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Contact: Alan Fogg, afogg@fceda.org,
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Fairfax County EDA hosts 28-company United Kingdom business delegation

Northern Ireland Economy Minister, Essex and Kent officials highlight event

Fairfax County , Virginia, June 27, 2007—The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority tonight hosted a business networking reception for a delegation of 28 companies and organizations from the United Kingdom. Visitors from Northern Ireland and from Essex and Kent counties near London met with U.S. companies and business leaders at the event. Northern Ireland Economy Minister Nigel Dodds, on his first visit to the United States since a new government took office in May, spoke at the event, as did Ian McAllister, chairman of Network Rail in Britain and a leader of the Kent and Essex delegation.

The networking event was organized by Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, in conjunction with trade missions organized by Invest Northern Ireland and the Kent and Essex County Councils. It provided an opportunity for the companies to meet potential trading partners from across Fairfax County. A wide range of companies from Fairfax, Northern Ireland and England attended the event, including commercial IT, financial, software, communications and technology management service providers.

“ Fairfax County is an obvious location for companies from Northern Ireland, Kent and Essex to locate for U.S. operations,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA. “This event will advance the connections between them and Fairfax County and our business communities.”

Joint organizers of the Trade Force Trade Mission, Alex King MBE, Deputy Leader, Kent County Council and Stephen Castle, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and the 2012 Games, said: “This is an enormous opportunity for us to strengthen the already powerful transatlantic links in business, trade, and culture and it is particularly fitting that this reception is hosted by FCEDA who continue to set the standard in Fairfax County for an innovative and highly successful approach to economic development and inward investment."

Business growth helps Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C., fund public services such as a top-ranked public school system and library, public safety, social services and park systems that improve the quality of life. Fairfax County offers a well-educated workforce, diverse real estate options, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, and a business community based on technology and professional services. The home of business innovation, Fairfax County will host the 2007 National Conference on the Creative Economy (www.creativeeconomies.org) on October 24-25.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org) promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA maintains marketing offices in Silicon Valley, Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, Seoul and Tel Aviv.

Sixteen companies and organizations from Kent and Essex are taking part in the Trade Force mission. The companies are:

• Advanced Media Associates
• Azura Group Ltd
• Connect Success
• Emergency Solutions Ltd
• Griffiths Legal Ltd
• HSBC Bank Plc
• Kent Messenger Group
• International Communications Ltd
• Multiparty Talk Ltd
• Penshurst Place & Gardens
• Perseus Consulting
• Ready Solutions Ltd
• Shergroup
• Stevenson Brothers
• University of Essex
• University of Kent

Twelve companies and organizations from Northern Ireland are taking part in the Invest NI trade mission. The companies are:

• Consilium Technologies
• Cooneen Textiles
• Data Solution Technology
• ECIT, Queen’s University Belfast
• EG Information Consulting
• Hawk Protection
• Meridio
• Minority Report NI
• No Mean City
• Sensor Technology and Devices
• Silvertongue Software
• Ulster Journals

A press release about the Northern Ireland trade mission is on the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment Web site at www.detini.gov.uk/cgi-bin/morenews?utilid=1060.

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