WASHINGTON — As President Obama announced his historic trip to Cuba next month, dozens of officials from Maryland, Virginia and the District prepared to travel to the island this weekend.
More than 40 local officials, including business and political leaders, will be there.
“We are there in a very preliminary, exploratory way to create relationships,” said Roger Berliner, vice president of the Montgomery County Council and chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones will be part of the regional delegation.
“This mission is a great opportunity to build relationships that will be the foundation for economic development, tourism and trade opportunities for the region,” Jones said in a statement.
The trip was organized by the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which says the delegation will “lay the groundwork for future relationships and potential economic and cultural opportunities in Cuba.”
Members will meet with Cuban government officials, including Havana Mayor Marta Hernández Romero, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz. They will also speak with U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis about U.S. diplomacy in Cuba and economic opportunities for regional businesses in Havana.
“We’re going to be looking at education, as well as tourism and health care,” said Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro, a member of the delegation.
The trip is scheduled to last from Saturday through Thursday,
Government officials for the regional delegation include:
- Muriel Bowser, Mayor (DC)
- Maurice Jones, secretary of commerce and trade (VA)
- Ike Leggett, county executive of Montgomery County (MD)
- Jack Evans, Ward 2 councilmember (DC)
- Vincent Orange, at-large councilmember (DC)
- Nancy Navarro, councilmember of Montgomery County (MD)
- Roger Berliner, vice president of the Montgomery County Council (MD)
- John Falcicchio, chief of staff to Mayor Bowser (DC)
- Brian Kenner, deputy mayor for planning and economic development (DC)
- Beverly Perry, senior adviser (DC)
- Kaya Henderson, DC public schools chancellor (DC)
- Ana Harvey, director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DC)
- Bruce Adams, director of the Office of Community Partnerships (MD)
- Claudia Canales, administrative assistant to County Executive Ike Leggett (MD)
- Schannette Grant, chief of staff to Jack Evans (DC)
Additional members of the regional delegation from the private and nonprofit sectors are:
- Angela Franco, president & CEO, GWHCC
- Jim Dinegar, president and CEO, Greater Washington
- Daniel Waetjan, chairman of Greater Washington Board of Trade
- Barron Harvey, dean of Howard University’s School of Business
- Robert Sweeney, American University’s assistant to the dean of business
- Richard “Chip” Davis, president of Sibley Hospital
- Pedro Alfonso, chairman and CEO of Dynamic Concepts, Inc.
- Scottie Irving, president and founder of Blue Skye Construction
- Corey Arnez Griffin, CEO of Global Government and Industry Partners
- Margarita Dilone, president of Crystal Insurance Group
- Syddia Lee Chee, chairwoman of GWHCC International Initiative
- David Slaughter, president of M Luis Construction
- Natalia Luis, COO and founder of M Luis Construction
- Cidalia Luis-Akbar, CEO and founder of M Luis Construction
- Jon R. Meyers, Managing Partner of The Meyers Group, LLC
- Karen M. Meyers, senior partner of The Meyers Group, LLC
- Carlos Perdomo, president of Keystone Plus Construction
- Margaret Pulles, CEO of PuMa Communications & VamosGlobal
- Ashanthi Kiridena, president of Health 2 IT Business Solutions
- Dasarath Kiridena, vice president of Health 2 IT Business Solutions
- Jordan Valdes, vice president of Podesta Group
- Edwin Villegas, president & CEO of Winmar Construction
- Marc Weller, President of Sagamore Development Company
- Trevor Williams, CPA at Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman
- Alfredo Casta, president & CEO of Cascades Technologies/ GWHCC Chairman
- Chuck Bean, executive director of Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Nicole Quiroga, station manager of Telemundo Washington, D.C.
District and regional reporters are also scheduled to attend the mission.
