The town of Gilbert’s Office of Economic Development, the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Gilbert Sister Cities are holding the event from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the University Building, 92 W. Vaughn Ave., Gilbert. The building is home to Park University and the University of Arizona’s nursing integrative health program.
The seminar is designed to find businesses looking to expand internationally and assist them in areas including relationship building, importing and exporting, and finding financial resources.
Along with Gilbert Sister Cities, the Arizona Commerce Authority, Invest Northern Ireland and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council will be there to provide information about financial assistance and programs for those businesses interested in expanding internationally That information includes business opportunities in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The towns of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, are Gilbert sister cities. As part of that relationship, the town will be holding a trade and investment mission to the area in spring 2020 that businesses can join.
“The summit is really an effort to work with our partners ... to develop a system of activities that create awareness for our businesses in East Valley and Gilbert,” Gilbert Economic Development Director Dan Henderson said.
The groups hope the event helps businesses develop foreign direct investment attractions, Henderson said.
Gilbert has long participated in similar events, Henderson said, including one last year.
“Within the first eight to 12 months, there were millions of dollars already invested by these companies that we made connections with,” Henderson said.
The cities of Mesa and Chandler are also partnering in next week’s event.
More information can be found at the Gilbert Economic Development website at www.gilbertedi.com. Advance registration is requested at the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce website at https://gilbertaz.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/5308