ICYMI: Delegation from Prince William County Meets with Business Leaders in China

Brent M. Heavner
Prince William County Department of Economic Development
Email: bheavner@pwcgov.org | Phone: (800) 334-9876

September 11th, 2012, Prince William County, Virginia – A delegation from Prince William County returned from a business opportunity prospecting mission in China. Organized and funded by George Mason University, the opportunity for the trade mission was catalyzed by interest among the Chinese business community in the unique public-private partnership between the university, the County and private sector interests that gave rise to Innovation Technology Park and the advanced research and business growth occurring there.

“Business leaders throughout the globe are looking toward the United States for a stable investment environment, even more so now in these uncertain economic times,” said Corey Stewart, Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors who was asked by GMU to serve as the lead for the delegation. “Prince William County’s Triple-AAA bond rating, talented workforce, and strong track record of consistent employment and business growth position the County well to compete for these opportunities to attract international businesses and foreign direct investment.”

China, according to Stewart, is a target-rich environment for business attraction opportunities.

“The Chinese business community, in particular, is increasingly looking for opportunities to diversify their business and investment profile throughout the globe,” Chairman Stewart explained. “This mission provided us with an excellent opportunity to establish relationships with business leaders in China and allowed us to position Prince William County as a competitive and profitable location for international investment.”

Attracting international businesses and investment is a central goal for Prince William County’s Economic Development program. Expanding the County’s global business profile and enhancing international marketing outreach efforts have been a key focus of the County’s new Economic Development Director, Jeffrey Kaczmarek, since he took the helm of the program in April 2012.

“International markets are a key part of expanding our economic development outreach program and building our pipeline of economic development opportunities for the coming years,” Kaczmarek said. “When we look at our community’s assets it is clear that Prince William County is an excellent destination for international business and we believe there is a lot of opportunity to attract international capital as a means of driving continued economic and employment growth in the County moving forward.”

“The presence of Chairman Stewart, and Jeff Kaczmarek added significant value to the mission, because of the close relationship between government and business in China,” said William F. Reeder of George Mason University. “The presence of a chief elected official means a lot when you are seeking opportunities to meet with business leaders in China. In the eyes of the business and government leaders who hosted us in China, their presence added credibility to our delegation and opened opportunities for us.”

Acknowledging the valuable opportunity this mission to China provided, Chairman Stewart emphasized this as a starting point in the County’s broader efforts to attract businesses from China and elsewhere in the world.

“Trade missions like this are an important first step in building bridges and raising the County’s international profile. This is just the beginning of our efforts to increase the County’s global exposure,” said Stewart.

Even so, the Chairman is optimistic about the value of the delegation’s work in China. “We certainly expect some follow-up opportunities to arise from our meetings with the Chinese and hope to host a delegation here in Prince William County sometime soon.

“Ours is a community characterized by financial stability, and educated labor force, and steady business and employment growth over the last decade,” said Kaczmarek. “Prince William County is an attractive and strategic location for international business, and continuing to tell that story on an international stage is something we believe will generate new and exciting opportunities for growth in Prince William County.”

About Prince William County, Virginia
Prince William County was ranked #3 nationwide for job growth by the BLS from 2010 – 2011, and was ranked #8 nationally in job growth from 2000 – 2011 by CNN Money. Over the last 10 years at-place employment in Prince William County has grown by nearly 37%, adding an average of 2,704 net new jobs annually. During the same time period, Prince William County has seen 57% growth in the number of establishments located in the County.

For information about the advantages of locating or expanding a business in Prince William County, please contact the Prince William County Department of Economic Development at 703-792-5500 or visit us online at www.pwcecondev.org