Jefferson City, MO – Earlier this week, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe concluded his first international trade mission representing the State of Missouri in Germany. Lt. Governor Kehoe participated in several meetings, building international relationships and promoting Missouri as an ideal business location and trade partner. Germany is a key trade partner for Missouri, with $679 million in exports and $2.7 billion in imports in 2022.
During the trade mission, Lt. Governor Kehoe met with company representatives with existing relationships in Missouri, to thank them for their investments in the state and companies considering Missouri to highlight the state’s many benefits for future investment.
“Leading German companies are already investing and creating jobs in our state. Missouri’s ideal central location, business-friendly climate, and commitment to workforce development continue to attract many German companies looking to expand to the United States,” Lt. Governor Kehoe said. “This trade mission was an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships while encouraging future investment and growth. I was honored to promote the Show-Me State as an ideal business location.”
In addition to supporting Missouri’s Kansas City Chiefs at the NFL international game in Frankfurt, Lt. Governor Kehoe and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce delegation met with leaders from Bayer, a multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company, at its headquarters in Leverkusen. The delegation also met with Bayer 04 Leverkusen leadership and toured BayArena ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches in Kansas City in 2026.
Additionally, Lt. Governor Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Economic Development team met with executives of several leading companies with a presence in Missouri, including BASF, Merck KGaA, ESRA GmbH, and German airline Lufthansa. Lt. Governor Kehoe also met with several German companies looking to expand to the United States.
Meetings were also held with Thatcher Scharpf, U.S. Consul General Frankfurt, and Dr. Amy Gutmann, U.S. Ambassador to Germany.
The trade mission was funded by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the World Trade Center – Kansas City. All additional expenses were personally paid by Lt. Governor Kehoe.
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