ChamberBrief

April 2009

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

Content:

• Upcoming Events: 9th Annual Merlin Awards Gala 2009, CO Chapter Denver Art Museum Tour, European Drinks Festival, YEC Luftwerk Reception, MN Chapter Speaker Event: "How Corporations Manage Currency Risk" 
• Green Corner: WINDPOWER German Night Reception, Energy Efficiency in Industry Conference in Michigan
• HR Executive Circle: Please Complete our One Minute Survey
• Career Services: Looking for bilingual Staff? Looking for a Position where You can use Your German Skills?
• Publications:  Advertise in the 2009 Membership Directory
• News: US Investors Introduced to Germany’s Next Generation of Airport Hubs +++ Six Midwestern Companies Up for Prestigious German American Business Award +++ FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region opens a Representative Office in Chicago +++ Exploiting Opportunities on the US Energy Market 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

9th Annual Merlin Awards Gala 

Come join us for our signature event! This year we are delighted to dedicate our Gala in support of the Chicago 2016 Olympics. The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the MERLIN Awards, given by the Chamber to honor those companies selected by a panel of judges for excellence in German-American business in three categories: Best Innovator, Best New Company, and Best Service Provider.

The 2009 MERLIN finalists are:

• Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc.
• Melitta SystemService USA Inc.
• Pilz Automation Safety L.P.
• Rite-Hite Products Corporation
• Rödl & Partner
• Zentis Food Solutions North America LLC

SILENT AUCTION: 

The Silent Auction takes place during the cocktail reception. Don't miss your chance to bid on all the great items: From Lufthansa tickets to porcelain to power tools and much more. We're proud to present the list with the donations from our sponsors. Please see our list of items and place your bids.  Thank you to all our sponsors.

If you haven't registered yet, please do so today. Registration will close at midnight on Monday, April 27th.  

Date: Friday, May 1, 2009

Time: 5:30 - 11:30 pm
Location:  InterContinental Hotel, 505 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 

Cost: $250 for Members, $300 for Non-Members

For more information and to register for the MERLIN Award Gala, please click here.

GACCoM would like to thank all of our sponsors for supporting us:

Gold Sponsor: Lufthansa German Airlines

Silver Sponsors: Robert Bosch Corporation and Bank of America

Bronze Sponsors: American Airlines; Asmus GmbH; Blackmann Kallick; ECE Consulting; Eisenmann; Fifth Third Bank; Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy; K&L Gates; Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson; J.S. Richter Ltd.; Rödl & Partner; Siemens; Thiedmann & Edler/Andrea Luehmann and XL Insurance

CO Chapter: Denver Art Museum Special Guided Tour

What: Special guided Tour by Dr. Christoph Heinrich, Curator of Denver Art Museum

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 PM

Location: Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Avenue Pkwy, Denver, CO

Cost: $ 10.00 Adults, $ 8.00 for Seniors over 60. Free with Denver Art Museum membership 

For more information, please visit www.gaccco.org or contact Dan Cheatham at cheatham@gacc-co.org.

European Drinks Festival 2009

GACCoM, EuroChicago and the European Union Consulates in Chicago are pleased to present the European Drinks Festival 2009. 

Discover Wines, Beers and Spirits from: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and more.

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Time: 5:00 - 6:00 pm for professionals; 6:00 - 7:00 pm for general public

Location: Hotel Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, 22 E. Chestnut, Chicago, IL

Cost: $30; $20 for Students with valid ID (and over 21)

Please RSVP via e-mail to Barbara Lefevere Barbara.lefevere@gmail.com.

YEC - Special Evening Reception at the Studio of Luftwerk Ltd.

GACCoM’s Young Executives Committee and Luftwerk Ltd. are pleased to invite you and your friends to a special evening reception at the studio of Luftwerk Ltd.

Luftwerk opens its studio to present samples of its recent works with an introductory talk on the creative process and its cultural influences. Luftwerk consists of Sean Gallero and Petra Bachmaier, a German-American collaborative currently based in Chicago.

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location: 2750 W Augusta Blvd 3F, Chicago, IL

Cost: $15 for YEC Members, $20 for Non-Members

Refreshments and drinks will be served.

For more information on the event, the artist, and to register, please click here or contact Anna Cournoyer at cournoyer@gaccom.org or (312) 494-2176.

MN Chapter Evening Event: "How Corporations Manage Currency Risk"

What:  Speaker Event with George Hess, Vice President Foreign Exchange, U.S. Bank on "How Corporations Manage Currency Risk"

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009

Time: Social hour: 6:00 pm with dinner-style hors d'oeuvres and selected wines; Talk: 7:00 pm

Location: Germanic-American Institute, 301 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Cost: Members $20, Non-members $25

For more information, please visit www.gaccom-mn.org or contact Nina Roloefs at roel6790@stthomas.edu or  (651) 962-4081.

WINDPOWER German Night Reception

WINDPOWER is the largest wind trade show in the world with more than 15,000 visitors and 1,200 exhibitors including many German companies. GACCoM together with the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Chicago invite you and your guests to our German Night Networking Reception to connect with GACCoM members, WINDPOWER exhibitors, public policy makers and other leaders of the wind industry. Don’t miss your chance to network with German and American leaders from this important sector!

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: The Blackstone Renaissance Hotel, 636 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60605

Cost: $70 for Members, $85 for Non-Members 

For more information on this event, please click here or contact Bernadett Steiner at steiner@gaccom.org or (312) 494-2180.

