Chinese Electronics giant visits Gwinnett

By: Delaine Gray

Hisense Corporation USA and Gwinnett Officials Meet to Discuss Further Business Development and Growth

Gwinnett County, Metro Atlanta, Georgia (January 22, 2010) – Gwinnett Chamber officials joined Chinese electronics giant, Hisense Corporation, for a luncheon recently at The 1818 Club to discuss future business development and growth in Gwinnett and the Southeastern United States. The meeting comes on the heels of both organizations’ business trips to the largest electronics exhibit in the world, the Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas every year.

The Gwinnett Chamber’s relationship with Hisense emerged with the recent announcement of Hisense’s expansion of its North American headquarters operation in Gwinnett. The expansion produced $800,000 in capital investment for Gwinnett and the State of Georgia and will create 35-40 new high-wage jobs (average salary of 55K+) for research and development and its call center over the next two to four years.  

Jim Maran, President and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber, said, "Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber work to attract global businesses looking to expand in the US market. Our relationship with Hisense marks a significant step in that process, demonstrating our community’s ability to build global economic development partnerships quickly and efficiently."  

In addition to high-ranking officials from Hisense, the luncheon brought together regional leaders in global business, education and government. Attendees included Hisense Co., Ltd Chairman Zhou Houjian; Gwinnett County Chairman Charles Bannister; Gwinnett Chamber Chairman Bartow Morgan; Gwinnett Chamber Chair-Elect Terri Jondahl; Gwinnett Chamber Vice Chairman Global Business Jay Eun; Gwinnett Chamber President and CEO Jim Maran; Georgia Tech Chair of the School of Electrical & Computer Engineering Dr. May; Georgia Tech Professor and Director of Bioengineering and Digital Signal Processing Guotong Zhou; Asbury Automotive "Fortune 500" CEO Charles Olgesby; WIKA US President Michael Gerster; Georgia Department of Economic Development Stella Xu China Project Manager Global Commerce and Tourism; Georgia Gwinnett College School of Business Professor & Associate Dean Tyler Yu; Hisense Co., Ltd President Madame Yu; Hisense Co., Ltd EVP Lan Lin; Hisense USA CEO Lawrence Li; Hisense, USA Director of Sales and Marketing Steven Cohen; Hisense Co., Ltd Coordinator Chen Caixia; Gwinnett Chamber VP of Membership Vince DeSilva; Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development Project Manager Alison Starnes.  

Commenting on the importance of building a relationship with Gwinnett officials, Hisense Co., Ltd. Chairman Zhou said that “communication helps us to understand each other, which in turn helps us work together to make sure both parties have a ‘win-win’ situation.”  

Nick Masino, Gwinnett Chamber VP of Economic Development & Partnership Gwinnett – currently in China on a business recruitment mission - said, "Hosting international partners such as Hisense has helped build relationships that have benefited Gwinnett tenfold in making connections abroad." 

Masino along with six others from Gwinnett are in China opening up Gwinnett's first international office in Wuxi and presenting to more than 30 companies on the business environment in Gwinnett County, Metro Atlanta.  The Gwinnett delegation can be followed via twitter at #GwChina.  

Gwinnett businesses will embark on a nine-day recruitment mission to China in April of this year, visiting the Global Canton Fair, Shanghai and Hong Kong among other destinations. For information on how you can join the trip, visit www.gwinnettglobal.com. For more information on this release or on the Gwinnett delegation’s mission to Asia, visit www.gwinnetteconomicdevelopment.com. For further information on Hisense or to contact Hisense Corporation USA, visit their Web site at www.hisense-usa.com.  

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