The Merage Foundation for U.S.

The Merage Foundation
for U.S.-Israel Trade
Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade
4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor
Newport Beach, California 92660
For more information, please call
Marshall Kaplan, Executive Director, at (949) 474-5882,
Tim Bolin, Associate, at (949) 474-5883,
or Sherwin Pomerantz, Israel Liaison, at 972-2-571-0199.
merage foundation for
U.S.-Israel Trade
merage foundation for
U.S.-Israel Trade
E x pa n d i n g I s r a e l i E x p o rt s to t h e U . S .
THE VISION…
The Merage Foundation is dedicated to
Paul Merage, President and Founder of the
Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade:
increasing Israeli exports to the United States as
I firmly believe that Israeli business
a means to promote economic growth in Israel.
demonstrates tremendous entrepreneurial
spirit and skills. Israel has the intellectual
capital and the business leadership to
significantly expand exports to the U.S.
It can and indeed must do so to sustain
a vigorous growing economy and to
provide a better life for its citizens.
The
Merage
Foundation
for
U.S.-Israel
Trade
The Foundation provides leadership training
and education initiatives concerning U.S.
marketing strategies to Israeli executives and
top Israeli MBA students. Foundation initiatives
focus on helping to build the strategic capacity
of Israeli companies to successfully market their
products and services in the U.S.
The Mer a g e Fou n d at i o n f o r U . S. - I s ra e l T rad e I ni t i tat i v es
Foundation Initiatives
The U.S. has been and will continue to be a key,
indeed, critical trading partner with and provide
a major export market for Israel.
program development and delivery, including the cost
Partner Deans at Israeli business schools. The
of hotels, food, and training facilities for participants.
Foundation’s Israeli CEO Advisory Board interviews
Participants pay only for round trip transportation
nominees and recommends candidates to the Foundation.
Generally, nominees are required to have finished at
to and from Israel.
According to interviews with many Israeli
least 50% of the course credits associated with their MBA
business leaders and research initiated by the
MBA Student Summer Education Program
Foundation, improved knowledge about effective
U.S marketing strategies will permit Israeli firms
The graduate students enrolled in Israeli business schools
to increase their penetration into U.S. markets.
are the future leaders of Israeli businesses.
Every summer, the Foundation administers
The Foundation is building a strong partnership
with Israeli and U.S. business, government, and
a twenty-one-day educational program for fifteen
university leaders. The Foundation, working with
outstanding Israeli MBA students. The summer program
its Israeli and U.S. Advisory Boards, administers and
sustains two major capacity-building initiatives. They
are the Israeli Executive Leadership Program and the
MBA Student Summer Education Program.
Upon completion of the leadership program,
participants become Merage Foundation Business
Leadership Fellows. The Foundation provides Fellows
with mentoring, continuous learning and networking
opportunities.
Specific criteria for choosing among applicants
The Israeli Executive Leadership Program
from Israeli companies include the following:
The Foundation administers two ten-day Executive
Leadership Training Programs annually. They
■
Senior responsibility in marketing.
focus on increasing understanding of U.S.
■
Leadership experience and export responsibilities.
“best practices” concerning marketing, sales
■
Comparative advantage and/or competitiveness in
and distribution, procurement, negotiation, and
U.S. markets of the products/services provided by
networking strategies. To encourage discussion,
the applicant’s company.
participation is limited to fifteen outstanding Israeli
■
business leaders for each program. Faculty members
include leading U.S. professors with extensive business
experience as well as very successful business leaders.
Commitment of the applicant’s business to develop
and initiate U.S. exports.
■
Availability of or ability to secure resources necessary
to mount successful U.S. export strategies.
Each program includes lectures, interactive
discussions, role play, case study, and the development
of marketing strategies. Participants visit the leaders
Applications are reviewed and participants nominated
by the outstanding Israeli CEO Advisory Board. The
Foundation’s U.S. Advisory Board reviews nominated
leadership training programs take place in Newport
participants and makes recommendations to the
near the headquarters of many important U.S.
companies and the University of California.
includes nationally respected business-wise professors
program. Other selection criteria relate to academic
performance and potential business leadership as well as level
of professional experience. Participants are required to
demonstrate a clear desire to build a leadership career based
on helping their future
employers increase
exports to the U.S.
Upon finishing
from highly ranked U.S.
business schools as well
The graduate as top business leaders.
