The formation of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the US

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The Prime Minister of Poland and the U.S. Ambassador to Poland announce the formation of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the United States 

Chamber will help facilitate growth in bi-lateral trade between Poland and the United States

UNITED STATES – APRIL 4, 2018 - The Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, and the United States Ambassador to Poland, Paul Jones, today announced the formation of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the United States, an organization dedicated to promoting and strengthening the business and economic ties between Poland and the U.S. The Chamber, based in Washington, D.C., will seek to facilitate trade and investment between American companies and the private and public sectors in Poland, and will serve as a partner to U.S. enterprises launching or expanding in Polish markets. The Chamber will actively work with the Polish government and various U.S. and Polish trade organizations to provide cohesive and coordinated support to U.S. industry.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Head of the Polish Government, stated, “One of Poland’s priorities is to expand its economic cooperation with the United States and to accelerate bilateral trade flows. Deeper commercial ties will not only enhance our historically strong strategic relationship, but also will engender collaboration, innovation, and dialogue that will greatly benefit both economies. I am very pleased that Christopher Jamroz, a Polish-born business executive based in the United States, will serve as Chairman of the Chamber. We look forward to working with Christopher and the Chamber to continue promoting Poland and our economy in the United States.”

The Chamber will seek to build on what is already a robust bilateral trade relationship between Poland and the U.S. The total amount of trade between the countries has doubled since 2010 and Poland is now one of the U.S.’s largest commercial partners in Central Europe. Poland is a growing export market for American manufactured goods including automobiles, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, agriculture, aerospace and defense, and numerous other products and services. Notably, the Polish government recently announced a series of multi-billion dollar projects with American aerospace and defense contractors that will help to modernize the Polish military and maintain Poland’s defense spending in excess of its NATO commitment of 2% of GDP. 

Paul Jones, the United States Ambassador to Poland, remarked, “I am very glad to participate in this announcement of an important initiative in Polish-American relations. We are excited about the founding of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the United States and look forward to it playing a meaningful role in expanding bilateral trade and investment.”

The Chamber will work to promote Poland’s economic success and to advance its reputation as a strong and compelling destination for American businesses seeking a presence in the heart of Europe. As affirmed by major investments from numerous American enterprises over the past few decades, Poland’s economy is extremely attractive for multiple reasons:

▪ Largest economy in Central & Eastern Europe and one of the 25 largest economies in the world;

▪ Membership in the EU, NATO, OECD and WTO with international legal and business standards;

▪ Healthy public finances with a stable and attractive currency for trade;

▪ Centrally located with 200 million EU citizens living within ~600 miles;

▪ Favorable demographic trends with a large, well-educated and Western-oriented population;

▪ Economy driven by manufacturing and services with no major reliance on commodities;

▪ Strong and entrepreneurial private sector that drives 80% of economic growth.

Due in part to these very favorable dynamics, Poland has averaged 7% annual GDP growth since its transition to a free market in 1991. Moreover, it is among the only economies in the world to achieve the remarkable feat of posting uninterrupted positive GDP growth every year over the past quarter century. During that time, the economy multiplied in size and the average income in Poland increased six-fold. Since the financial crisis, Poland has achieved the highest rate of per-capita growth of any EU nation. Today, Poland’s 40 million citizens represent a large and growing consumer market with a great affinity for American culture, brands and products. 

Christopher Jamroz will serve as Chairman of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the United States. Mr. Jamroz is currently the Executive Chairman of St. George Logistics, one of North America’s largest logistics companies focused on the import/export supply chain. 

“I am honored to help lead this important initiative in Polish-American relations,” said Mr. Jamroz. “While U.S. trade with Poland is substantial and growing quickly, we believe there are significant untapped opportunities for American companies in Poland. We are confident that the Chamber will help to accelerate bi-lateral trade and strengthen the economic relationship between Poland and the United States.”

The Chamber and its staff will be based in Washington, D.C. 

TORONTO, June 8, 2017 - The Royal Ontario Museum (‘ROM’) is pleased to announce that Christopher and Kasia Jamroz have made a $1 million gift to help the ROM achieve its goal to engage the public in transformative experiences of art, culture and nature.  

Underscoring Chris Jamroz’ long-term commitment and engagement with the ROM, this important donation will provide ongoing support in a range of areas for exhibition, research and public programs. Mr. Jamroz was an active member of the Museum’s Board of Trustees for six years, and recently joined the ROM Board of Governors.

 “The ROM is truly grateful for Chris’ remarkable support of the Museum, which is based on deep knowledge of and commitment to the ROM,” says Josh Basseches, Director & CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum. “In addition to his philanthropic leadership, we also benefit from the strategic thinking Chris brings as a member of the ROM Board of Governors.”

 "We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Chris' generosity, calibre and passion on our governance team," says Robert E. Pierce, Chairman of the ROM Board of Governors. "As a donor and as a highly regarded leader, Chris greatly enhances our capacity to advance the vision and objectives of the ROM.” 

Mr. Jamroz is one of the top logistics executives in North America with a track record of shareholder value creation within public and private company environments. Currently, he is CEO of STG Holdings LLC (‘STG’) and Executive Chairman of St. George Logistics. Previously, he was President and COO of GardaWorld since 2010. Jamroz is a fervent advocate of education, promoting diversity and inclusion, and mentorship. He is an active supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and Greater Miami and serves as the chair of Junior Achievement programs. Jamroz was appointed to co-chair the Canada 150 Advisory Committee in 2016 to oversee preparations to celebrate the country’s 150th anniversary of confederation. In addition, he was a co-founder and chairman at the United Foundation for the Education of Children. Jamroz was awarded the Florida Governor’s Business Ambassador Medal in 2013. Mr. Jamroz holds a BA in Business Studies from Birmingham City University and an MBA from Schulich School of Business at York University.

 Kasia Jamroz is a leadership coach and the founder of Alyka Solutions, LLC which focused on helping mid-sized corporations maximize human, intellectual and social capabilities. Kasia is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and a collaborator of Thrive Global.