Youngstown leaders travel to Israel to explore joint opportunities

YOUNGSTOWN

A group of Youngstown leaders visited five universities and six businesses during a seven-day expedition to Israel in January.

The group included Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel; Youngstown Business Incubator chief operating officer Barb Ewing; Brett Conner, YSU director of Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Initiatives and associate professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; and executive vice president Andy Lipkin and director of Community Relations and Government Affairs Bonnie Deutsch Burdman, both of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation.

They set out to explore opportunities in student internships, faculty exchanges, joint research, industry partnerships and business connections.

Ewing said at a Wednesday news conference the trip that sought out partnerships and future collaboration provided “a unique opportunity to forge long-term relationships overseas.”

A concern that had resonated with group members was that Youngstown had little to offer in return for the partnerships it was seeking in Israel.

But after talking with Israeli officials, that concern was removed.

“What we saw time and time again as we walked out of those meetings is that we are able to go toe-to-toe with the very best Israel has to offer in terms of programs and services we provide to technology-based startups, especially in additive manufacturing,” Ewing said.

Tressel credited his fellow community leaders for the success of the trip.

Read more about it in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.