Interview Italy-florida Mission - Italy-America Chamber of Commerce ...

BUSINESS
Mission Florida in Italy
Florida Business Delegation Visits Italy
By Marco Ferri
Florida's Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings led a 20-person
delegation of economic development agencies and
private sector companies on a fact-finding mission to Italy
from February 6-12. The purpose of the mission was to
promote Florida as a favorable state for Italian companies
to establish operations. The mission also served to help
Florida's government and economic development officials
gain a better understanding of the economic forces present
in Italy's business community and served as a precursor
to what is hoped to be a much larger business development
mission led by Florida Governor Jeb Bush. The
mission was organized primarily through the efforts of
Enterprise Florida, the State's economic development
organization (www.eflorida.com), the Consulate General
of Italy in Miami (www.italsconsmiami.com), the National
Italian American Foundation (NIAF) (www.niaf.org), the
Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, Southeast
(IACC) (www.iacc-miami.com) and IACC member Wilton
& Partners (www.wiltonandpartners.com).
The Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by entities
such as Enterprise Florida, together with the Beacon
Council (www.beaconcouncil.com), the Broward Alliance
(www.browardallliance.com) and the Metro Orlando
Economic Development Commission (www.OrlandoEDC.com),
the economic development agencies for each of Miami-
Dade County, Broward County and the Greater Orlando
area, respectively. The IACC was represented by Executive
Vice President Marco Ferri. IACC members such as Art
Furia of Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart and Massimiliano
Sanmarco of Wilton & Partners also participated. Mr.
Furia, who also represented NIAF on the mission, commented
that "as a result of this mission and the exchange
of information and resources, Florida and Italy are again
on each other's radar screen, since the last official business
development mission to Italy by Florida's government
was in 1996." Other private sector Florida companies such
as software giant Citrix Systems and aerospace and
defense superstars Embraer and Lockheed Martin
shared with Italian companies the benefits that each of
their companies have realized by establishing operations
in Florida, such as an educated workforce, the dual markets
of North America and South America and the favorable
tax and regulatory environments for business.
The Honorable Gianfranco Colognato, Consul General of
Italy in Miami, and Giovanni Turturiello, Deputy Consul
General and Director of Commercial Affairs also participated,
serving as liaisons between the Florida delegation and
Italian government institutions such as the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Productive Activities, the
City Governments of Rome and Milan and the Regions of
Lombardy and Lazio. The mission was also marked by successful
meetings with Promos, the Chambers of
Commerce of Rome and Milan, Assolombarda and the
Industrial Union of the Province of Varese, among others,
whereby the Italian organizations and the Florida organizations
exchanged valuable information and welcomed the
opportunity for further collaboration. The IACC's Mr. Ferri
also gave a presentation to a group of Italian businesses
and organizations regarding considerations to be followed
when establishing a presence in Florida. The U.S.
Embassy in Rome and the U.S. Consulate in Milan each
hosted receptions for the delegation with over 100 business,
government and community leaders in attendance
at each reception.
The six-day mission was deemed a success by all participants.
As interest, awareness and understanding of
Florida as a business destination continues to grow
among Italian companies and as Florida state and local
organizations increase their focus on attracting and helping
to grow Italian companies in the State, Florida should
become a second home to many more Italian companies
over the next few years. For further information on the
business climate in Florida or the incentives and opportunities
available to Italian companies opening offices in
Florida, please visit any of the websites mentioned above
or contact the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce at
info@iacc-miami.com. �
.17 .it italian trade