A Texan businessman is eager to cultivate business ties between his state and Nova Scotia.

Charles Gillis says he fell in love with the province on a family trip years ago.

"Escaping 46 C temperatures to come to your beautiful province made me realize every Texan needs to take a trip up to Nova Scotia," he told CBC Radio's Information Morning.

"I have met a great variety of business people from many sectors who produce wonderful goods and services that we can't get [in Texas]."

Nova Scotia beer and blueberries are some of the products he says he hankers for. He also raves about the quality, variety and accessibility of Nova Scotia tourism sites.

Gillis said the Ivany report spurred him to want to help boost the province's economy.

Ivany report caused concern

"We felt concerned when we read the Ivany report, that we want Nova Scotia to succeed, that we feel attached to it. If I plan on retiring here someday, I hope to contribute to the success of the province."

Gillis, the executive director of a Dallas law firm, recently brought a group of Texas MBA students to Nova Scotia on a five-day trip.

"I had them read [the] Ivany commission report. They attended the trip with a bit of concern about the viability of the economy."

But they went back optimistic.

Gillis said the response from province's business community was phenomenal. Representatives from some of the province's top industries met with the students.

"We had to turn people away."

Business selling across borders

One company which produces an employee assessment program for new hires has already made business inroads in Texas, he said.

"That is exactly the type of business that can sell across borders. I am very excited to see those connections."

The MBA programs at the University of Texas in Dallas and Saint Mary's University in Halifax have also formed a partnership.

And a online business discussion forum has drawn 60 business executives from the state and province, Gillis said.

"I am seeing it happen organically. There is great support from Nova Scotia government and the business community," he added.