The Governor received the award on April 18th in Philadelphia in honor of his work forming commercial and research ties between Israel and Delaware.
(R-L) Alan B. Levin, Former Delaware Cabinet Member, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office and Co-Chair of the Tribute Committee; Vered Nohi, Executive Director of the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce; Ben Strauss, Esq., Partner at Pepper Hamilton and Co-Chair of the Tribute Committee; David J. Allon, MBA, PICC President and a Financial Consultant at Citizens Investment Services; Delaware Governor Jack A. Markell; Renee Baker, Ph.D., Closed-End Funds Marketing & Investor Relations, Senior Manager at Aberdeen Asset Management Inc., the event’s Presenting Sponsor; Israel Consul General Yaron Sideman at the Israeli Consulate to the Mid-Atlantic Region; Cynthia Kane, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State of Delaware; and Anat Katz, Head of Trade Mission at the Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia, PA (April 20, 2016) – On April 18th, Governor Jack A. Markell of Delaware accepted the 2016 Yitzhak Rabin Service Award at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The honor, bestowed each year by the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC), is awarded to the Governor for his work in forming powerful and productive commercial and research ties between Israel and the First State.
“We live in a global world and must seek opportunities beyond our backyards. Since taking office nearly 8 years ago, it has been Governor Markell’s priority to engage Delaware in the global economy while seeking ways to encourage foreign investment in the state,” said Renee Baker, Ph.D., Closed-End Funds Marketing & Investor Relations, Senior Manager at Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. “During the Markell administration Israel friendship, commercial and academic ties with the First State have been elevated to a new level. Governor Markell sees the opportunity in leveraging Israeli innovation, with the potential of scaling these companies in Delaware. Israel’s relationship with the First State and the region is stronger because of his leadership.”
The Rabin Award is the Chamber’s highest distinction. It is presented to individuals, businesses, and academic institutes who have broaden the business or academic ties between Israel and the Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey region.
“While it is true that my first many trips to Israel were more about what the U.S. could do for Israel, the truth is that’s not the primary reason why I was so keen to visit as Governor,” said Markell. “It’s not why Delaware has had annual corporate, academic and trade missions to Israel during my administration. Israel is forging a new path in the 21st century with a remarkable impact on global innovation and new technology. If our state can learn from that, we have a much better chance of accomplishing our goal to make Delaware the best it can be.”
“The PICC is celebrating a successful year of advancing business and commercial ties between the Delaware Valley Region,” remarked PICC President David J. Allon, MBA, Financial Consultant at Citizens Investment Services. Since the 2015 dinner, the chamber has:
- Welcomed three Israeli companies as they opened their US offices in Philadelphia
- Is currently assisting four additional Israeli companies as they explore opening offices in the region
- The PICC hosted Israeli delegations, resulting in regional joint ventures, including: Ministry of Economy and Cleantech last March, Defense and Homeland Security last April, the Israeli Chief Scientist Avi Hasson and 20 Israeli bio companies for the International BIO last June and a Digital Health Summit in November.
- The PICC helped organize Mayor Nutter’s second mission to Israel last July.
- In the fall, the PICC and the University of Delaware hosted the Israeli Chief Scientist at the Department of Energy to explore collaborations on alternative fuels.
- As the BIRD Foundation’s representative in Pennsylvania and Delaware, the PICC coached regional companies to submit grant requests for US-Israeli joint ventures. Arkema of King of Prussia received their third grant in 2015, and two companies in Pennsylvania and Delaware were approved for full proposals in March.
“The PICC of today is a diverse community of professionals related to many fields: life sciences, technology, communications, cyber and homeland security, cleantech, etc.,” said Vered Nohi, Executive Director of the PICC. “In the past three years, we have made special efforts to grow our collaborations in the Greater portion of our region, as far as Leigh Valley, Harrisburg, and even Pittsburgh community in Pennsylvania, all the way to the chicken producers and farmers and water utilities in Southern Delaware, and from Princeton’s life sciences to Atlantic County’s gaming and aerospace in New Jersey. This is a business rich and wide region that can produce phenomenal commercial activity with Israel, $5 billion and more annually.”
“The PICC’s work connecting Israeli and Tri-State innovators has never been more important with the upcoming closure of Philadelphia’s Israeli Consulate this summer. The PICC will be the only organization in our region dedicated solely to building economic ties with Israel. We are working with our regional partners to sustain what we have achieved and invite you to help grow the commercial ties with Israel and the region’s innovative ecosystem,” Allon added.
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Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
The Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC), established in 1987, is the go-to independent organization facilitating connections between Israeli and Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware based businesses, governmental agencies and economic development organizations. The PICC also represents the US-Israel Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation, which has made more than $10 million in industrial R&D grants regionally to U.S.-Israeli company technology ventures.
The PICC was founded by renowned Philadelphia business leaders, including the late Albert Soffa of Kulicke & Soffa and Dr. Felix Zandman of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., both pioneers in the establishment of business entities in Israel that still thrive today. PICC’s network continues to include global companies with U.S. headquarters in our region that maintain operations in Israel, including SAP Americas, Inc., and TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and a rich mix of technology businesses, tech support companies, service professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, government and academic leaders.
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