ChamberBrief

August 2008

German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc - GACCoM

Content:

• Upcoming Events: Monthly Stammtisch, IMTS Reception, 2016 Chicago Olympics Breakfast, Climate Change Discussion, Skilled Workers' Conference, CEO Speaker Series with Audi
• Green Corner: Green Building Innovation Seminars throughout the Midwest, US BioEnergy Business Delegation to Germany, Green Building Innovation Delegation in Chicago, Renewables Roadshow 2008
• Transatlantic Program: Ambassador Scharioth Official Program Patron, TAP Sponsors Series - Today: WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Business, Deadline for TAP 2009: October 24, 2008
• Career Services: New jobXchange database for bilingual jobseekers: Let us help you find the perfect match
• Photogallery: Pictures from our Past Events: GACCoM's Annual Members Reception, GACCoM's Renewables Roadshow, Lake Michigan Dinner Cruise, etc.
• New Publications: GACC Membership Directory 2008/2009, Erfolgreich Investieren in den USA, Who Really Made Your Car? 

Upcoming Events:

IMTS Industry Reception

IMTS is the premier manufacturing technology show in the Americas. In 2006, IMTS brought together more than 91,000 visitors from 119 nations. In 2008, more than 200 German companies will present themselves at the show.

Because of the show's importance for the German business community, we invite manufacturers, exhibitors, GACCoM members and friends to join us on Thursday evening during the IMTS show for the manufacturing industry event for the German American business community!

Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments while taking in the views of Chicago’s business district at this unique networking event bringing together executives from both sides of the Atlantic. Feel free to pass along this event information to your industry contacts.

When: Thursday, September 11, 2008 

Time: 6:00 pm -  8:00 pm

Location: 190 South LaSalle, 40th Floor, The Library, Chicago, IL 60603
Costs: $55 Members, $65 Non–Members
 

To register for this event or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please click here.

Chicago 2016: An Overview of the City's Bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games

GACCoM is pleased to co-sponsor the Executives’ Club of Chicago's Joint Committee Breakfast and Thought-Leader Discussion.   

Speaker: Patrick G. Ryan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Chicago 2016  

Date: Friday, September 12, 2008 

Time: 7:30 am 

Location: The Fairmont Chicago, Imperial Ballroom, 200 North Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL  

Our members will receive a discounted rate of $36.50 per ticket. To register for this event, please click here!  

	Dr. Pascal Bader

Climate Change: Sustainable Consumption - is it feasible or just an illusion?

Speaker: Dr. Pascal Bader

Date: Monday, September 29, 2008
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Goethe-Institut Chicago, 150 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL

In cooporation with the Goethe-Institut Chicago, we are delighted to present to you a lecture and discussion on environmental conservation and environmental policy. For more information on the lecture and the speaker, please click here. To register for this event, please contact: Lisa Lux; Goethe-Institut Chicago, lisa.lux@chicago.goethe.org; Tel. +1 312 263 0472.

SAVE THE DATE:

"Filling the Manufacturing Pipeline: Building the Next Generation of Skilled Workers"

– Monday, September 29, 2008 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest in Chicago is co-sponsoring a one-day conference, hosted by ThinkSwiss, Switzerland’s US wide program on Education, Research and Education. The main focus of this one-day event is to discuss and present examples on how to build the next generation of skilled workers by introducing the success of the European apprenticeship program model to the US.

Because of the high relevance of this topic for our HR Executive Circle members, the HR Circle will attend the Skilled Workers' Conference in lieu of a seperate meeting in September. The HR Circle is a network of HR executives of German subsidiaries that meet regularly to discuss current HR issues.

GACCoM members will be able to register at a reduced rate. The official invitation and further information on how to register will be sent out within the next few weeks. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Virginia Attaway at attaway@gaccom.org or (312) 494-2163.

GREEN CORNER

Upcoming Events -

September 16-19: Green Building Innovation Seminars – Training the Future

A select group of leading experts from Germany and the US will present a week of seminars at leading Midwest universities. In order to inspire the next generation of architects, construction engineers and facilities managers, GACCoM will present developments of innovative German green building technologies.  The primary focus is on “intelligent buildings” including automation, control systems and innovations in climate engineering, particularly those that feature renewable energy sources like solar power, solar heating and geothermal.  For more information or to discuss speaking opportunities, please contact Mark Tomkins (tomkins(at)gaccom.org) or call 312-494-2172.