Classroom sessions are
students enrolled supplemented by office
presentations, and
in Israeli business visits,
discussions with top
schools are the CEOs and marketing
Through
future leaders experts.
lectures, role play, case
of Israeli study, and the
of exportbusinesses. development
related marketing plans
for real as well as
hypothetical Israeli
their summer studies,
participants become
Merage MBA Fellows.
The Fellows program
provides participants
with important help and
support as they build
their business careers
and implement strategies to increase Israeli exports
to the U.S. Through the Foundation, Fellows secure
the following:
■
Professional development and mentoring.
■
Opportunities to share business experiences with other
Fellows through electronic newsletters and Forums in
companies, Israeli
Israel.
students are provided
of key companies with an interest in Israel. The
Beach, California, a major conference center located
Students are nominated by the Foundation’s
The Foundation covers the full costs of
Foundation, based on the relevance of the nominees
backgrounds and their companies products and
services to U.S. markets.
the tools to initiate
successful marketing,
■
Opportunities to access leadership networks in
the U.S. and Israel.
sales and distribution,
networking, negotiation,
and procurement
strategies in the U.S.
The Foundation administers the summer educational
initiative and covers its total costs, including the costs
of student transportation, lodging, and food.
E x pa n d i n g I s r a e l i E x p o rt s to t h e U . S .
About the Foundation
The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel
Trade was created by Katherine,
Paul and Lilly Merage in 2004.
The Foundation reflects their deep
commitment to the economic health
and wellbeing of Israel and their
understanding of the reciprocal
economic benefits associated with a
strong U.S. Israel economic partnership.
Financial support is provided by the
Andre and Katherine Merage Family
Foundation and the Paul and Lilly
Merage Family Foundation.
The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade
President
Paul Merage
Executive Director
Marshall Kaplan
Associate
Tim Bolin
Israel Liaison
Sherwin Pomerantz
merage foundation for
U.S.-Israel Trade
Israeli Advisory Board
Ron Gutler
Chairman of the Board, NICE Systems Ltd.
Chair of Israeli Advisory Board
The
Merage
Foundation
for
U.S.-Israel
Trade
David Blumberg
Chairman, Bank of Jerusalem
David Brodet
Chairman, Hadassah University Hospital
Ami Erel
President and CEO, Discount Investment Corporation Ltd.
Dan Goldstein
Chairman and CEO, The Formula Group
Rami Kalish
Managing General Partner, Pitango Venture Capital
Dov Lautman
Chairman of the Board, Delta Galil Industries Ltd.
Leo Leiderman
Chief Economic Advisor, Bank Hapoalim B.M.
Erez Meltzer
CEO, Netafim Group
Chemi Peres
Managing General Partner, Pitango Venture Capital
Dalia Prashker
Co-founder, New Dimension Software; Entrepreneur
Zvi Yemini
CEO and Chairman of the Board, ZAG Industries Ltd.
Business School Deans Advisory Board
Simon Benninga
Tel Aviv University
Jonathan Kornbluth
Hebrew University
Ilan Meshoulam
Haifa University
Dov Monderer
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
Arie Reichel
Ben Gurion University
IDC
Oded Sarig
Jacob (Yaacov) Weisberg Bar Ilan University
Andrew J. Policano
U.S. Representative, University of California, Irvine
U.S. Advisory Board (in formation)
Paul S. Berger
Senior Partner (Retired), Arnold & Porter LLP
merage foundation for
U.S.-Israel Trade
Arnold Brenner
Director, U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation
Lester Crown
Chairman, Henry Crown and Company
Marvin Lender
Chairman of M & M Investments
Marvin Levy
Chairman Emeritus, Miller International Inc.
Joel Slutzky
Chairman of the Board and Director, Iteris Holdings Inc.
Ralph Stern
Former CEO of CareCredit, Consultant to General Electric
A p p l i c a t i o n
F o r m
4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor • Newport Beach, CA 92660 • 949-474-5880
Application for the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade’s Summer MBA Initiative, 2005
We are pleased that you are applying to be a participant in
the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade Summer MBA
Intiative. The three-week program will occur in the Irvine
and Newport Beach, California from July 31 to August 20, 2005.
The Merage Foundation initiative focuses on increasing MBA
student capacity to develop and successfully implement
company-based strategies to expand exports to the U.S. The
curriculum includes modules concerning cultural differences
between the U.S. and Israel affecting Israeli exports; effective
U.S. market analysis, marketing, and networking; robust sales
and distribution alternatives; successful U.S. negotiation and
procurement options; and U.S. trade policies. Teaching and
training approaches include lectures, live case studies,
interactive discussions, role play, presentations by U.S.
executives, visits to corporate headquarters, and initiation
of real-world business projects. Faculty members are leading,
experienced business scholars and practitioners in the U.S.
