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| Press Release 12-10-04 |
Freeborn Coordinates New Business for
St. Louis-Samara Sister City Committee
St. Louis-Samara Sister City Committee
ST. LOUIS, Missouri—December 10, 2004— The Greater St. Louis-Samara
Sister City Committee announced today the first business partnership to
develop economic opportunity for the organization. John Freeborn,
representing The MART Corporation of St. Louis, coordinated an agreement
to provide donations to the organization as a result of business development
between the Samara Sister City organization and MART.
Sister City Committee announced today the first business partnership to
develop economic opportunity for the organization. John Freeborn,
representing The MART Corporation of St. Louis, coordinated an agreement
to provide donations to the organization as a result of business development
between the Samara Sister City organization and MART.
“The Greater St. Louis-Samara Sister City Committee works to develop cultural, education and
business exchange between the two sister cities”, say Mr. Bob Heuremann, Board President.
“Mr. Freeborn has provided our organization an opportunity to develop additional revenues from
the exchange of business development for his client, The MART Corp.”, says Heuermann. “We
are excited with this opportunity hope to interest other companies in becoming partners with our
program”.
The Sister City relationship with Samara Russia was formalized with St. Louis County in 1992 at
the prompting of educators at SIU Edwardsville and Webster University that were traveling to
Samara to teach at Samara State University.
With the formation of the relationship the Greater St. Louis – Samara Sister City Committee was
formed as an all-volunteer organization to represent Greater St. Louis in all ongoing cultural
exchange and economic development with the Russian Sister City.
Today, the Greater St. Louis – Samara Sister Cities Committee works diligently with hospitals,
universities, and regional municipalities and businesses to further promote St. Louis’ ties to
Russia.
Samara, Russia
Samara , formerly Kuybyshev,city (1989 pop. 1,254,000), capital of its region, E central
European Russia, on the left bank of the Volga and at the mouth of the Samara River. It is a
major river port and rail center (Moscow-Siberian line) and has important industries producing
automobiles, aircraft, locomotives, machinery, ball bearings, synthetic rubber, chemicals, textiles,
and petroleum products. Grain and livestock are the chief exports.
The gigantic Kuybyshev reservoir and hydroelectric plant is a few miles upstream from the city.
Industrial and residential satellite cities surround the main metropolis. Founded in 1586 as a
Muscovite stronghold for the defense of the Volga trade route and of Russia's eastern frontier,
Samara was attacked by the Nogai Tatars (1615) and the Kalmyks (1644) and opened its gates
to the Cossack rebels under Stenka Razin in 1670. It grew to be the chief grain center on the
Volga and was the seat of immensely rich grain merchants. Its industrial expansion dates from
the early 20th cent., when railroads to Siberia and central Asia were built. Samara was (1918)
the seat of the anti-Bolshevik provisional government and constituent assembly of Russia.
During World War II the central government of the USSR was transferred to Kuybyshev (1941–
43) from Moscow. As a result, the population increased tremendously, and the city limits were
greatly expanded. The city was named Kuybyshev from 1935 to 1991.
business exchange between the two sister cities”, say Mr. Bob Heuremann, Board President.
“Mr. Freeborn has provided our organization an opportunity to develop additional revenues from
the exchange of business development for his client, The MART Corp.”, says Heuermann. “We
are excited with this opportunity hope to interest other companies in becoming partners with our
program”.
The Sister City relationship with Samara Russia was formalized with St. Louis County in 1992 at
the prompting of educators at SIU Edwardsville and Webster University that were traveling to
Samara to teach at Samara State University.
With the formation of the relationship the Greater St. Louis – Samara Sister City Committee was
formed as an all-volunteer organization to represent Greater St. Louis in all ongoing cultural
exchange and economic development with the Russian Sister City.
Today, the Greater St. Louis – Samara Sister Cities Committee works diligently with hospitals,
universities, and regional municipalities and businesses to further promote St. Louis’ ties to
Russia.
Samara, Russia
Samara , formerly Kuybyshev,city (1989 pop. 1,254,000), capital of its region, E central
European Russia, on the left bank of the Volga and at the mouth of the Samara River. It is a
major river port and rail center (Moscow-Siberian line) and has important industries producing
automobiles, aircraft, locomotives, machinery, ball bearings, synthetic rubber, chemicals, textiles,
and petroleum products. Grain and livestock are the chief exports.
The gigantic Kuybyshev reservoir and hydroelectric plant is a few miles upstream from the city.
Industrial and residential satellite cities surround the main metropolis. Founded in 1586 as a
Muscovite stronghold for the defense of the Volga trade route and of Russia's eastern frontier,
Samara was attacked by the Nogai Tatars (1615) and the Kalmyks (1644) and opened its gates
to the Cossack rebels under Stenka Razin in 1670. It grew to be the chief grain center on the
Volga and was the seat of immensely rich grain merchants. Its industrial expansion dates from
the early 20th cent., when railroads to Siberia and central Asia were built. Samara was (1918)
the seat of the anti-Bolshevik provisional government and constituent assembly of Russia.
