09 LC
94 0137
House
Resolution 211
By:
Representative Stephens of the
164th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending Mr. Eric Alexander de Groot; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Mr. Eric Alexander de Groot is a multilingual consultant on international
cross-cultural affairs and published author from the Netherlands;
and
WHEREAS,
over the past 25 years, Mr. De Groot has traveled between Atlanta, Georgia, and
the Netherlands, promoting the City of Atlanta and the State of Georgia and
inviting executives of multinational corporations and private investors to
Georgia, which has resulted in an increase in jobs and economic growth;
and
WHEREAS,
the Netherlands plays an important role in Georgia's economy; more than 70 Dutch
companies within 300 operating facilities have invested over $2.5 billion in
this state; and
WHEREAS,
founder of the Holland America Chamber, Mr. De Groot coordinated a 2007 trade
mission to the Netherlands in conjunction with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce, visiting the heads of multinational organizations, thereby promoting
and stimulating the economy of Metro Atlanta and the State of Georgia;
and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot has fifteen years of experience exporting American goods and
importing European products, serving department stores such as Saks Fifth
Avenue, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, and hundreds of other clients,
including The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, The Weather Channel, BellSouth,
and others; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot specializes in American and European affairs, conducting seminars
on international business and the understanding of foreign cultures;
and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot presented
A European Perspective
of the Current State of Global Affairs to
the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice and is working
on a workshop entitled
The Georgia Global
Awareness Tour to inform and educate
Georgia businesses on efficient international exportation of goods;
and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot is the coauthor of the article, "Go the Distance — The Hole
in the Berlin Wall," in the book,
Irresistible
Leadership, and his articles on motivation
and global cultures have been published in several magazines; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot is an active member of the National Speakers Association, the
International Professional Expert Group, and the International Federation for
Professional Speakers; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. De Groot is passionate about connecting cultures worldwide and has been
actively involved in a number of revitalization projects, notably the
revitalization of Downtown Atlanta by creating a multimillion dollar plan known
as The Atlanta International Cultural Business Center; and
WHEREAS,
he hopes to develop a Mini America Park in the State of Georgia, based on other
miniature parks around the world, specifically the Madurodam theme park facility
near The Hague in the Netherlands; and
WHEREAS,
active in his community, Mr. De Groot has served on numerous boards, including
Keep America Beautiful, the Atlanta Association of Interpreters and Translators,
The National Speakers Association of Georgia, Leadership Sandy Springs, the
World Chamber of Commerce, and serving as Vice Chair on the Advisory Committee
on International Relations for the City of Atlanta; and
WHEREAS,
in addition to establishing Atlanta as his home in 1982, Mr. De Groot was
honored and proud to become an American citizen in 2006; and
WHEREAS,
the State of Georgia must support a comprehensive economic development plan in
order to position the state in the forefront of cultural, political, and
economic developments in the global arena.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body commend Mr. Eric Alexander de Groot on his contributions on behalf of
industry, trade, and tourism and recognize him as an international liaison to
the State of Georgia.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Mr. Eric Alexander de Groot.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Mr. Eric Alexander de Groot.