NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA – More than 30 representatives from Louisiana business and industry arrived in Yucatán, Mexico on Wednesday, May 21, 2015 as part of a trade mission led by the Louisiana Committee of 100 and the World Trade Center New Orleans.

Over the course of the three-day summit, delegates will meet with officials from private sector companies and the Governments of the State of Yucatán and Campeche, including Governor, Rolando Zapata Bello; Senator Jorge Luis Lavalle Maury and Senator David Penchyna Grub, Senators of the LXII Legislature of the Mexican Congress representing Campeche; Representatives of the Port of Progreso, as well as the Coordinator of Entrepreneurs for Yucatán and Campeche. The Consul General of Mexico in New Orleans Ramon Gonzalez Jameson is a coordinating figure in this effort to restart the Gulf States Initiative that began in 1992.

"This is the second meeting between Mexican and U.S. States on the Gulf of Mexico to renew a longtime program to extend relations between these regions sharing many synergies from business to cultural,” said Michael Olivier, CEO of the Louisiana Committee of 100 and also Chairman of the World Trade Center International Business Committee. “C100 hosted the inaugural meeting in New Orleans in November to determine if the states wished to renew the program initiated by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in the 1990s"

The agenda includes pre-arranged business matchmaking sessions as well as the signing of two new partnership agreements including an academic exchange agreement between the University of New Orleans and the Universidad del Mayab, S.C. and an international memorandum of understanding between the Arts Council of New Orleans and the Cultura of Yucatan, AC.

An opening reception will take place at the residence of the Consul General of the U.S. in Mérida, hosted by Pan American Life Insurance Group.

“We are excited to lead this mission and see great opportunities for our Louisiana companies in a number of key industries,” said Dominik Knoll, CEO of the World Trade Center New Orleans. “Given the advantages between our two regions such as close proximity, trade routes and historical business and educational relationships we have an opportunity to build on that for the greater benefit of both economies.”

The Louisiana delegation includes representatives from the following companies, governments, and organizations:

• T. Baker Smith
• City of Lafayette, Louisiana
• Lafayette Economic Development Authority
• Louisiana Oil and Gas Association
• Ochsner International
• Pan-American Life Insurance Group
• Port of New Orleans
• Caddo-Bossier Port Commission
• Intermarine, LLC
• Vast Improvements, LLC
• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)
• Louisiana International Bulk, LLC
• Louisiana Tax Free Shopping
• Mayavision, Inc., KGLA-TV42 Telemundo New Orleans, KGLA-1540AM & 105.7FM Tropical New Orleans, KDDK-105.5FM La Nueva Baton Rouge, Telemundo New Orleans
• New Orleans Arts Council
• Gulf Coast Bank
• World Trade Center New Orleans
• Louisiana Committee of 100
• Consulate of Mexico in New Orleans