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Lincoln (10 1/2 Mile) - One Block East of Greenfield Mon. thru Sat. 10.4 NORELCO TRIPLE.HE A ELECTRICD SHAVER $27.88 NORTHWEST vacuum SALES PARTS & SERVICE Panasonic REPAIRS Eureka Hoover Most Makes 32650 Northwestern Hwy. Farmington Hills, MI 48018 626-0626 $17.95 -7 Cleaning & Lubrication FREE PICK-UP & DELIVERY A DAVID ROSEN MAN'S Affik ALIO Aim PIURCHASE11111 NEW & USED CAR BROKER (313) 851-CARS (313) 851.2277 Brookside Office Park 10 Mile West of Haggerty Next to Providence Hospital Satellite NOVI Medical/General Office Space CALL TODAY kib:\ Jonathan Brateman Properties 474-3855 50 FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1989 Ross Projects Healthy Outlook For Michigan-Israel Business KIMBERLY LIFTON Staff Writer 0 utgoing state Com- merce Director Doug Ross is projecting a healthy outlook for trade bet- ween Michigan and Israel, despite concern that business relations between the two states might plummet when he leaves his post next month. Although no projects have been completed since Ross and Israel Trade Minister David Litvak signed an economic cooperative agree- ment in 1985, Ross said he ex- pects some ongoing deals bet- ween Michigan and Israeli companies to come to fruition within 1 1/2 years. About 12 Michigan small • businesses are trying to set up joint ven- tures with Israeli companies, Ross said. "Michigan is further ahead with Israel than any other state in the country; said. "I am optimistic that we will soon see some deals com- pleted. I think we have enough activity going and hopefully, there is enough momentum and people who care to make our plans suc- cessful." After 4 1/2 years as commerce chief, Ross resigned last month to head the Corpora- tion for Enterprise Develop- ment in Washington, D.C. He leaves for Washington in September. Ross took on Israel and Michigan business as a pet project during his term, open- ing the gateway for trade bet- ween the two states. "As a public servant, you can't take on personal goals if they are not beneficial for the state," Ross said. "But Israel business is good for Michigan and it was my chance to do something beyond my con- tribution to the United Jewish Appeal." Ross' departure intensified fears by businessmen and Israel supporters, who said Israel-Michigan trade rela- tions will not be carried out without Ross at the helm of the Commerce Department. Yet Ross said the concerns are unfounded since Gov. James Blanchard has been consistently supportive of his plan to mutually benefit Michigan and Israel with in- creased trade. Blanchard has not named a successor, but said he will continue to pursue trade ef- forts between Michigan and Israel. ' Ross: Departing "Cooperative efforts bet- ween Michigan and Israel have resulted in very positive working relationships and in- creased opportunities for trade, investment and joint ventures for both states," Blanchard said. State Rep. Burton Leland, D-Detroit, who drafted a now defunct bill that would have solidified in the legislature the first business exhchange between Israel and Michigan, agreed with Ross that the business ventures would transpire as long as Blan- chard is governor. Legislators said hearings for the bill were postponed last October after mounting pressure from the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Leland said he will "hold off for a few years" before re-introducing the bill. "We will hold off until the political nature improves or until negotiations with Israel are such that we need to put legislation on the books," Leland said. Shelly Jackier, executive director of the American- Israel Chamber of Commerce of Michigan, said she was con- fident that planned ventures will .materialize. Like doing business with other foreign countries, work- ing with Israel involves bridg- ing cultural differences. lb do so, Ross said, more bi-cultural middlemen and matchmakers are needed to effectively put deals together. "I don't think capital is a problem," Ross said. "The pro- blem with setting up interna- tional deals is finding businesses with mutual in- terests." Meanwhile, Ross said, the Michigan Strategic Fund is considering creating a brokerage network to help potential joint venture part- ners seek private funds. "Building international relationships for Michigan businesses is one of the greatest challenges facing the state in the next 10 years," he said. "But it will not happen quickly. The biggest mistake where Israel is involved would be not to have patience. If deals don't come together, we'll just have to go back to the drawing board." rIb date, Israel has signed reciprocal trade agreements with 13 states, including Michigan. Five Israeli com- panies operate offices in metropolitan Detroit. Gelman Sciences of Ann Ar- bor is th only Michigan corn- pany with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Israel. U.S. Department of Com- merce statistics show that two-way trade has jumped from $103 million in 1950 to $6.3 billion in 1988, making Israel the United State's 21st largest trading partner. In fact., U.S. exports to Israel reached $3.2 billion in 1988, and Israel's exports to the United States rose to $3.1 billion. ❑ I IN BRIEF I CHARLES M. LAX, 42, a principal in the Southfield law firm of Rubenstein, Isaacs, Lax and Bordman, P.C., has been selected as the only Michigan representative to the Employee Plans (EP) Ad Hoc Group for the Internal Revenue Service. The EP Ad Hoc Group was designed to provide a medium for the exchange of sugges- tions and information be- tween the selected group members and representatives of the national office of the IRS, which is responsible for the administration of the employee plans division. The members of the EP Ad Hoc Group will be consulted con- cerning such topics as annual reporting and filing re- quirements and IRS audit guidelines for employee plans. DENNIS I. BLENDER, Ph.D., of Southfield has been promoted to manager for Plante and Moran's manage- ment consulting staff. Blender, 37, is respnsible for psychological assessment and organizational consulting and training.