State May Launch Israel Trade Tea
M
ichigan Export
Development
Authority (MEDA)
Chairman Bill Kast is
awaiting the go-ahead
from Gov. John Engler to
create a bilateral trade
team between Michigan
and Israel.
This would become the
first of its kind for the
Middle East. Bilateral
trade teams — part of Mr.
Engler's plan to promote
the export of Michigan
products and services
abroad using the ethnic
and business ties ofthose
living in the state —
already exist with Korea,
Japan, Mexico, Canada
and Germany.
"I think it would be a
great idea," said Mr. Kast,
who proposed implement-
ing the Israeli trade team.
Members of the MEDA,
appointed by the governor,
determine policy for any
trade teams. "I have
talked to the governor,
and I am waiting for posi-
tive answers. We have
very close import and
export relations with
Israel in Michigan, and yet
we could make it much
more productive if we get
business people involved."
To implement the trade
team, Mr. Kast, president
of DPCS, an international
marketing and informa-
tion services corporation
that does data processing
projects for the financial
services industry, plans to
work closely with Shelly
U.S. Trade Representative
Kantor Comes To Town
Komer Jaclder executive
director for the American-
Israel Chamber of
Commerce of Michigan.
Also advocating for the
bilateral team is state
Commerce Director
Arthur Ellis, who recently
told a group at an
American-Israel Chamber
of Commerce import-
export seminar about
prospects for a trade team
with Israel.
For any trade team, the
state's role is limited,
leaving groups of business
leaders comprised of three
to five members in charge
of directly exporting
Michigan products or ser-
vices to certain countries
throughout the world.
Team members are vol-
unteers, and the state
does not reimburse for any
expenses. Most are likely
to be individuals with ties-
to the country or region to
which they are assigned.
"Israel has a different
flavor than many other
countries," Mr. Kast
added. "We like to sell
Michigan. In addition,
Israel has some very
advanced technologies
that were developed with
a lot of government
Gov. John Engler
money, and I'd like to test
some of these technolo-
gies. Then we can make
money off of each other,
and that is what this is all
about — profits."
No time frame has been
given, but Mr. Kast said
he has "an interest in see-
ing it happen." And no
trade team can get started
without support from the
state board of the
Michigan Export Develop-
ment Authority, which
writes policies for each
trade team.
MJC Hosts Holocaust
Commemoration
T
Mickey Kantor with the president.
A
mbassador Michael
(Mickey) Kantor, the
recently appointed
United States trade rep-
resentative who served as
President Bill Clinton's
campaign manager, will
be the keynote speaker at
7 p.m. tonight at a fund-
raiser for Detroit College
of Law's Journal of
International Law.
The Journal, the only
publication of this nature
in the Detroit area, pub-
lished its first edition last
year. Conceived and pro-
duced by law students at
DCL, the group now is
putting together a second
issue.
Funds raised from this
$50-a-person dinner at
the Westin in Detroit will
assist students in publica-
tion of the journal. In
addition, some proceeds
will go toward relief
efforts in Bosnia and
Croatia.
he governor's office
and members of the
state legislature will
be on hand next week for
the Michigan Jewish
Conference's state Holo-
caust Commemoration.
The ceremony, to be
held from noon until 1
p.m. April 1 at the
Rotunda of the recently
restored Capitol Building,
will be dedicated to the
50th anniversary of the
Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
Keynote speaker will be
Dr. Barry Gross, director
of the new Jewish studies
program at Michigan
State University. The pro-
gram is co-sponsored by
the Jewish Community
Council and the Office of
the Governor.
Busses to the event will
leave from the JPM
Jewish Community Center
in Oak Park at 9:30 a.m.
There is a charge. Cali
642-5393 for information. 0
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