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Annapolis, MD (June 1, 2005) - Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens today announced that she will sign a formal Friendship Agreement with the Danish-American Business Forum (www.dabf.dk/Default.aspx) in Denmark on June 3, 2005. The Friendship Agreement will be the foundation for future business to business exchange between Anne Arundel County and Denmark. It is a direct result of the economic development mission to Europe led by Ms. Owens last year.
"This agreement will help companies in Anne Arundel County and Denmark to reach each other with innovative technology products," Ms. Owens said. "It is an important continuation of our effort to strengthen international business development in our county."
Anne Arundel County has become a magnet for national and international companies that want to serve the U.S. homeland and national security sector. Denmark, a close ally of the U.S. in the war against terrorism, is working to advance security technology companies through connecting with businesses in Anne Arundel County. The county’s position as a regional powerhouse in the informatics, homeland security, and defense sectors makes it a natural choice for international business development.
Representatives from the Danish-American Business Forum and the Danish Embassy have had numerous meetings and conversations with County Executive Owens since meeting her last year in Copenhagen. They have shown particular interest in Anne Arundel County’s business incubator, the Chesapeake Innovation Center (CIC), which focuses on homeland security and information technology. The CIC has become a portal to the federal marketplace for companies across the U.S. and abroad.
County Executive Owens and Bill Badger, president and CEO of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, will arrive in Copenhagen on June 2. That evening, they will attend an informal dinner in the home of the Executive Director of the Danish-American Business Forum, Suzanne Kurstein. Prominent business and government representatives will be in attendance.
On June 3, Princess Alexandra of Denmark will preside over the signing of the Friendship Agreement before select business leaders and government officials. The ceremony will be followed by a luncheon at the residence of Sally Light, the Acting U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Ms. Owens returns to Maryland June 4.
The Danish-American Business Forum serves as a high level platform for facilitating the exchange of information and personal contacts among Danish and US companies, politicians, and international business executives. The forum promotes commercial relations between Denmark and the United States.
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