During World War II the central government of the USSR was transferred to Kuybyshev (1941–
43) from Moscow. As a result, the population increased tremendously, and the city limits were
greatly expanded. The city was named Kuybyshev from 1935 to 1991.
Russia's get-ahead Volga region of Samara is
seeking to secure itself a glittering future as a
center for Western capital, by setting up its own
gold reserves to underpin foreign investment.
Samara's liberal governor Konstantin Titov says the
ambitious food-for-gold plan could help secure the
region, sited 1,000 kilometers (some 620 miles)
from Moscow, its place as a favored home for
seeking to secure itself a glittering future as a
center for Western capital, by setting up its own
gold reserves to underpin foreign investment.
Samara's liberal governor Konstantin Titov says the
ambitious food-for-gold plan could help secure the
region, sited 1,000 kilometers (some 620 miles)
from Moscow, its place as a favored home for
overseas funds. Foreign money fled Russia during last August's financial crisis which saw the
ruble lose 70 percent of its value against the dollar and the government renege on $40 billion of
domestic debt.
But the wealthy Samara oblast, one of only 13 of Russia's 89 regions that are net contributors to
the federal budget, is determined to attract more foreign funds to one of Russia's most
pro-business regions. Under a radical plan being worked out by Titov, Russia's northern regions
would pay for foodstuffs produced in Samara with gold mined in their hard-pressed regions. The
precious metal would be used to set up a gold reserve, possibly in Switzerland, that could be
used as collateral for foreign loans aimed at developing Sarama's space, aeronautics,
automotive and foodstuffs industries.
Investors stung by the ruble collapse and burnt by the domestic debt default, were chary about
taking Russian guarantees at face value, he said, but gold would give foreign firms the sort of
security they were looking for.
"It's very good for the economy of our region, for the economy of Russia," Titov insisted. "That
way there will be investment and the regional economy will develop quickly, we will pay more into
the federal budget."
Under Titov's reign Samara has established itself as a favored home for US, German, Swiss and
French investment, with Delphi Automotive, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Nestle and Danone major
investors in the attractive Volga region.
Direct foreign investment here peaked at more than 60 million dollars in 1997, slipping back last
year in the wake of the crisis. Foreign firms, and the authorities' determined pro-business stance
has enabled the region to weather the storms which lashed Russia in the wake of last summer's
financial crisis better than most. Although regional production slumped 12 percent in the wake of
the crisis, the local economy has already recovered six percent and Titov says that by December
he hopes Samara will be back to pre-crisis output levels.
The Greater St. Louis-Samara Sister City Committee sponsors several events throughout the
year to develop the awareness of the cultural partnership exchange with our neighbors in
Mexico. To learn more about events and participation with the Sister Cities organizations, log
onto their website at www.stcir.org or call 314.863.6777.
ruble lose 70 percent of its value against the dollar and the government renege on $40 billion of
domestic debt.
But the wealthy Samara oblast, one of only 13 of Russia's 89 regions that are net contributors to
the federal budget, is determined to attract more foreign funds to one of Russia's most
pro-business regions. Under a radical plan being worked out by Titov, Russia's northern regions
would pay for foodstuffs produced in Samara with gold mined in their hard-pressed regions. The
precious metal would be used to set up a gold reserve, possibly in Switzerland, that could be
used as collateral for foreign loans aimed at developing Sarama's space, aeronautics,
automotive and foodstuffs industries.
Investors stung by the ruble collapse and burnt by the domestic debt default, were chary about
taking Russian guarantees at face value, he said, but gold would give foreign firms the sort of
security they were looking for.
"It's very good for the economy of our region, for the economy of Russia," Titov insisted. "That
way there will be investment and the regional economy will develop quickly, we will pay more into
the federal budget."
Under Titov's reign Samara has established itself as a favored home for US, German, Swiss and
French investment, with Delphi Automotive, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Nestle and Danone major
investors in the attractive Volga region.
Direct foreign investment here peaked at more than 60 million dollars in 1997, slipping back last
year in the wake of the crisis. Foreign firms, and the authorities' determined pro-business stance
has enabled the region to weather the storms which lashed Russia in the wake of last summer's
financial crisis better than most. Although regional production slumped 12 percent in the wake of
the crisis, the local economy has already recovered six percent and Titov says that by December
he hopes Samara will be back to pre-crisis output levels.
The Greater St. Louis-Samara Sister City Committee sponsors several events throughout the
year to develop the awareness of the cultural partnership exchange with our neighbors in
Mexico. To learn more about events and participation with the Sister Cities organizations, log
onto their website at www.stcir.org or call 314.863.6777.
Freeborn Development Group
| Servicing Business since 1985 |
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