The Merage Foundation covers all costs of the Summer
Initiative. Participants who successfully complete the program
of studies may receive MBA course credit at their business
schools with approval of their Deans.
Subsequent to completion of the Summer MBA Initiative,
participants become Merage Foundation Fellows. Merage
Fellows receive mentoring concerning career objectives as
well as continuous opportunities to explore key ways to increase
Israeli exports to the U.S.
Criteria for Nomination and Selection
Applicants must be Israeli citizens and fluent in English. Except
under special circumstances approved by their Dean, applicants must
have completed at least 50 percent of the coursework (credit hours)
required for the MBA degree. Nomination is based on high academic
achievement, proven leadership ability, professional excellence, and
ethical behavior. Selected Fellows demonstrate the capacity and
commitment to assume key decision-making roles in the export
of products and services from Israel to the U.S.
Selection Process Timeline
Students must submit applications by January l5, 2005 to the
Dean of their business school. Deans of seven outstanding participating
business schools in Israel each nominate up to four MBA students by
February l5, 2005. The Deans submit their nominees, applications
and supporting materials to Sherwin Pomerantz, Merage Foundations,
Israel Liaison Office, POB 45005, 91450 Jerusalem;
Tel. 972-2-571-0199, Fax 972-2-571-0713.
Deans’ nominees are reviewed by the Merage Foundation’s Israeli
CEO Advisory Board and the Foundation’s staff in Israel.1 The
Foundation selects fifteen MBA students to participate in the initiative
by April 1, 2005.
The CEO Advisory Board and/or Foundation staff may schedule interviews with nominees.
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Complete and submit this application to your Dean by January l5th, 2005.
Please type or print neatly.
General Background:
Name
Address:
Are you an Israeli citizen?
Yes
No
Do you speak English fluently?
Yes
No
What other languages do you speak?
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A p p l i c a t i o n
F o r m
4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor • Newport Beach, CA 92660 • 949-474-5880
Academic Background
Where are you pursuing your MBA degree?
When were you admitted into the MBA program?
How many credits have your earned in the MBA program?
How many credits must you earn to complete your MBA degree?
What is your concentration/focus/specialization, if any (e.g., Finance, Marketing, Strategy, etc.)?
When do you expect to receive your MBA degree?
Please attach a transcript of your MBA coursework and grades up to the end of Summer 2004.
Leadership and Management Roles
Please describe leadership and or management positions you have held, internal and external to the University, if any, while a student in the MBA
program and during the three years preceding your MBA studies (e.g. military, business, community, non-profit groups, etc).
Title/Position
Organization/Group
Dates
Responsibilities/Achievements
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A p p l i c a t i o n
F o r m
4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor • Newport Beach, CA 92660 • 949-474-5880
Professional Experience
Please attach a complete résumé of your experience, including present employment, if you are employed.
Career Objectives
If you are presently employed with an Israeli company, do you expect to remain with that company upon receiving your MBA?
What will your responsibilities be? Title?
If you do not expect to remain with the company, please indicate why.
If you are not presently employed, do you have a job lined up subsequent to your receiving your MBA?
Yes
No
If your answer is yes, where will you work? (Please identify the business/employer and economic/industry sector.)
What will your responsibilities be? Your title?
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A p p l i c a t i o n
F o r m
4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor • Newport Beach, CA 92660 • 949-474-5880
If your answer is no, what kind of job would you like subsequent to receiving your MBA? Please identify the type of business/employer and
economic/industry sector. What sort of responsibilities would you like to have?
Career Statement
Please describe, in 300 words or less, your objectives concerning a business career in Israel, particularly your objectives related to developing
and implementing strategies to help your employer increase exports to the U.S. Please attach this statement to your application.
MBA Summer Program Statement
Please describe, in 300 words or less, why you think you will benefit from the Merage Foundation’s Summer Initiative. Please attach this statement
to your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Please attach three letters of recommendation from academic, business, or community leaders who attest to your academic achievement,
leadership ability, professional excellence, and ethical behavior.
If you have any questions about the Foundation or the application process, please contact Sherwin Pomerantz, Israel Liaison (972-2-571-0199);
Marshall Kaplan, Executive Director (1-949-474-5882); or Tim Bolin, Associate (1-949-474-5883).
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