ANDERSON — Despite statements during his campaign stating he would not encourage international trips, Mayor Kris Ockomon’s staff will travel to Japan and China at the end of October for a business trip.

“Even during the campaign, I modified my view somewhat on the issue global call trips,” Ockomon said.

“I believe that assisting existing business has the best return on investment for economic development. Now that the existing business initiative is in place, I believe the city can benefit from adding very targeted call trips.”

Those scheduled to go on the trip include:

n Linda Dawson, director of Economic Development

n Greg Graham, chairman of the Board of Works and deputy mayor

n Rob Sparks, director of the Corporation for Economic Development

n Ayako Girt, a specialist in Economic Development for the city.

“It’s important for a city to stay competitive with other areas and almost all cities our size in Indiana, and surrounding states do participate in global trips,” Dawson said.

“The reason (is) that most Asian companies place great importance on personal relationships when conducting business, so it is important to nurture and cement those relationships so Anderson will be considered as a potential location to establish business in future years,” she said.

Dawson said the city invited an Anderson business person that has a relationship with some Chinese companies. That person has not confirmed participation in the trip.

The city also invited a representative from the Flagship Enterprise Center and two other local businessmen to attend, but the offer was declined.

Mayor Kris Ockomon will not be traveling with the group, he said, because he had prior commitments.

“It’s always important to send a high-ranking official, and that is why the deputy mayor is going with us,” Dawson said. “There are times when a conflicting schedules make it impossible for the highest ranking member to attend.”

Tammy Bowman, economic specialist for the city and former employee at the Corporation for Economic Development, said that successful partnerships last through politics and the importance is on continuity.

“Best practices of economic development show that the best ongoing call programs happen outside the political arena,” Bowman said in an e-mail. “Successful programs are built and implemented over multiple administrations, often by the private sector.”

Under former mayor Kevin Smith, administration officials went on three foreign trips, including two to Japan and one to China, Dawson said.

“Rob Sparks, as deputy mayor, and Ayako traveled to Japan because Mayor (Kevin) Smith had other commitments. I think all mayors would like to make the trip to put the best foot forward.”

While Dawson would not say which businesses the group would visit, she said the travelers would be going to Shanghai and the Yuhang District in China, as well as Tokyo and smaller cities outside of Tokyo in Japan.

“China and Japan were both chosen because of past relationships with them,” Dawson said. “We feel it’s important to continue those relationships, plus in particular China is the new market for investment and we need to make sure we get in on the ground floor of exposing that market to Anderson, Indiana.”

The city’s travel fund will pay for Dawson, Graham and Girt, as was the practice during the Smith administration, Dawson said.

Sparks and any other business representatives have been asked to pay their own expenses, Dawson said.

“Some cities choose to pursue their global programs through trips sponsored through the state,” she said. “Our research has shown a city gets more one-on-one time with the companies by visiting as a city, county or region. We are representing our county and city plus the state of Indiana, yet we are not competing for exposure by being merely a part of several cities.”

Sparks said the group might reconnect with people who were visited by Muncie representatives E. Roy Budd and Ball State University President Jo Ann Gora in June, as well as business people Sparks met during his trip to Japan in 2007.

“We hope to continue to foster relationships with them,” Sparks said.

Gora visited Ball State alumni while she was in the region. Sparks said Anderson might be able to do the same thing with Anderson University graduates.

“That is a piece of this whole economic development,” he said. “That would be a great area to start to focus. AU may open other doors to us.”

Sparks said the Corporation for Economic Development was considering a trip to Europe next year, although nothing has been finalized. Dawson said the city would like to make more trips in the future.

“If there was unlimited money, we would obviously feel a great need to visit other countries such as Germany, Italy and Korea, and those countries might be on the list in future years,” she said. “But with limited funds, we have to choose the location where we’ll get a bang for the buck.”

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BREAKOUT:

In the past, representatives from the city of Anderson have also traveled to:

• Japan, 2006

• Israel, 2006

• Japan, 2007