On Sunday, March 12th Consul General Maciej Golubiewski began his five-day visit to Ohio during which he met local governments and discussed investment opportunities with President Trump’s Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee member and Ohio economic development organizations. Joining the Consul General was Sabina Klimek, the head of the Trade and Investment Section of the Consulate.
During the visit, Consul Golubiewski met with government officials, business entities, scholars and local Polish-American communities in Toledo, Akron and Cleveland.
The visit was welcomed by official proclamations from the Ohio Governor, Mr. John Kasich, the Ohio Senate, the Ohio House of Representatives, the Council of the City of Cleveland as well as from the Mayors of Toledo and Cleveland.
The Ohio tour started in the city of Toledo. During his visit, Consul Maciej Golubiewski met with the Mayor of Toledo, Paula Hicks-Hudson, members of the Toledo City Council and representatives of regional economic development bodies. They discussed future cooperation possibilities and the importance of strengthening business and cultural ties between Poland and Northwest Ohio. Following the meeting, Consul Golubiewski visited the Andersons, Inc. Headquarters, a firm that specializes in agribusiness, and the manufacturing Whirlpool plant in Marion.
At Andersons, the discussions included Mr. Fred Yoder from the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association who sits on US President’s Trump Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee. After a meeting with Marion Mayor Scott Schertzer, Consul Golubiewski attended a reception for the Polish business community in Lorain County.
In Akron, Consul Golubiewski attended dinner with the Mayor of Akron, Mr. Daniel Horrigan and the local business community. Next day, he met with the Akron Global Business Accelerator to discuss the investment environment in Poland and possibilities for involving Polish companies in the Accelerator’s “Soft Landing” program. Following the business presentation, the delegation met with the deputy mayor responsible for economic development, chairman of the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, other local officials and representatives of the Polish community. The delegation also had a chance to visit the Nordson and FlavorSeal manufacturing plants in neighboring towns of Amherst and Avon. Consul Golubiewski also visited the Timken Engineered Surface Laboratory and the Gas and Turbine Research and Testing Laboratory at the University of Akron.
Consul Golubiewski concluded his visit to Ohio in Cleveland. After meeting with Polish organizations and local officials, Consul visited the Polish American Cultural Center and Museum where he, on behalf of the President of Poland, awarded Mr. Eugeniusz Bąk, Ms. Alina Czernec and Ms. Anna Nowak with the Siberian Exiles Cross. The next day, Consul Golubiewski met with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and City Council President Kevin Kelley. During his visit, Consul Maciej Golubiewski visited places significant to the Polish-American community such as the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland Cultural Gardens and the Kosciuszko Monument. Following the sightseeing tour, Consul Golubiewski met with Dr. Edward Horowitz and Dr. Greg Sadlek of Polish Studies at Cleveland State University to speak about the future of Polish-American education and Polish programs at U.S. universities.
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Ohio is home to more than 440,000 people of Polish descent, their presence felt most strongly in the Greater Cleveland area, where half of Ohio’s Polish population resides. The city of Cleveland, Ohio has a large Polish community, especially in historic Slavic Village. Poles from this part of Cleveland migrated to the suburbs such as Garfield Heights, Parma and Seven Hills. Parma has even recently been designated a Polish Village commercial district. Farther out, other members of Cleveland’s Polish community live in Brecksville, Independence and Broadview Heights. Many of these Poles return to their Polish roots, by attending masses at St. Stanislaus Church, on East 65th Street and Baxter Avenue. Poles in Cleveland celebrate the annual Harvest Festival, which is usually held at the end of August. It features polka music, Polish food and all things Polish. Cleveland’s other Polish section is in Tremont, located on Cleveland’s west side. The home parishes are St. John Cantius and St. John Kanty. They also host Polish celebratory events in Cleveland.
Consulate General of Poland in New York, 233 Madison Avenue, (Jan Karski Corner), New York, NY 10016
