On May 8, JERDE Chief Executive Officer Paul Martinkovic attended the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between Los Angeles and Vietnam to expand economic ties.  JERDE designed the recently opened Chariot resort on Phú Quôc island in Vietnam, one of numerous resorts the firm has worked on around the world.  Vietnam's Ambassador to the U.S. Ha Kim Ngoc signed the LOI with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, which among other topics, includes pledges to develop airline transportation, including support for eventual non-stop flight service between LAX and the communities of Vietnam. Attendees also enjoyed a roundtable discussion and remarks from Ambassador Ha and Mayor Garcetti following the exchange of signatures.

Last year, Martinkovic joined a 10-day trade mission from Los Angeles to Asia led by Mayor Eric Garcetti.  The delegation of business leaders and city officials traveled to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, along with  other cities in Asia, for a series of meetings with government officials and business leaders aimed at strengthening relationships and boosting investment and tourism in Los Angeles.   JERDE, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, has pioneered the concept of "Placemaking" with more than 120 major projects on six continents that attract more than a billion people each year.