Georgia-based Scitex Vision America Inc. was named Israeli company of the year for displaying the spirit of innovation that BellSouth Corp. CEO Duane Ackerman discussed during the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region’s Eagle Star Awards Gala June 16.

“Israel may not have oil, but it has talent,” Mr. Ackerman said during his keynote speech at the annual awards gala held at BellSouth’s corporate campus in Buckhead. He called Israel a “center of innovation,” with more start-up venture capital companies per capita than any country besides the United States.

With Marietta, Ga., as its Americas headquarters, the Netanya, Israel-based company, Scitex Vision, was awarded for that Israeli spirit of innovation as company of the year. The award is given each year to an Israeli company that has its headquarters or a major office in the Southeast U.S.

Also recognized during the awards gala as “deal of the year” was a joint venture between Modi’in, Israel-based Resolute Networks Ltd. with its U.S. headquarters Resolute Networks Inc. in Atlanta, and Suwanee, Ga.-based Arris International Inc.

Resolute Networks and Arris’ solution for the broadband industry exemplified Mr. Ackerman’s assertion that wireless networks and broadband infrastructure are the waves of the future in communications technology. The companies developed the first system to provide voice and data services over the existing cable broadband infrastructure, an innovation that is expected to bring almost $10 billion in revenues over the next five years to the U.S. cable industry by selling to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Scitex Vision is a manufacturer of digital ink-jet printing presses and inks that realized revenues of $55 million last year. The four-year-old company reports to its parent company, Scitex Vision Ltd., in Israel.

“BellSouth is committed to building on the relationship we’ve formed with Israel,” Mr. Ackerman asserted, noting that the company’s contributions to the Israeli economy “go way beyond” its $1.5 million investment in CellCom Israel Ltd., an Israeli cellular phone company that at one point captured 36 percent of Israel’s cellular market.

Mr. Ackerman said BellSouth purchases some $100 million annually from Israeli high-tech companies.

BellSouth sold CellCom to an existing partner in Israel after the Atlanta-based company began to exit all of its international markets, following the sale of its Latin America holdings to Telefonica S.A., Mr. Ackerman added.

Also recognized by the American Israel chamber with its founders award was Martin Kogon, who helped create the chamber in 1992, hiring Tom Glaser, president of the organization.

The State of Israel Bonds Atlanta office was awarded the chamber’s “community partner award” for selling 430 million in Israeli bonds in the Southeast last year to fund infrastructure projects in Israel.

Contact Mr. Glaser for more information at (404) 843-9426 or visit www.aiccse.org