October 7-9: US BioEnergy Business Delegation to Germany 

GACCCoM, together with the German Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWI) and the German Office for Foreign Trade (bfai), is organizing a bioenergy delegation to Germany. Germany is one of the world’s leading innovators in developing new bioenergy technologies, particularly for biogas, solid biomass and combined heat and power systems, and biodiesel plants. This delegation is limited to ten US companies, who will have the opportunity to travel to Germany and participate in individually-tailored meetings, while also attending the RENEXPO trade show. Participation is open to US companies involved in:

• Engineering or construction of bioenergy systems
• Bioenergy development or management
• Production or sales of bioenergy-related systems or components.  

For the US BioEnergy Business Delegation to Germany event overview or if you are interested in participating, please click here. The Registration Deadline is August 29, 2008. If you are interested in additional information on this event, please email Hans Royal at royal(at)gaccom.org or call 312 644 2662.

November 10-14: Green Building Innovation Delegation

GACCoM will continue its series of green architecture events by bringing a delegation of leading green building technology suppliers to Chicago.  As part of the Export Initiative for Energy Efficiency from the German Ministry of Economics and Technology, we will select a delegation of innovative German companies that supply energy-saving technologies and expertise for commercial and residential buildings.  The purpose of the event is to generate discussion and cooperations between leading German green building suppliers and their counterparts in the US, by introducing these technologies to leading architects, construction firms, and suppliers in the industry.  Incorporated in the week will be a full-day seminar on November 12 with leading US and German experts, 1-on-1 partnering meetings with companies in the delegation, a high-level roundtable discussion, and an evening networking reception with the International Green Coalition on November 11. 

For more information, please contact Mark Tomkins, Director, Consulting Services, at tomkins(at)gaccom.org or call 312-494-2172. More detailed information on the delegation, the conference, and the evening reception will be available on our website www.gaccom.org soon.

Past Event -

GACCoM's Midwest Renewables & Energy Efficiency Roadshow

Over 20 industry experts from both sides of the Atlantic presented at three different locations throughout the Midwest during GACCoM's Renewables Roadshow this past June. GACCoM's Roadshow stopped in Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, where speakers and presenters focused on several different topics from the Renewable Energy field pertinent to the local industries.  Each stop along the roadshow featured an afternoon conference, which was followed by a networking reception.

June 24th — Detroit, Michigan: 

• Supply Chains in the Renewable Energy Industry
• Energy Efficiency in Industry 

June 25th — Chicago, Illinois:  

• Sustainable Development
• Green Architecture: Residential & Commercial Energy Efficiency 

June 26th — Minneapolis, Minnesota:  

• Wind Energy
• BioEnergy 

Speaker presentations are available for download on our website. Please click on your city of interest for more information. 

 
Stay tuned...thanks to the success of our first Renewables Roadshow, we are already planning GACCoM's Renewables Roadshow 2009. Dates and locations will be disclosed soon. For any questions concerning our Renewables Roadshow, please contact Mark Tomkins at tomkins@gaccom.org or 312 494 2172.  

TRANSATLANTIC PROGRAM - Training the Future

	Ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth

German Ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth Now Patron of the Transatlantic Program

Ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth, German Ambassador to the U.S., has taken on the patronage for GACCoM's Transatlantic Program (TAP). With his patronage, Ambassador Scharioth demonstrates his support for the German-American business relationship, which he believes can only be strengthened by direct local experiences for our next generation’s young professionals.

Since 2005, GACCoM's Transatlantic Program has offered a select group of undergraduate students from the U.S. (up to 25 per year) an opportunity to gain practical work experience in a total immersion environment in Germany. The program carefully matches each participant to internship positions throughout Germany in their respective fields of study, in particular business, economics, engineering and international relations. TAP also provides participants with an intensive ten-day pre-internship Immersion Seminar in Berlin, including interactive language-building activities and intercultural training, and a Midterm Seminar in Cologne.

To read Ambassador Scharioth's Greetings or learn more about the Transatlantic Program, please click here.

Meet the TAP Sponsors - Today: WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management 

While the Transatlantic Program (TAP) was initially financed through seed money provided by the German government, the program is currently transitioning towards private financing with the help of corporate and other sponsors.

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar, Germany recently joined as a sponsor of the Transatlantic Program 2009. WHU is one of the leading, internationally oriented private German business schools, and it continually tops both national and international rankings. WHU is accredited by numerous national and international agencies, such as the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) and is a member of the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), one of the most prestigious accreditation institutes in the world.

