Swedish trip honors Lundin
By Nate Legue
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

ROCKFORD — Local leaders’ second trade mission to Sweden has been named in honor of “a terrific Rockfordite” and “a great Scandinavian,” officials announced today.

Organizers decided to name the trip the Jon W. Lundin Trade Mission, a nod toward the manufacturing advocate who died in May. They gathered at AMCORE Bank to describe the trip’s details and talk up the benefits of the international relationship for local businesses.

Rockford Area Economic Development Council will lead its second trip to Swedish-American Entrepreneurial Days in August to encourage foreign investment, form business partnerships and learn innovative manufacturing strategies. A dozen people representing companies, governments and economic development agencies have signed up.

Name the trip after Lundin seemed fitting because his ideas sparked many efforts to spur innovation, create jobs and train workers, said Janyce Fadden, president of the council.

Joel Sjostrom, president of Sjostrom & Sons Inc., will travel to Sweden as a goodwill measure, but also to learn about Sweden’s green construction methods and energy efficient buildings. Sweden’s emphasis on technical innovation and research make it an attractive partner for Rockford businesses, Fadden said.

The construction company is working on two biotechnology-related projects and wants to know “any particular secrets” to tackle them, Sjostrom said.

“Energy efficiency is getting a lot more emphasis these days,” Sjostrom said. “We’ve looked at it for several years and know it’s coming more and more. We’d like to be out in front of that.”