BUSINESS
William
Davidson,
president of
Guardian
Industries,
has made
a solid
commitment
to Israel's
business.
Photography by
Glenn Triest
William Davidson sees a strong future for Israeli business.
GUARDIAA A1 GEL
isitors and em-
ployees casually
walk through the
comfortable lob-
by of the North-
ville-based Guardian Indus-
tries. The receptionist, who
has worked there for over 20
years, knows many by their
first names.
She asks a former employ-
ee awaiting an appointment
how his father is feeling these
days. She even knows the fa-
ther's first name.
In the interior corridors,
employees are dressed in
comfortable work clothes,
some men wearing ties, some
not. They are consulting with
one another about the day's
business.
William Davidson emerges
from an office near the re-
ception desk. He has a wel-
coming smile on his face.
His office is filled with pho-
tos of family members. Hang-
ing on the walls are awards
from Jewish organizations.
Nearby the awards is a large
photo of Mr. Davidson being
doused by champagne the
day the Detroit Pistons team
he owns won the National
Basketball Association
Championship.
This is a casual man, who
sits at his desk sporting his
trademark look — collar open,
no tie. This is a man who in
the past year committed $30
million to create the William
Davidson Institute at the
University of Michigan.
This is a man who owns a
professional sports team, and
this is a man whose $100 mil-
lion glass factory in the
Galilee ranks as the largest
single undertaking of private
industry in Israel.
This is a man who believes
in Israel.
Last October, the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit honored Mr. David-
son with its highest accolade,
the Fred M. Butzel Memori-
al Award for Distinguished
Community Service.
This year, the Galilee glass
factory will employ some 400
Israelis, many of whom will
be olim.
At the same time, Mr.
Davidson created a pilot
plant in Israel to help re-
searchers learn how to har-
vest heat energy in deserts
and transport it for use in in-
dustrial regions. Called the
By Phil Jacobs,
Managing Editor
William Davidson Methana-
tor Pilot Plant, it is part of the
Weizmami Solar Energy Re-
search Complex in Rehovot.
The former Allied Jewish
Campaign chairman and ma-
jority owner of the Palace of
Auburn Hills sees the future
of doing business in Israel in
the positive.
"Doing business in Israel
is a very good thing," he said.
"When you think of the coun-
try's old reputation for red
tape and the bureaucracy,
you have to remember that
all things are relative. Each
country has its share.
"But Israel is doing things
to want to become a good
partner in the business
world," he continued. "I see
the situation in Israel as out-
standing and getting better.
The influx of Russians, and
the whole concept of the Rus-
sians being there cannot be
taken lightly. For the future
of Israel, there are so many
fine minds who are going to
help the country."
More and more of the
world's businesses are in-
cluding Israel in their future
plans, and they are looking
less at the destabilized Mid-
dle East as a reason not to
enter the area, he said.
The European community,
he added, now is taking an
active role. Mr. Davidson said
the Japanese are also mak-
ing more and more overtures.
"I think one of the major
reasons is that you are see-
ing an Israeli government
that wants to do business
with the world," Mr. David-