Close to 300 Celebrate World Trade Centers Day Dinner

Manuel N. Stamatakis, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the WTCGP, detailed some of the WTCGP’s outstanding accomplishments in 2004: $45 million in sales generated by regional small and medium sized companies in region; 470 companies received consulting services from the WTCGP’s five international trade specialists; 53 educational events and seminars were organized and attended by more than 1,250 participants.

Mr. Stamatakis then presented the World Trade Centers Day Award to Hugh C. Long II, Wachovia Bank’s CEO for Pennsylvania and Delaware. Mr. Long serves on the board of directors for several leading organizations in the Philadelphia region, including Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, Drexel University, Innovation Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the Chamber’s CEO Council for Economic Growth and head of the Council’s Select Greater Philadelphia Oversight Committee, Mr. Long has taken the lead on advancing regional cooperation throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware.

In accepting his award, Mr. Long said, “This region is a good place to do business – it can be a great place to do business – we have a location, quality of life and cost of living that other locations dream about.” He continued, “The world has changed – and Greater Philadelphia is changing, but very slowly – we must accelerate the change; and, through the efforts of groups like the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia and Select Greater Philadelphia, we are changing faster than ever before…The 20th century was about world-class cities. The 21st century will be all about world-class regions.”

Earlier in the evening, Dr. Ali Houshmand, Provost of Drexel University, presented four high school seniors (2 from Philadelphia and 2 from Camden) with a $1000 scholarship each. Students were selected based on their essay responses to the topic, “How Can Careers in International Trade Promote World peace and Stability?”

Fred Lam, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, was also in attendance. Mr. Lam was accompanied by a delegation of eighteen (18) individuals who were in Philadelphia for the “Hong Kong: Turning China into Opportunity” seminar held the following day.

This year’s event was sponsored by:
Right Management Consultants

Other sponsors included:
AgraCo Technologies International LLC
Capital Management Enterprises
Delaware River Port Authority
Drexel University
Le Bow College of Business – Drexel University
Global Traveler Magazine
Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce / Select Greater Philadelphia
Greater Philadelphia Tourism & Marketing Committee
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
L.F. Driscoll Co.
Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, LLP
Pennoni Associates Inc.
Right Management Consultants
School District of Philadelphia
Siemens Building Technologies
South Jersey Port Corporation
U.P.S.
Wachovia Bank
Women’s Regional Business Council

Among the guests were: Mark Schweiker, President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; John Matheussen, CEO of the DRPA and President of PATCO; Renee Amoore, President and CEO of The Amoore Group; Mjenzi Traylor, First Deputy Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia; George Tsetsekos, Dean of the LeBow College of Business-Drexel University; Chuck Pennoni, Chairman of Pennoni Associates Inc. and recipient of last year’s World Trade Centers Day Award; Jim Ginty of Right Management Consultants and chairman of the dinner’s honorary committee; members of the consular corps including Oliver Franklin- UK, Teta Banks – Liberia and Alejandro Gallard-Prio – Nicaragua.

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