Powell, Gutierrez Announce Participants for Gulf Coast Business Investment Mission

Release Date: 04/19/06 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: DJ Nordquist or Susan Aspey/OFCGCR 202-572-8890
Christine Gunderson or Dan Nelson/DOC 202-482-4883
April 19, 2006

Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Donald Powell and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced the 32 participating companies for the “Gulf Coast Business Investment Mission” on May 4-5, 2006.

The mission is part of the Bush Administration’s broad efforts to rebuild the region by attracting business investment and urging companies to consider the commercial opportunities in the region. The participants represent a diverse mix of industries, small businesses, minority-owned enterprises, women-owned businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Mission participants will have an opportunity to meet with local, state and federal officials in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, La., and Biloxi, Miss., to explore commercial opportunities in the Gulf region.

“Attracting private sector businesses to invest in the Gulf Coast is critical to rebuilding the region and the economy – government can help set the right conditions for growth, but the business community will ensure that the rebuilding effort can be sustained long-term – and that’s why we’re doing this trade mission,” Chairman Powell said. “An investment in the Gulf Coast is a good business opportunity and will also help provide the good people in the region new jobs so that they can move forward with the business of rebuilding their lives.”

“I am very pleased that businesses around the country responded to the Bush Administration’s invitation to participate in the rebuilding of the Gulf Region’s economy. These businesses will see first hand that the Gulf Region is one of the most attractive emerging markets in the world,” Secretary Gutierrez said. “Businesses should consider investing in the region now because they will have an opportunity to expand their sales while helping families and businesses devastated by last year’s hurricanes. Commercial investment in the region will give the local economies a much needed economic boost that will help create jobs and give local workers new opportunities to earn money to spend locally.”

A complete list of participants follows at the end of this release.

During the investment mission, participants will learn about incentives that are available through President Bush’s Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, which created a Gulf Opportunity Zone with tax relief for businesses and entrepreneurs in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Businesses that want to participate in the Gulf Region rebuilding efforts and are interested in exploring business opportunities can contact the Department of Commerce Hurricane Contracting Information Center (HCIC). Information on HCIC is available at www.rebuildingthegulfcoast.gov or by calling 1-888-4USADOC.

###

Gulf Coast Business Investment Mission

May 4-5, 2006

• AB Moten Corporation (Real Estate Development)
  Mr. Joseph Smith, Jr., Chief Executive Officer

• Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (Petro-Chemical)
  Mr. Mark L. Bye, Vice President, Gases and Equipment Group

• AmericanTours International, LLC  (Travel and Tourism)
  Ms. Noel Irwin Hentschel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

• Barrister Global Services Network, Inc. (Information Communications Technology)
  Ms. Debra Bowers, President and Chief Operating Officer

• Caterpillar Logistic Services, Inc. (Supply Chain Management)
  Ms. Mary H. Bell, Chairman and President and Vice President, Caterpillar Inc.

• Citigroup (Investmemt Banking/Finance)
  Mr. Bruce Halle, Executive Vice President

• Crown Equipment Corporation (Manufacturing)
  Mr. Mark Manuel, Vice President, Development

• D.R. Horton, Inc. (Building and Construction)
  Mr. Gordon D. Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Central U.S. Operations

• E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc. (Petro-Chemical)
  Mr. John H. Little, Engineering Director, DuPont Capital Assets

• E2M Partners, LLC (Real Estate Investment)
  Mr. William S. Buchanan, Principal

• Golden Bay Investment, Ltd (Real Estate Development)
  Mr. Henry Le, General Partner

• Goldman Sachs & Co. (Investment Banking/Finance)
  Ms. Renee Beaumont, Vice President, Infrastructure Investing Group

• GVC Networks, LLC (Information Communications Technology)
  Ms. Tedra Butler Dudley, Co-Founder and Vice-Chair

• Johnson Controls, Inc. (Manufacturing)
  Mr. Eric A. Reisner, Vice President, Strategic Programs

• KB Home (Home Builder)
  Mr. Steve Davis, President, Gulf Coast Region

• Marriott International Inc. (Travel and Tourism)
  Mr. Don Semmler, Executive Vice President, Central Region

• NRG Energy, Inc. (Energy)
  Mr. John P. Brewster, Executive Vice President, International Operations, President, South Central Region

• Owen Steel Company Inc. (Manufacturing)
  Ms. Tania Murciano, Chief Executive Officer

• Pritzker Realty Group (Real Estate Investment)
  Mr. John Kevin Poorman, Executive Vice President

• Rayburn & Associates, LLC (Home Builder)
  Mr. Bobby Rayburn, President and Chief Executive Officer

• Reve Inc. (Home Builder)
  Mr. Randy Noel, President

• Seaboard Marine, Ltd. (Transportation)
  Mr. Jose Perez-Jones, Vice President

• Shan Industries, LLC (Manufacturing)
  Ms. Sheri L. Orlowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

• Shell Energy Resources Company (Energy)
  Mr. Frank Glaviano, Vice President Production Americas

• Taubman Centers, Inc. (Real Estate Development)
  Mr. Steve Kieras, Senior Vice President, Development

• The Dow Chemical Company (Petro-Chemical)
  Mr. Gary R. Veurink, Corporate Vice President Manufacturing and Engineering

• The Home Depot, Inc. (Retail)
  Mr. Paul Raines, President, Southern Division

• Trammell Crow Residential (Real Estate Development)
  Mr. Christopher J. Bergmann, Senior Managing Director

• Waitex International Co., Ltd. (Supply Chain Management)
  Mr. Howard H. Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Retail)
  Mr. Robert Stoker, Director, Real Estate

• Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (Travel and Tourism)
  Mr. Regynald Washington, Vice President, Food and Beverage

• WRB Real Estate Group, LLC (Real Estate Development)
  Mr. Marc J. Stern, Chief Executive Officer

###

The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding coordinates the long-term Federal rebuilding efforts by working with state and local officials to focus on a set of prioritized, integrated and long-term initiatives to rebuild the region such as restoring long-term safety and security, renewing economic activity, and revitalizing communities. www.dhs.gov/officeforgulfcoastrebuilding.

This page was last modified on 04/19/06 00:00:00