During the first of a series of trade missions, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard joined Hangzhou Mayor Cai Qi late last year to sign an agreement to make Hangzhou the newest Sister City and the first one in Mainland China for Indianapolis.

Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS (July 24, 2009) - Mayor Greg Ballard will lead a delegation of business and community leaders to Brazil in search of jobs and technology to benefit the city and help grow its clean energy industry. The delegation will meet with business leaders, government officials, and researchers in São Paulo, Campinas, and Rio de Janeiro from July 27 through July 31.

Brazil was chosen as the destination for Mayor Ballard's second international trade mission because of its leadership in the utilization of alternative energy, particularly biofuels, and energy conservation. Funding for the trip is being provided by private donors.

"These types of fact-finding, relationship-building missions are essential to attracting new jobs and new technology to Indianapolis," said Mayor Ballard. "We will gain critical and applicable knowledge from Brazil's leaders that we can use in structuring a long-term energy plan for the city and foster job growth within our clean energy industry."

The Brazil trip follows a trade mission to China in December 2008, which resulted in a new Sister City agreement with Hangzhou, and the attraction of a Chinese company to the city. Deputy Mayor Nick Weber and President and CEO of Indianapolis Economic Development, Inc., Scott Miller, made a follow-up trip to China in June.

"We need to develop relationships across the globe that will result in new jobs in Indianapolis. We believe there are opportunities to attract Brazilian-based energy companies to Indianapolis, as well as opportunities to learn how existing companies can adopt new technology and create new jobs," said Miller.

On July 27th the delegation will meet with representatives from the US Consulate and city officials in São Paulo followed by a meeting with the Federation of Industries for the State of São Paulo. The evening will conclude with a reception hosted by the Indianapolis delegation. Guests will include the Mayor of São Paulo, Gilberto Kassab, the Mayor of Ribeirão Preto, Dárcy Vera, and local business leaders.

On July 28th the delegation will travel to the city of Campinas to visit the University of Campinas where they will be briefed on the Bioethanol Project of the Interdisciplinary Center for Energy Planning. They will then meet with representatives from CanaVialis, the world's largest private sugarcane breeding company, which is owned by St. Louis-based Monsanto Company. The final meeting of the day will be with Hélio de Oliveira Santos, the Mayor of Campinas, before traveling back to São Paulo.

On July 29th delegates will visit São Paulo's Waste Management Prospects and attend a meeting with members of the Brazilian Sugar Cane Industry Association. They will depart São Paulo on a flight to Rio de Janeiro that afternoon.

On July 30th delegates will meet with Cesar Maia, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, followed by a meeting with officials from the National Bank for Social and Economic Development, which funds many of Brazil's energy and infrastructure projects. They will also meet with representatives from Petrobras, a Brazilian-based energy company, to be briefed on research being conducted at its research facility, the Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research & Development Center. The center is studying renewable energy, and fuel technology, including the Podium gasoline technology, which was elaborated, tested, and approved for Formula 1 racetracks. The day will conclude with a dinner hosted by business leaders and government officials.

On July 31, Mayor Ballard will be interviewed by Grupo Bandeirantes, a large Brazilian media conglomerate, which sent reporters to Indianapolis in May to cover the Indianapolis 500. Delegates will then meet with officials from the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute and Graduate School of Research and Engineering (COPPE) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. COPPE focuses on basic engineering research, graduating highly qualified engineers, as well as generating state-of-the-art concepts in the social, technical, and economic development of Brazil. The final meeting of the trip will be with members of the American Chamber of Commerce of Rio de Janeiro.

Members of the delegation include:

Mayor Greg Ballard
First Lady Winnie Ballard
Carolin Requiz Smith, International Affairs Director, City of Indianapolis Scott Miller, President and CEO, Indianapolis Economic Development, Inc.

Carey Lykins, CEO, Citizens Energy Group Dr. Andrew Hsu, Director, Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy and Associate Dean, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI Fabio Ribeiro, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, School of Chemical Engineering Melissa Proffitt Reese, Partner, Ice Miller Bryce Bennett, Jr., Attorney, Riley Bennett & Egloff, LLP Two Indianapolis security officials will accompany the group.

About IEDI
Indianapolis Economic Development, Inc. is Marion County's local economic development organization. IEDI is dedicated to providing business attraction; existing business retention and expansion; and location services in Indianapolis/Marion County, serving as a catalyst for capital investment and quality job growth. IEDI and the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce operate with a collaborative agreement to leverage resources to better meet the needs of the Indianapolis business community. IEDI is led by CEO Scott Miller and a nine-member board of directors appointed by Mayor Greg Ballard.

Source: City of Indianapolis