Organized by the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, SE Region to honor the people and companies who have contributed most to the Southeast-Israel business relationship, the program featured a keynote presentation by Elisha Yanay, general manager and board chairman of Motorola Israel and president of the Israel Association of Electronics and Information Industries.  Provost Jean-Lou Chameau announced the formal alliance of Georgia Tech and four leading Israeli universities to collaborate in the development of Nanoscience and Technology.

Also recognized were Sidney Kirschner who received the “Chamber Founders” Award for his long time chairmanship of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s Medical Committee and as the organizer of the acclaimed Southeast-Israel Medical Technology Business Exchange.  The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta received the “Community Partner” Award in recognition of the agency’s extensive social, educational, and recreational programs in support of the area’s growing Israeli community that has resulted from the location of over 40 Israeli companies with headquarters in the Atlanta area.

Scitex Vision America, Tescom Software Systems Testing, and TTI Telecom. 

Other finalists for “Deal of the Year” were ClickFox/Veritas-Cedar-Delta, Drykor/Mingledorff's Inc., and FlexLight Networks. 

Veritas Venture Partners received the “Israeli Company of the Year” award in recognition of their investments in the Southeast --especially the greater Atlanta region--as well as in Israel, and for their model of early-stage investment in difficult times as a much-needed component in the economic development of both areas.  The Herzliya, Israel-based firm with its US headquarters in Atlanta has provided first-round financing, in most cases as the lead investor, to some of Israel’s most prominent business successes including Gilat, ESC Medical, M-Systems, Class Data Systems, Mercury Interactive, and Accord Networks.   Recent investments have included Atlanta-based ClickFox, Israel-based CableMatrix that recently established its US headquarters in Atlanta, and CytoDome, a medical device company that is moving to Atlanta.

Ness Ziona, Israel-based Proneuron Biotechnologies and their partners were honored with the “Deal of the Year” Award.  Proneuron and the Shepherd Center received a $3.2 million grant from the Marcus Foundation for Phase II clinical trials of their patented treatment for spinal cord injury and the establishment of a cell processing facility in Atlanta as joint venture with Cell Design, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cell Dynamics.  The deal creates employment in both Israel and Atlanta and also helps position the Shepherd Center as a world leader in cutting edge research, neurosurgical advances, and innovative rehabilitation therapies.

Northside Hospital, The Coca-Cola Company, Lufthansa, Grant Thornton, Georgia Tech College of Management, Smith Gambrell & Russell, Veritas Venture Partners, Radisson Northlake Atlanta, McKenna Long & Aldridge, Deutsche Bank,  Jones Day, McKesson Information Solutions, Atlanta Jewish Life, and Catalyst, and our Patron sponsors, Given Imaging, Miller Richmond Co., Consulate General of Israel, National Distributing Co., Omni National Bank, FilterFresh Atlanta, Powell Goldstein Frazier & Murphy, Judy & Erwin Zaban, Sherry & Harry Maziar, and Dr. Benedict Benigno.