Holcomb heading to Greece on latest trade trip

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb plans to travel to Greece this weekend in an effort to strengthen economic development partnerships and join a group of other U.S. and Greek leaders to promote democracy, the governor’s office announced Friday morning.

Invited by the Council of State Governments, Holcomb and other American leaders will gather next week for a visit that will “focus on cultivating democracy and business, incorporating a mix of policy, business and cultural exchanges,” officials said. Holcomb, his wife, Janet, and a delegation from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. will leave this weekend for Athens. It will be Holcomb’s first trade trip to Greece.

The delegation will meet with George J. Tsunis, the U.S. ambassador to Greece; Vassilis Kikilias, minister of climate crisis and civil protection; Kostas Fragogiannis, the deputy minister of foreign affairs; and Dimitris Skalkos, secretary general for international economic affairs.

“As Indiana is a state built on democratic principles, it is fitting to travel to the birthplace of democracy itself,” Holcomb said in a news release. “In Greece we will forge new relationships and foster cultural ties for the betterment of our collective regions.”

The Indiana delegation will focus on economic development and meet with the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Greece.

Indiana and Greece exchanged more than $53.6 million of goods in 2023, the governor’s office said. Three major Indiana-based corporations have operations in Greece: Eli Lilly and Co., Corteva and Zimmer Biomet.

This will be Holcomb’s 26th international trade trip as governor and his sixth this year. Travel is being paid for by the Council of State Governments, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that promotes the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.