CHICAGO, IL - Gov. Pat Quinn says his trip to Spain was a way of saying "thanks" to a good customer and building new relationships that could help the Illinois economy.
 
Illinois exports to Spain are up by 29 percent, and Quinn says it's smart to thank such a good business partner.
 
Quinn said Monday that Spain has strong public-private partnerships for construction projects. He says that's something Illinois should study, along with Spain's top-notch high-speed rail system.
 
Spain also has successful bio-technology companies that might be persuaded to do business in Illinois.
 
The Democratic governor spent four days in Spain at his own expense.