxing Vice Mayor Xu Mingguang opened up the Forum. Special guests
included Evan Felsing from the Office of the US Consulate General in
Shanghai and Madam Li, the Director of the Liuzhou Office of Foreign
Affairs. Forum presentations were made by Brian Berning, Managing
Director of SS&G Financial Services; Brad Kaplan, Partner at Ulmer &
Berne; Pingshan Li, Attorney at Ulmer & Berne; Chen Hao, Investment
Representative of the Ohio Department of Development China Office;
Gary Chan from the Midwest US EB-5 Regional Center; Manny Gonzalez,
Vice President for Global Operations at Procter & Gamble; and Neil
Hensley, Senior Director of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
In Shanghai, Changchun, Hangzhou and Shaoxing, the delegation wanted
to show Cincinnati in the best light and make a favorable
impression. We were successful beyond anything I imagined. We helped
further relationships and created new friends. We expanded on the
awareness about Cincinnati. We have built a stronger foundation for
business development in China. As well, the Economic Development
Committee for the 2012 World Choir Games can be a model for
leveraging large events, like the World Choir Games, to attract
business interest in our region.
The Shanghai Business Reception and the US-China Investment Forum in
Shaoxing were sponsored by Procter & Gamble and General Electric
Aviation. The Ohio Department of Development Global Markets Division
and the Greater China Office in Shanghai provided promotional and
administrative assistance. Co-chairs Carla Walker and Shau Zavon
managed the delegation in China.
Photo credit: Carla D. Walker
Carla Walker is the President of think BIG strategies, llc (www.thinkbigstrategies.com)
and the Co-Chair of the Economic Development Committee of the
Cincinnati 2012 World Choir Games.
Co-chair Shau Zavon is the President of Greater Cincinnati Chinese
Chamber of Commerce, as well as President and CEO of Golden Nexus
Group Inc. and Vice President of OwnerLand Realty Inc.
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