GACCoM would like to thank all of our sponsors for their support:

GIGAWATT Sponsors: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia/Germany and Ricardo Strategic Consulting

MEGAWATT Sponsors: Duke Energy Indiana; Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy; Rödl & Partner and the Missouri Partnership

KILOWATT Sponsors: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione; DB Schenker; Indeck Energy Services; Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Schunk Graphite Technology 

Energy Efficiency in Industry Conference

Germany is a leader in the field of industrial energy efficiency with a wealth of experience and expertise in technologies for the manufacturing sector.  As the center of the U.S. manufacturing sector, the Midwest is an ideal region in which to cultivate partnerships in energy efficiency between German and U.S. companies. This conference will:

• feature German companies offering technologies for the Midwestern energy intensive industries
• present insights of leaders in both U.S. industry and German energy efficiency
• examine how they promote energy efficiency in industry through programs & policy

The German delegation will include company representatives who will speak about specific technologies, products and services that help manufacturers lower their energy costs.

The Export Initiative for Energy Efficiency in Industry 2009 is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology based on a resolution of the German Parliament.

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Time: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Detroit Metro Region

More information will be announced on our website at www.gaccom.org soon. In the meantime if you have any questions, please contact Virginia Attaway at attaway@gaccom.org or (312) 494-2163.

GACCoM's Renewables & Energy Efficiency Roadshow

Please Save The Date for our 2nd Annual Renewables & Energy Efficiency Roadshow!

Dates & Locations:

Tuesday, Sept 1, 2009 - Chicago, IL

Wednesday, Sept 2, 2009 - Columbus, OH

Thursday, Sept 3, 2009 - Detroit, MI

More information will be available on our website at www.gaccom.org soon.

HR Executive Circle - One Minute Profile Survey

Please take a look at our "One Minute Profile Survey" for HR Managers of German subsidiaries to better tailor the topics of our GACCoM’s HR Executive Circles. Please pass this information on to your HR Manager.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sandra Antal at antal@gaccom.org or (312) 644-2662.

GACCoM Career Services

Looking for German-English speaking staff? Take a look into GACCoM's Career Services. Career Services specializes in matching bilingual job seekers from a wide range of fields and experience levels to vacant positions at our client companies throughout the United States.  If you are looking for a qualified bilingual employee, please contact Sabine Klensch at klensch@gaccom.org or (312) 494 2166.

If you are currently looking for a job, please submit your resume and contact information to our jobXchange database. 

Advertise in the GACC Membership Directory 2009/2010 - Don't miss your chance!

The GACC Membership Directory is a must-have for executives and decision makers. Don't miss your chance to place your advertisement today. In these turbulent economic times, it is more important than ever to be visible and stand out to those that matter in our community.

2009/2010 Special Deal: Every Advertiser will receive a complimentary Premium Lisiting Enhancement (a $350 value) for free.

Contact Janka Pieper at pieper@gaccom.org or (312) 494-2162 for advertising rates. Artwork Deadline: May 12, 2009.

	Bundeskanzlerin Merkel mit dem neuen DIHK-Präsidenten Driftmann (l.) sowie dem DIHK-Ehrenpräsidenten Braun (r.)

Driftmann New DIHK President

Hans Heinrich Driftmann is the new President of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).

The plenary session of the DIHK has elected Hans Heinrich Driftmann, the President of the IHK in Kiel and former Vice President of the DIHK, as its new President. Mr. Driftmann was nominated by outgoing President Ludwig Braun and was elected by an overwhelming majority.  

Driftmann, father of four daughters, has been President and CEO of Cologne KGaA in Elmshorn since 1990. After his election, he announced that he would step down from his current post in order to devote himself fully to the work of the DIHK.

Driftmann thanked his predecessor for eight years of outstanding service to the organization. He spoke highly of Braun’s work in support of education and a better balance between work and family. In emphasizing his predecessor’s successes, Driftmann expressed his belief that overcoming the economic crisis would require a continued commitment to education and professional development. He offered to work constructively with the government as it deals with the crisis but cautioned that too much intervention into the affairs of individual companies would stifle competition and discourage recovery. Instead, allowing the best principles of the social market economy to come to the fore again would bring about a lasting recovery. Among these principles, Driftmann emphasized individual accountability and responsibility, which he said “have taken a back seat in economics and policy in recent years.”

US Investors Introduced to Germany’s Next Generation of Airport Hubs

April 14, 2009 - Germany Trade & Invest organized roadhsow through U.S. to present new Berlin Brandenburg International airport and Leipzig logistics hub +++
Six Midwestern Companies Up for Prestigious German American Business Award
April 10, 2009 - GACCoM Announces 2009 MERLIN Award Finalists +++

FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region opens a Representative Office in Chicago
April 1, 2009 - For the first time the Region is represented by its own office on the North-American continent +++

Exploiting Opportunities on the US Energy Market 
March 30, 2009 - German-American Energy Conference opens: Renewables Boom in the US +++

Past Events - Photogallery

Take a look at some selected pictures from our many events throughout the Midwest and beyond, such as the German American Energy Conference in Berlin, the MN Chapter Winetasting Gala, the Rite-Hite Open House in WI, or the CO Chapter Membership Meeting. For our picture gallery, please click here.