An NIABT delegation including six MLAs and nine business representatives took part in a week long educational programme during the first week of June this year. The programme started off in Washington DC where Norman Houston, Director at the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, D.C. had arranged two days of intensive meetings and presentations. The first meeting was with David Slack, Vice President, Government Affairs Bombardier and Ashleigh de la Torre, Principal at The Bockorny Group and during the stay in Washington D.C., the group also met with Ambassador David O’Sullivan, Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Congressman Richard Neal and Gerri Fiala: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration, US Department of Labor.
The group then moved on to Baltimore for meetings with members of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Mike Gill, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and Mark Montgomery, President and CEO of Ports America.
The week ended with attendance at the two day New York New Belfast Conference where NIABT members were directly involved with a number of break out sessions on a variety of topics such as Transformational Projects in Cities on the Rise and How can Belfast make itself a must-visit destination for Irish Americans?
NIABT delegation pictured with Barbara Jones, Consul General of Ireland in New YorkNIABT delegation pictured with Norman Houston, Director at the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, D.C.NIABT delegation pictured with Gizachew Andargeh, International Business Manager, Business Development and Strategy Division at the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development, District of Columbia GovernmentNIABT delegation pictured with Ambassador David O’Sullivan, Head of the Delegation of the European UnionNIABT pictured with Sean Heather, Vice President, Center for Global Regulatory Cooperation and Executive Director, International and Antitrust PolicyRobert Harkness and Wilfred Mitchell pictured with Sean Heather, Vice President, Center for Global Regulatory Cooperation and Executive Director, International and Antitrust PolicyChristine Watson and Nicola Bothwell pictured at the Capitol BuildingWilfred Mitchell and John Rooney pictured at the Capitol BuildingMichael Bell pictured at the Capitol BuildingNicola Bothwell and Christine Watson pictured with Chris Crosbie and Stewart Matthews from the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, D.C.NIABT delegation pictured with Congressman Richard NealPhil Flanagan MLA, John McCallister MLA, Robin Swann MLA and Glyn Roberts pictured outside the Capitol BuildingNIABT delegation pictured with Susan Davis, Founder and Chairman of Susan Davis InternationalPhil Flanagan MLA, Colin Neil, Nicola Bothwell, Christine Watson, Robin Swann MLA and John McCallister MLA pictured outside the 9/11 Museum in New YorkPat Ramsey MLA pictured with Andrea Haughian, VP Development Invest NI USAPat Ramsey MLA, Robin Swann MLA and John McCallister MLA pictured with New York New Belfast Conference delegatesPat Ramsey MLA pictured with Ambassador David O’Sullivan, Head of the Delegation of the European UnionChristine Watson and Wilfred Mitchell pictured with James Bond at Living Classrooms, BaltimoreJudith Cochrane MLA chairs a New York New Belfast Conference session on Transformational Projects in Cities on the RiseJohn Rooney, Pat Ramsey MLA, Robin Swann MLA and Dr Joanne Stuart OBE pictured with David Slack, Vice President, Government Affairs Bombardier and Ashleigh de la Torre, Principal at The Bockorny Group