On Thursday, October 20, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino joined Jerry Roper, President & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to welcome Pedro Heilbron, CEO, Copa Airlines and H.E. Ricardo Quijano, Minister, Panama Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to Chicago to participate in the panel, "Panama: Gateway to Latin America," hosted by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Copa Airlines.

The purpose of the panel was to explore new opportunities for Chicago and Latin America. Helibron, business leaders, tourism officials and government officials from the U. S. and Panama, discussed the current business and tourism climate and the recently signed U.S. Panama Free Trade Agreement.

Copa Airlines will begin nonstop service between Chicago O'Hare and the Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama on December 16, 2011.

"With Chicago being home to 28 Fortune 500 companies and many others with business connections to Latin America, the new service by Copa will provide benefits to our business community," said Andolino. "Of the more than 1.6 million foreign-born people now living in the Chicago region, nearly half are of Latin or Caribbean descent. Copa's service will positively impact those traveling for leisure or visiting family and friends. "

The discussion of Panama's Business and Tourism Climate and the U.S. - Panama Free Trade Agreement was moderated by Rita R. Athas, President, World Business Chicago. Panelists included Quijano and John Adams Dix, Senior Vice President - Architecture and Planning, Epstein.

For more information about Copa Airlines, please visit www.copaair.com