“Gdansk is one of the most attractive business centers in the world.”
That was the message the city's mayor, Pawel Adamowicz, delivered Monday in Seatac during a welcome breakfast for a delegation of visiting Polish business leaders.
The group is in town to share their city's success story with leaders from such companies as Microsoft, Boeing, Weyerhaeuser and in hopes of persuading more Washington companies to invest in Poland.
They plan to visit the Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser campuses this week and also tour the Boeing plant in Everett.
They have a compelling story to share. Gdansk avoided going through a recession and businesses in the city saw decreased business costs while much of the world was in recession. And the mayor's claim is backed up by a 2009 report from KPMG identifying emerging destinations report.
1) People- rebuilding links among the people after the collapse of communism
2) Trust- there is mutual trust among the people
3) Development- development of the city and the region
4) Integrity- entrepreneurial culture in the city
Adamowicz says its young people are well-educated and are learning how to compete in the global marketplace. AWB President Don Brunell, who introduced the speakers, says Poland Business Week, which mirrors the successful Washington Business Week program, is an example of the city’s interest in business development.
In turn, attendees like state Department of Commerce Director Rogers Weed, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn talked about the benefits of working with the region and partnering with Washington state companies.
Governor of the Pomerania Province, Mieczyslaw Struk, summed up the aim of the trip: “We are here this week to learn from some very successful companies and hope to turn this knowledge into hard cash.”