Alongside the B.Sc. program and the consecutive M.Sc. program, WHU also offers the Master of Law and Business (MLB), together with the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, a full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a part-time Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA in cooperation with the renowned Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, near Chicago, IL. For more information on WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, please visit www.whu.edu.

"Why do we sponsor the TAP 2009? WHU pursues a determined policy of growth. The TAP gives us exposure to a large pool of talented students who may wish to build upon their TAP experiences in Germany and continue their international education with a Master’s degree at one of Germany’s leading private business schools. "

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Transatlantic Program, benefitting from additional exposure and access to the talented Transatlantic Program Alumni and their universities, please visit www.transatlanticprogram.org or contact Daniela Daus at daus@gaccom.org.

Applications for the TAP 2009

The application process for the TAP 2009 has now started. Again, we are looking for up to 25 highly motivated, well qualified U.S. undergraduate students who are eager to learn more about German business and politics and to gain first-hand work experience in Germany. Participants will have the opportunity to apply and expand their German skills in an authentic business environment, thus tapping into new career opportunities.

Please see www.transatlanticprogram.org for further details. You’ll also find comments of the TAP alumni and pictures from previous TAPs. The application deadline is October 24, 2008. 

Please feel free to pass this information on so that no qualified student misses this first step towards an exciting and challenging summer 2009 in Germany!

GACCoM Career Services for Employers

GACCoM can assist you in identifying qualified bilingual (German/English) candidates for open positions at your company.

Career Services specializes in matching bilingual job seekers (German/English) from a wide range of fields and experience levels to vacant positions at our client companies throughout the United States.

The cornerstone of our service is the large pool of bilingual professionals that is constantly expanded with new resumes from qualified candidates and managed to provide the most accurate and up-to-date profiles of job seekers. Positions available through Career Services are posted on the GACCoM website.

jobXchange for Job Seekers 

Well qualified job seekers with a strong academic background and preferably those with bilingual language skills (German/English) can submit their resume to our new online jobXchange database. From experience, candidates eligible for unrestricted employment in the US have higher chances of being placed at client companies. Job Seekers can also apply directly to job openings posted on the jobXchange website. 

To visit the jobXchange website, please click here.

Past Events - Photogallery

To view pictures from our past events, such as GACCoM's Annual Members Reception, GACCoM's Renewables Roadshow, Lake Michigan Dinner Cruise, etc. please click here.

New Publications

GACC Membership Directory 2008-2009 Now Available

The latest edition of our membership directory is now available. It lists approximately 2000 member companies of the German American Chambers of Commerce. Members are listed by region (Midwest, New York, Philadelphia, and the South), by company name, by contact person, by state, by SIC classification code, and by product. This print publication is free to our national members.  Others interested in the directory can order it  through our webstore for $80. The latest Midwest Membership Directory is also available as an electronic version (Excel file). This directory lists our GACCoM members and costs $100 for Non-Members, and $80 for Members.

Erfolgreich Investieren in den USA
The German Foreign Trade Office (Bfai) in cooperation with GACCoM has just published a new "Investment Guide" for the US. GACCoM members Sarah Ames, Attorney at Thiedmann & Edler; David Braun, GACCoM Chairman and Partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Jack Richter, Partner at J.S. Richter Ltd.; and Tom Sosemann, Attorney at Soseman Law Firm, P.C. among others, contributed to this publication, making it a "must-have" for those looking to invest in the U.S. This investment guide, which is written in German, covers topics such as the economic climate, risks, and investment incentives, as well as topics on how to establish a business including immigration, business-establishment, tax and labor laws. For a preview click here.  

To purchase this PDF publication, click here.

Who Really Made Your Car? is the question Thomas Klier, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and presenter at several GACCoM events throughout the Midwest, explores in his latest book. Together with co-author James Rubenstein from Miami University, Klier gives an extensive overview about an industry whose role in motor vehicle production in the United States has been growing: supplier parts now account for 70% of the value added in the manufacture of motor vehicles. Employees in the parts industry outnumber final assembly workers by nearly four to one. Klier and Rubenstein produced an analysis of the motor vehicle parts supplier industry at a level of detail not seen before through the use of a unique database containing information on thousands of parts plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. If you are interested in a detailed answer to the question "Who Really Made Your Car?”, please visit  the publication's website here.

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“Who Really Made Your Car? is a stroll through time that effectively discusses the significant evolution of the North American industry. This book is required reading for those interested in and impacted by the enormous changes under way in the auto industry.”

–David E. Cole, Chairman, Center for Automotive Research