County Opens Satellite Economic Development Office in Europe Through Partnership with State

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Contact: Kristina Ellis, 240-777-2024
Sheila Khatri, 240-777-2020

For Immediate Release: July 19, 2000

County Opens Satellite Economic
Development Office in Europe
Through Partnership with State

The Montgomery County Department of Economic Development (DED) now has a representative located in Europe to help promote the County as an ideal location for foreign investments and expansion by international technology companies.

Montgomery County's designated representative, Monique Pelle, works out of the State's Maryland Business Center Europe (MBCE), located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A team of international trade professionals staffs the MBCE with executive leadership provided by Gary Kunkle, the former Director of International Development for KPMG-Peat Marwick. The State established a network of satellite offices around the world in an effort to help Maryland companies take advantage of opportunities in foreign markets.

Pelle has several years of international business development experience and is fluent in six languages. Her efforts will focus on European technology centers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Switzerland, among others. Her presence in Europe will help foster relationships with technology companies looking to locate to or expand in Montgomery County.

"I'm very pleased that we now have an international presence to promote the many advantages of doing business with and in Montgomery County," said County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "The recent move of German-based QIAGEN Sciences, Inc. to Germantown and the expansion of U.K.-based Shire Laboratories in Rockville demonstrate the County's ability to attract major technology players, and we look forward to continued growth and expansion within the County by other leading technology companies."

The efforts of the MBCE have facilitated recent site visits within Montgomery County by two international companies, one from Germany and one from France. Montgomery County also plans to attend the upcoming BioEurope 2000 this November in London with the MBCE in an effort to foster additional international business visits to the County.

"I am excited that Montgomery County is coordinating with DBED to bring Europe's best technology businesses to the County," said Richard C. Mike Lewin, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. "More than 500 European firms already have operations in Maryland, many in Montgomery County, and through this joint initiative we can further expand the very positive impact European investment has in Maryland."

The Department's international mission is to attract foreign direct investments to Montgomery County, and assist Montgomery County companies in increasing exports. To achieve this, the County participates in international trade shows to market the region to companies and foster strategic alliances, hosts foreign delegations, and facilitates business-to-business meetings with international visitors, sponsors international trade seminars, provides small training grants, and partners with and helps promote programs of the Maryland Office of International Business and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Foreign companies seeking to locate abroad tend to be in industries with good paying jobs and high growth potential," said Sheila Khatri, International Business Specialist with DED. "In working to aggressively attract subsidiaries of foreign-owned firms to the County, we help make our economy more competitive in national and world markets, more attractive for new investments, and more stable in times of economic uncertainty."

The Montgomery County Department of Economic Development helps existing and new businesses grow within the County through a variety of programs and assistance. If you are thinking of starting or expanding your business, please call 240-777-2000 to learn more about the advantages of doing business in Montgomery County, Maryland.

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