GRANHOLM - Blogging from the Middle East

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Blogging from the Middle East - Day 1

Greetings from the Middle East

Talking with Perrigo Executive VP and President of Perrigo Israel Rafi Lebel

Shalom from Israel. I write to you from the Middle East where I am on my seventh overseas jobs and investment mission - part of my strategy to go anywhere, do anything to diversify our economy and bring jobs home to Michigan.

After just barely catching our plane, we embarked on a 10-hour flight to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. We were greeted in Tel Aviv by many friendly faces and lots of sunshine! (Sorry for those of you who may be seeing the first snow of the season.) Once we settled into our hotel, I worked off my jet lag with a jog along the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea - a beautiful day for a run. Saturdays are reserved for the Sabbath, which is the weekly day of rest and worship in the Jewish community, so many businesses were closed. There were families enjoying time together on the beach - children flying brightly colored kites, men playing paddleball in the sand, and boardwalk cafes filled with patrons taking in the sunny November afternoon. At the end of my jog, I stuck my feet in the water and really took it all in - the sights, the people, the skyline, and the sea. Last night, our team enjoyed a welcome dinner at Deca, a restaurant in Tel Aviv. The food was delicious: fish falafel, cucumber salad with yogurt dressing, grilled salmon; and the sweet melon crepes for dessert really hit the spot! With a long, tiring journey behind us, we were refreshed and ready to pitch our Michigan story.

Test driving the battery-electric Better Place vehicle

This morning, we were up early for a business breakfast with the Deloitte partners of Israel. They provided a briefing on the possibilities of Israeli alternative energy and homeland security opportunities that Michigan may be able to hone in on. Then we were off to the headquarters of Perrigo Israel for a meeting with Rafi Lebel, Perrigo's executive vice-president who is also president of Perrigo Israel, and his team. Perrigo is a health sciences company that already has a strong presence in West Michigan. They announced a $25 million expansion last summer that was supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Rafi said they are at capacity in West Michigan and are looking to possibly expand again. We thanked the company for their continued commitment to Michigan and also encouraged their future growth in the Great Lakes State. We have the infrastructure and beautiful lab space already in place, and I let Rafi know that we are ready to help them grow their business and grow new jobs right now. Michigan and Perrigo already have a great working relationship, but this trip is all about continuing to build on our link with business in Israel and attracting new jobs and growth in the future.

Shai Agassi showing me the battery in the Better Place vehicle

Our next meeting was with Shai Agassi, a brilliant entrepreneur and CEO of Better Place, a company that is working fervently to electrify the car. In January 2008, the Israeli government announced its support for a broad effort to promote the use of electric cars, embracing a joint venture with Better Place. Shai is also building the stations in Israel where batteries for cars can be recharged and is expanding this effort in countries around the world. We want to reduce our state's and our nation's dependence on foreign oil, and the advanced battery has the potential to do just that. We talked about future partnerships that might be viable for Michigan, and in Michigan, we know that new energy means new jobs. Later in the afternoon, we met with Inspire Invest, a venture capital firm in Tel Aviv, and this evening, I spoke at an automotive seminar and reception hosted by the Michigan Israel Business Bridge and the Israel Export Institute where I discussed business and research opportunities with CEOs of companies and suppliers that are looking to grow and expand.

Overall, it was a busy day full of promise and prospective jobs for Michigan. Stay tuned for more news on our meetings and travels tomorrow as we head to Jerusalem to continue telling Michigan's story.