WEST CHESTER _ A delegation of 25 business people from the Chongqing region of China and from Beijing, will be visiting Chester County for three days beginning Monday, October 28 as part of a Sino-American Regional Business and Culture Exchange.

 

            The Chester County Commissioners, together with the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry are hosting the Summit. Chester County-based ABD International and the Main Line Chinese Culture Center (MLCCC) initiated the connection between Chester County and Chongqing and other regions in China.

 

            Business and Industry is the theme of the first day of the visit, and begins with a welcome by Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell at the Economic Development Council.  A representative from the Chinese delegation will also speak. Mike Grigalonis, Chief Operating Officer of the Economic Development Council will give an overview of council operations before lunch. The delegation will visit QVC before touring West Chester. QVC recently launched a channel in China.

 

            Education and manufacturing will be the subjects of Tuesday’s events. Westtown School and West Chester University will be visited in the morning and the includes presentations on the LifeScience Industry by the Pennsylvania Biotech Association, business in the Southern Pennsylvania Region by Jeannie Nevelos of Select Greater Philadelphia, and international business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by David Briel of the State Office of International Business Development.

 

            Agriculture and tourism are the subjects of the final day of the tour. A visit to Pietro Mushrooms and the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center will be followed by lunch, hosted by Lincoln University, and overview of the agriculture industry.  The delegation will then tour Longwood Gardens.  The three-day summit culminates in the Chester County International Business Council dinner at Longwood Gardens, where the Chinese delegates will have the opportunity to network with business leaders from across Chester County. 

 

The Chester County Economic Development Council is a private, non-profit economic development organization promoting smart growth in Chester County and the surrounding region for over 50 years. The CCEDC provides proven financing solutions, cultivates workforce talent, leverages business partnerships, and fosters entrepreneurial collaboration. Together, with the support of the private and public sectors, CCEDC initiates, implements and innovates programs that improve the business community and enhance the quality of life in Chester County. For more information, visit our website, www.cceconomicdevelopment.com.

 

Chester County is the first county in Pennsylvania to initiate a strategic planning process and has a Aaa rating on its bonds from Moody’s Investors Service as well as AAA ratings from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.  Established by William Penn as one of Pennsylvania’s three original counties, Chester County has been named by Forbes.com as one of America’s best places to raise a family and is ranked the healthiest county in Pennsylvania by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.