Four-day trip to Israel will build upon economic relationship,
strengthen ties from Governor Murphy’s 2018 trip

Newark, NJ – Choose New Jersey will return to Israel to lead a four-day economic mission trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem from February 10 to February 13. The delegation will build upon the progress from Governor Murphy’s October 2018 trip and look to strengthen existing economic ties, cultivate further investment opportunities in New Jersey, and deepen connections between New Jersey and Israel.

“Choose New Jersey is looking forward to returning to Israel with an academic and business delegation to attract more businesses to our State and forge new collaborations,” said Jose Lozano, President & CEO of Choose New Jersey. “New Jersey is the ideal location for international businesses to plant their flag and we welcome innovative Israeli companies that are looking to grow in the United States.”

The trip includes key meetings with government and industry leaders, including representatives from cybersecurity, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles), technology, life sciences and health care industries. The Choose New Jersey delegation will also host an event with the Israeli Chamber of Commerce and meet with a number of companies interested in investing in New Jersey.

Throughout the trip, the delegation members will tout New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem, showcase partnership opportunities with the State’s world-class universities and highlight why New Jersey is the best place for Israeli companies to live, work, and do business.

Home to the fourth largest Israel-born population and the fourth largest population of Israeli ancestry in the United States, New Jersey has a longstanding cultural relationship to Israel. The State of New Jersey demonstrated its commitment to Israel with the formation of the New Jersey-Israel Commission in 1989. The Commission works to promote cultural and educational exchanges and to encourage capital investment and joint business ventures. Choose New Jersey worked in close partnership with the New Jersey-Israel Commission to plan the mission to Israel.

Choose New Jersey President & CEO Jose Lozano will lead a delegation which includes:

• Cathy Scangarella, Chief Business Development Officer, Choose New Jersey
• Mariel Meskunas, Chief of Staff, Choose New Jersey
• Sho Islam, Business Development Officer, Choose New Jersey
• Nicole Mahon, Event Manager, Choose New Jersey
• Andrew Gross, Executive Director, New Jersey-Israel Commission, State of New Jersey
• Jared Maples, Director, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, State of New Jersey
• James Blazar, Chief Strategy Officer, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Diane Reynolds, Partner, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP
• Christopher Paladino, President, New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO)
• Gurdeep Kaur, Chief Information Security Officer, Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)
• Donald Sebastian, Senior Vice President of Technology & Business Development, NJIT; President, New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII)
• Coleen Burrus, Director, Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations, Princeton University
• Beena Sukumaran, Ph.D., Vice President for Research, Rowan University
• Steven Weinstein, Esq., Executive Vice President for Policy and External Relationships/Partnerships, Rowan University
• David Kimball, Senior Vice President, Research & Economic Development, Rutgers University

Choose New Jersey and the delegation will be posting on social media during the trip using the hashtag #NJIsraelMission. You can follow their activities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Choose New Jersey

Choose New Jersey is a privately funded 501 (c)(3) economic development organization with a mission to stimulate job creation and attract capital investment to New Jersey. Choose New Jersey markets New Jersey both domestically and internationally as the best place to grow a business in the United States. Knowledgeable, experienced staff, supported by a network of State agencies and private partners, provide free, confidential assistance to guide companies in establishing operations in New Jersey. By harnessing the power of business, labor, academic and government leaders, Choose New Jersey enables growth across all sectors of the State’s economy, aspiring to build a stronger and more prosperous New Jersey for all. To learn more, visit www.choosenj.com.