LEAP Leads Regional Mission to Italy
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) continues its regional direct foreign business attraction efforts by once again traveling to Italy to conduct several days of direct prospect visits, as well as nurturing the development of crucial, high-level relationships between Global Lansing leadership and Italian manufacturing leaders. LEAP Vice President of Business Attraction Brent Case leads the mission team and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero joins, on behalf of the City of Lansing, continuing to build relationships with business prospects that have visited Lansing over the last two years.
As part of the mission, LEAP is working towards convening a possible business/manufacturing roundtable in Italy next spring, creating new export opportunities for Global Lansing manufacturers, developing further MSU Extension relationships with key Italian leaders in the agriculture sector and further development of direct foreign investment prospects, one of which has become deeply engaged for six months with an important manufacturer here in Lansing due to LEAP’s and Mayor Bernero’s efforts.
“Our Global Lansing initiative is based on a targeted plan for foreign direct investment to create American jobs here in Metro Lansing,” said Mr. Case. “We’re beginning to see the results, but it takes continuous relationship building to bring deals together. Taking a leader as prominent as the capital city’s mayor assists us greatly with credibility and know-how, especially because of his unique Italian contacts and knowledge.”
LEAP has a full itinerary of prospect work scheduled. The team left Lansing Capital City International Airport on Saturday, April 23 and will be working through April 28.
“I look forward to carrying an important message about the growth and investment opportunities here in the City of Lansing and throughout Metro Lansing,” said Mayor Bernero. “My key goals are to create export opportunities for Lansing businesses and to continue to build important leadership ties between our communities, as well as ultimately recruiting Italian firms to invest and create jobs in Lansing.”
Additionally, the Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission (LRSCC) coordinated and co-scheduled a Sister Cities exchange with the Italian city of Pianezza, a suburb of Torino, which is a major targeted area for manufacturing prospects and leadership related to this trip and previous visits to Lansing. That aspect of the mission is being led by Mrs. Teri Bernero.
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About LEAP
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is a coalition of area leaders partnering to build a stronger community for all—working every day to grow, retain and attract business.
Category: Business Attraction, Press Releases