ChamberBrief

December 2008

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

Content:

• Publication: GACCoM's Highlightsbrochure 2008
• Upcoming Events: Economic Forum 2009, MI Chapter: New Year's Gala, YEC Stammtisch 
• Career Services: Current Openings
• GACCoM News: Staff Changes 2009, Barbara Zollmann's Farewell
• Green Corner: WindEnergy Business 2009, New Green Corner on GACCoM Website
• Transatlantic Program 2009: Alumni Reunion
• Photogallery: View pictures from our past events, including our Audi CEO Speaker Series, our Annual Executive German Wine Dinner, and our Green Buidling Conference.

GACCoM Highlights 2008 2008 was a very successful year for GACCoM. We have put together a Highlights brochure that features some of our events, our chapter' events as well as an overview of our renewable events in our new green corner! You can download the brochure as a PDF. Enjoy and Thank you!   Highlights Brochure - Download File

Upcoming Events

Annual Economic Forum

What: On Thursday, January 29th, 2009 the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACCs) in conjunction with the Representative of German Industry and Trade (RGIT) in Washington, D.C.  will host their Annual Economic Forum. 

The Annual Economic Forum 2009 will be an interactive Roundtable Discussion debating the critical economic outlook for the year 2009. The panel will focus on macro and micro-economic topics relevant to the German American business community in the US, featuring top speakers from both sides of the Atlantic.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2009 

Time: 11:15 am – 2:00 pm

Location: Sofitel Chicago O’Hare, Rosemont, IL
Cost: $85 for members

           $100 for non-members

           $ 925 for a table of 10 

Speakers:  (listed alphabetically)

• Michael Backfisch, Handelsblatt, Middle East Bureau Chief, Dubai, - Confirmed
• Brad Haeberle, VP Marketing, Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. - Confirmed
• Stefan Jacoby, President & CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. (invited)
• Dr. Holger Schmieding, Chief Economist Europe, Bank of America, London - Confirmed
• Ralf Sigrist, President & CEO, Nordex USA, Inc. - Confirmed 
• Diane Swonk, Senior Managing Director & Chief Economist, Mesirow Financial, Chicago, IL - Confirmed
• Norbert Weichele, CEO, Zentis Food Solutions North America, Plymouth, IN - Confirmed

If you're interested in sponsoring this event, please fill out the form below and fax it to Lauren VanderBerg at 312-644-0738, or send it by email to vanderberg@gaccom.org

MI Chapter: Annual New Year's Gala 2009

Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Time: 6:30pm  - Reception

           7:30 pm - Dinner

Location: The Whitney Restaurant,  Detroit, MI

Cost: $90 for members, $115 for non-members

For more information, please visit the MI Chapter website at www.gaccmi.org or contact Ingrid Justice at info@gaccmi.org.

YEC Stammtisch

Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 

Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: Berghoff in Downtown Chicago , 17 W. Adams Street,  Chicago, IL

It’s Stammtisch time on Wednesday, January 21 at the Berghoff.  Please join us at the historic Chicago German American bar and restaurant.  The Stammtisch is an informal monthly get-together of the Young Executives’ Committee (YEC). Your GACCoM Staff goes early to reserve tables, but most people begin to arrive at 6 pm.

The Bar at the Berghoff is close to the Jackson stop on the Red and Blue Lines and only blocks from Union Station and Ogilvie Center for you Metra riders.

Everyone is welcome at Stammtisch – members, friends, interns, visitors – the more the merrier!  We hope you will be able to join us this month for “ein Bierchen” and some “Gemütlichkeit”.  No registration necessary. Feel free to contact us at 312-644-2662, if you have any questions.

GACCoM Career Services

Current Openings at GACCoM:   

• Full-time bilingual (English/German) Accounting Manager with 5+ years of work experience.

Current Openings at our client organization:

• General Manager of North American Operations in Chicago: A  well established German-based company in the field of wind power technology and services is looking for an experienced, upper-level managerial professional to build up their U.S. operations in the Chicago area. The individual should possess excellent business skills, a strong technical background, the ability to work independently, and conversational German competency.  

GACCoM News

Staff Changes 2009
Our Vice President Barbara Zollmann, who has been with GACCoM for 7 years, is leaving us to work at our parent organization, the the Association of German Chambers and Commerce (DIHK) in Berlin, at the end of December 2008. Mark Tomkins, currently Director of Consulting Services, will take over the position of Vice President in January 2009. Also in January 2009, Sabine Klensch will become Director of Human Resources & Career Services. Joining us at the beginning of 2009 will be Bernadett Steiner from the German-Irish Chamber, who will have the position of Renewables Project Manager. Daniela Daus, who has interned with the chamber for 14 months, will become a permanent staff member and work as our Consulting Events Coordinator.

Barbara Zollmann's Farewell

	Farewell Party for Barbara on December, 16th at Baker & McKenzie

Barbara Zollmann dedicated seven years to the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. She started in Chicago on November 1, 2001, fresh from serving as the assistant to the President and CEO of the IHK Koblenz. Barbara led the Consulting Department as Manager before becoming Director of Consulting Services. In March 2006 Barbara became Vice President of the Chamber and joined the Board of Directors. Together with Simone Pohl, they formed the first female duo to lead a Chamber in North America.

One of the top projects of our Chamber is the Transatlantic Program (TAP), which Barbara started with young executives in 2002. Since 2005 a delegation of 25 selected US students has traveled to Germany for a two-week immersion seminar and 2-6 month internships. Through the course of the program, Barbara has already helped to develop more than 200 future ambassadors for Germany.

Barbara will return to Germany to work with the parent organization, the Association of German Chambers and Commerce (DIHK) in Berlin. At the DIHK, she will be responsible for the coordination of the German Chambers Abroad (AHK) in North and South America and Western Europe.

The Chamber Team wishes her all the best in her new position and thanks her for seven years!

Green Corner Please visit our website at www.gaccom.org and take a look at our new "Green Corner" section highlighting our 'green' initiatives. The section includes information on upcoming events, past events, news from the renewable energy field, and much more. Take a look.

WindEnergy Business 2009

US-German Opportunities for Cooperation in Wind Energy
 

On Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 we will be hosting the  WindEnergy Business 2009 conference in Chicago, Illinois. In coordination with the German Energy Agency (DENA), and sponsored by the German Ministry for Economics and Technology (BMWI), innovative German companies will present their technologies and  discuss opportunities for cooperation between the US and Germany.  Leading speakers from both the US and Germany will share their experiences, new technologies, products, and services. We will also be organizing one-on-one meetings between the German companies and potential U.S. business partners, throughout the week of February 23rd.
Registration will be open soon and is free for the first 120 participants! For more information or if you are interested in setting up meetings with the German companies, please contact Hans Royal, at royal@gaccom.org or visit our "Green Corner" on our website at www.gaccom.org.

Transatlantic Program 2009 – Alumni Reunion

Past Events - Photogallery

To view pictures from our past events, such as our Audi CEO Speaker Series, GACCoM's Annual Wine Dinner, GACCoM's Green Building Innovation Conference, and many others, please click here.