Assembling
Harry J. Pearce sees a fertile market for GM in Israel.
GM's vice
chairman is
optimistic about
the future of trade
with Israel, a
country
in the mood for
economic
expansion.
.
JULIE EDGAR STAFF WRITER
arry J. Pearce returned from his
first and only trip to Israel a few
years ago feeling pretty confident
in the future of bilateral trade.
What he found there was a
feisty entrepreneurial spirit and
a highly educated technical class
nourished by the influx of Russ-
ian scientists. The place, he
thought, was dearly ripe for eco-
nomic sharing and development.
Today, General Motors, the
company for which Mr. Pearce has
served as vice diairman. since Jan.
1, is initiating deals with approx-
imately 100 Israeli automotive
suppliers of components and sub-
components. Its overseas vehicle
manufacturing operation, Opel,
has just struck a deal with Israel's
Tadir Gan to buy $7 million worth
of aluminum oil pans annually.
And Hughes Aircraft, a sub-
sidiary of GM and a major ex-
porter of military technology to
Israel, is also engaged in "sub-
stantial purchasing activity" with
Israeli companies, Mr. Pearce said
in a recent interview. Last year,
Hughes purchased $40 million in
goods from Israeli manufacturers
of military equipment. He believes
General Motors is the No. 1 im-
porter of Israeli goods among the
Big Three automakers.
`They want to do businesg with
us; we want to do business with
them. We like them; they like us.
It's just a very positive business
relationship, and I think after
we've had a couple years' experi-
ence with significant volumes, like
this oil pan, for example, you'll see
that business grow significantly
over the years."
Mr. Pearce, the attorney who
PEACE
Par
t
1
Part
imosity and the poison and hence
exposed the fraudulent NBC mutual respect for diversity.
"But there is huge potential, the emotional overlay you inject
newscast that showed a GM
and
99.9 percent of both popula- when you have these terrorist
sidesaddle pickup truck explod-
killings are terribly unfortunate,"
ing and then rose to become sec- tions want it — it's very obvious he continued.
when
you
sit
down
and
have
per-
ond-in-command at GM, will
"But, we can't lose sight of what
speak on Sunday at the America- sonal conversations with Arabs or the end objective is for business
Israelis.
They're
all
good
people
Israel Chamber of Commerce of
Michigan's black-tie Honors Din- and they truly want this peace
PEACE page 46
ner at the Somerset Collection in process to succeed, and yet the an-
Troy. The event is open to
the public.
His talk will touch on
how American companies
can globalize — admit-
tedly a complex subject—
and GM's place in the
global economy.
STAFF WRITER
The Chamber will also JULIE EDGAR
present an award to its
Grand Inc., the Royal Oak-based
1996 honoree, Stephen
ike thousands of others before
company his father Sam founded
Grand, president of the
and after him, Stephen Grand
in 1943, is being honored as the
Royal Oak-based Deco-
threw a few things in a back-
1996 honoree by the America-Is-
Grand Inc., a GM suppli-
pack and set out to see the
rael
Chamber of Commerce of
world
after
finishing
college.
er.
Michigan
at its Honors Dinner Sun-
Mr. Pearce, of Bloom-
He landed in Israel, where he
day at the Somerset Collection in
field Hills, said he was worked in the aircraft industry for
Troy.
struck at how very differ- a year.
ent life in Israel is from
"I noticed the technology, equip-
COMPANY HEAD page 46
the reports he and most ment and capability of the compa-
Americans are exposed nies there was at a
to.
very high level. When
"When you read about I came back and
it here, you conjure up a joined the family,busi-
different picture than ness, I decided it
when you are there and would make a lot of
see constant intermin- sense to see if we
gling of the Arab and Is- could work with some
raeli populations in a very Israeli companies,
positive way. Unfortu- and we found oppor-
nately, it takes a very tiny tunities to do that.
percentage of a fringe el- We've had nothing
ement, whether it's but good experiences
Hamas or whomever, to for years and years."
destroy all the incredibly
Mr. Grand, now Stephen Grand will grab honors this year from the America-
constructive work that's the president of Deco- Israel Chamber of Commerce of Michigan.
done to develop a real
Company Head Is Honored
For Israeli Ties, Generosity
Li