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Atlantic alliance signs MOU with Georgian group

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Atlantic alliance signs MOU with Georgian group
Canadian Provinces Alliance conference was the site of a signing of MOU between the Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defence Associations and the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Industry Committee.


July 28, 2009  By Administrator

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Front row:Gary Cox, Chairman AIC & Director of Operations for NavCom Defense Electronics, GA; Howard Nash, Co-Chair AAADA & President of Northstar Network, NL, CA.
Back row from left to right:Premier Shawn Graham, NB, Governor Sonny Perdue, GA, Brian Oak, Consul General of Canada, Atlanta, GA, Premier Danny Williams, NL, Premier Darrell Dexter, NS, Minister Allan Campbell, P.E.I.


 

July 27, 2009, St John's, N&L  The Southeastern United States – Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS//CP) conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, was the site of a signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defence Associations (AAADA) and the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Industry Committee (AIC).

The MOU promotes each association’s membership and is intended to lead to economic development opportunities in each country for companies involved in the aerospace, defense, security and space-related sectors.

“This agreement represents the first step in facilitating Atlantic Canada’s aerospace and defence companies to team with companies in Atlanta, Georgia and seek mutually beneficial opportunities on both sides of the border,” said Howard Nash, president, Northstar Network Ltd and Co-Chair of the AAADA. “In anticipation of this signing there have been discussions between companies in both regions and we are very hopeful of an early success story.”

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“Canada is so important to the economy and security of the United States,” said Gary Cox, Director of Operations, NavCom Defence Systems and Chair of the AIC. “We believe this agreement will strengthen the relationship between Canadian and Georgian companies while enhancing our capabilities and opportunities in the aerospace and defence industry.”

The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center and the AIC have been sponsoring a Requirements Symposium in Warner Robins, Georgia for the last six years to assist companies learn more details on upcoming procurement opportunities at Robins Air Force base.

In 2007 the Consulate General of Canada’s office in Georgia decided to get involved to assist Canadian companies learn more about this event and facilitate their attendance. Their hard work proved worth it when twenty Canadian companies sent representatives to the symposium last year.

Following this event the AIC invited Mr. Nash to speak at one of their luncheons about Aerospace and Defence opportunities in Canada and how companies from Canada and the United States could team in bidding contracts. This also was a success and has led to today’s signing of a MOU outlining an eight-step process to facilitate business between companies in the two jurisdictions.

“The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased that aerospace and defence industry associations and business leaders from Atlantic Canada and the State of Georgia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining initiatives focused on growing the industry,” said the Honourable Danny Williams, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and co-host of the second annual SEUS//CP conference. “As a government, we recognize the valuable contribution of the local aerospace and defence cluster to the province’s economy and are confident the MOU will result in the sector’s continued progression. This MOU represents the possibilities of what can happen when businesses and organizations from various jurisdictions come together in forums such as the SEUS//CP conference in St. John’s.”

“This agreement is a shining success for the Southeastern U.S. – Canadian Provinces Alliance, which was founded with the express purpose of enabling industries and communities to forge lasting and effective business partnerships,” said Sonny Perdue, Governor of Georgia. “We have made the aerospace sector, which holds tremendous growth potential for our state, one of Georgia’s strategic industries and a focus of our economic development strategy.” The Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defence Associations (AAADA) is an alliance of aerospace and defence associations in Atlantic Canada composed of members from associations in New Brunswick (NBADA), Nova Scotia (ADIANS), Newfoundland and Labrador (ADIANL) and Prince Edward Island (APEI).

The AAADA is a regional organization focused on representing, promoting and growing the aerospace, defence and homeland security sectors, and building national and international partnerships to support its companies to be leaders in innovation and productivity. The AAADA represents some 280 companies in the region employing more than 10,000 skilled workers (Website: www.aaada.ca). Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Industry Committee (AIC) was formed for the purpose of preserving, advancing and enhancing the community of aerospace and defense industries in the Warner Robins area and specifically for the advancement of their collective interests. The committee is made up of approximately 200 managers of aerospace and defense contractors in the Warner Robins, Middle Georgia area.

The Southeastern United States – Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS//CP) is a strategic trade and investment-focused partnership between six southeastern U.S. states (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama) and seven Canadian provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba).

The Alliance was established in Montreal in November 2007 to formally advance a common interest in enhancing economic ties between the two regions. Delegations from each jurisdiction of the Alliance convene annually for a business-to-business conference, alternating between host sites in the two countries. Delegations, led by State Governors, Provincial Premiers or their designees, comprise business and industry leaders from a wide array of business sectors (Website: http://www.seuscp.org).

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