First Secretary Adam Normark, Minister Counselor Grzegorz Kozlowski, US-Poland Business Council President Eric Stewart, Weyerhaueser CEO Dan Fulton, Boeing VP Nicole Piasecki, Ambassador Robert Kupiecki, PACCPNW President Eva Orlowska, Minister Counselor Pawel Pietrasienki, Prof. Zbigniew Bochniarz, World Trade Center Seattle, July 25, 2011
For event vides, photos, powerpoint presentations and media coverage, please, visit www.paccpnw.org/WTC2011
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – On July 25, 2011, Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest and the Embassy of Poland in Washington, DC, hosted a business conference at the World Trade Center in Seattle to discuss trade opportunities between Poland and the Pacific Northwest.
Mike Gregoire representing Governor Christine Gregoire, welcomed the Ambassador and participants to Washington State and the conference.
Dan Fulton, Ambassador Robert Kupiecki, Nicole Weyerhaeuser Piasecki
The Embassy delegation led by Ambassador Robert Kupiecki discussed economic aspects of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union and introduced Poland as an attractive business partner for companies in Washington State. A gateway to over 500 million consumers in EU, with strong ties to US, Poland is favorably positioned for cooperation in leading sectors such as green energy, information technology, aviation, biotech and manufacturing.
Daniel Fulton, CEO of Weyerhaeuser announced his upcoming trip to Poland for an opening of a new facility in Gdansk, Poland, noting port and rail access, labor and housing availability as part of the company’s business decision for expansion to Poland. The facility scheduled to be completed in 2012 with delivery of products in 2013, will serve as fiber manufacturing plant and a gateway for shipping to fulfill regional market demands.
Polish Ambassador Robert Kupiecki, Boeing VP Nicole Weyerhaeuser Piasecki with Boeing 787 Dreamliner model
The presentations were followed by discussions and business networking to prepare for Trade missions in the next year. “We are very honored to have been able to facilitate this exchange between Polish and American business, government and industry associations to build bridges and uncover opportunities for further trade and business development between Poland and Washington State”, said Eva Orlowska, President of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest.
Other participants included Pawel Pietrasienski,Minister Counselor and Head of Trade and Investment Section of Polish Embassy, Malgorzata; Cup, Polish Consul from Los Angeles; Eric Stewart, President of US-Poland Business Council; Grzegorz Kozlowski, Polish Embassy Minister Counselor; Adam Normark, Polish Embassy First Secretary; Maciej Chorowski, President of Wroclaw Technology Park; Adam Januszko, Head of New Technologies Group in Wroclaw; John Creighton, Seattle Port Commissioner; Sam Kaplan, Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle; Don Burnell, President, Association of Washington Business; Egils Milbergs, Executive Director, Economic Development Commission for Washington State; Janice Jaworski, Washington Business Week, and Prof. Zbigniew Bochniarz, University of Washington Evans School of Public Affairs.
Eva Orlowska, Mary Gregoire, First Gentleman Mike Greogoire, UWPSEC President Krystyna Untersteiner
The honorary guest was Governor Christine Gregoire’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Mary Gregoire, a retired school teacher of Polish decent.
Nicole Weyerhaeuser Piasecki, Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ vice president of Business Development & Strategic Integration, said Boeing strongly supports Ambassador Kupiecki’s trade mission to the Pacific Northwest and sees potential for greater partnerships in Poland in aerospace research and development, aviation design and sustainable aviation biofuels.
“With its highly qualified workforce and its position as president of the European Union, the time has never been better to pursue business opportunities in Poland,” said Piasecki, whose Polish-American father, Frank Piasecki, was a pioneer in developing rotorcraft and advanced helicopters. “We already work closely with LOT Polish Airlines, which will be the first European customer to receive the 787 Dreamliner, as well as manufacturers who contribute to the 757, 777 and 787 airplane programs. And in the future, we hope to tap further into Poland’s capabilities, from engineering graduates to its fast-growing R&D sector.”
Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest is a U.S. non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington with a mission to promote cooperation and exchange between Polish and American businesses to achieve economic success.
For more information please visit https://www.paccpnw.org
