She’s back!

For the past three months, we haven’t had a permanent President & CEO. Stefanie Jehlitschka, our interim President & CEO, has been doing great but considering the fact that while being interim President & CEO she’s ALSO maintained her duties as Vice President of our Atlanta office and Marketing Services, we’re a little worried about how much (or how little) sleep she’s been getting.

So, that’s why we’re incredibly excited that (*drum roll please*) we have a new President & CEO! And not only do we have a new President & CEO, but it’s a new President & CEO that we all know and like.

Martina Stegmeier, who was previously our Vice President and Director of Consulting Services, will be stepping in to take over the role. We’re happy that the search for a new President & CEO has led her back to us.

Martina at the 15th Annual Gala in 2010

Strandkörbe: Not just for the beach any more

The GACC South office recently acquired a traditional piece of German beach furniture known as a Strandkorb, thanks to one of our very generous member companies SEAMACS USA. The literal translation of the word is “beach basket” – and after looking at the furniture piece’s evolution over the years, the name choice becomes an obvious one.

The Strandkorb allegedly first came to be in Rostock in 1882 thanks to inventor and German basket weaver Wilhelm Bartelmann. After a local woman requested he make a chair that would protect her from the strong sun and wind on the beach, Bartelmann created the single-seat, covered, wicker chairs you see below. They became beach essentials in the 1900s, and were found all along the northern coast of Germany throughout the 20^th century.

Inventor Wilhelm Bartelmann's family posing with some of his first Strandkorb designs in the late 1800s.

Bartelmann never patented his idea, however, and over the years the Strandkorb has seen the addition of bigger seats, sun and rain shades, and adjustable backs and footrests, similar to the decked-out chair that currently resides in the front of our office. Today, Strandkörbe are manufactured by a number of companies worldwide and are commonly available to rent along the beaches of the North and Baltic Seas… and now the GACC South Atlanta office. Our lunch breaks are feeling a little more like spring breaks these days (almost).

Members of our Consulting Department Jimi Smoke and Anika Buchholz enjoying our new Strandkorb donated to the office by SEAMACS USA.

More history on the traditional Strandkorb can be found here.

Many thanks to Klaus Becker

This past December, our North Carolina chapter held a holiday reception at the residence of Klaus Becker, our former Chapter Director for North Carolina. In addition to being a holiday reception for members of the chapter, the event was held to show appreciation for all of Klaus’ service to the GACC South during his tenure as Chapter Director.

As a token of our appreciation, we presented Klaus with an original piece of art from Christopher Hauck, who also provided the art work for our Atlanta offices. Recently, Klaus sent us an email saying that he has found a dignified place for the “beautiful piece of art.”

Thank you again, Klaus, for all of your work and dedication to the GACC South. We appreciate you!

Klaus Becker (middle), former North Carolina Chapter Director with Stefanie Jehlitschka (left), Interim President & CEO and VP Atlanta Office & Marketing Services and Dr. Christian Kissinger (right), current North Carolina Chapter Director

GACC South Marketing goes for tea

Every few months, the GACC South Marketing Department goes out for drinks to give the group a chance to socialize outside of the office. We’re a team made up of three Americans and four Germans, all of which have an affinity for beer (with the exception of last night, which brought a few too many diet cokes and tea pots amongst us. What can we say? It was cold and some of us were still jet-lagged from the holidays).

Missing our former President and CEO Kristian Wolf a little too much, we decided to take him with us. By “him,” we mean the cardboard cutout we have of him (yes, you read that correctly – we had the duplicate made for his going away party last October, and it’s been with us ever since). So, off we went for a round of drinks at the bar we all frequent below our office with Kristian in tow.

The GACC South Marketing Department having dinner with the cutout of our former President and CEO, Kristian Wolf (now a bit of a celebrity around our office complex).

While it didn’t make up for having him their in person, the reminiscing around appetizers and pints of Paulaner was just what we needed after a productive and eventful winter season… even if we did get a few funny stares along the way.

A majority of the Marketing team with “Kristian.” From left, back row: Marketing Intern Megan Urry, Marketing Analyst Nine Moeller, Membership Coordinator Christopher Rasmussen, Ormsby's co-owner Michael Goot, Interim President & CEO Stefanie Jehlitschka, and Events and Membership Manager Friederike Munzinger. To the left of Kristian is Communications Manager Pamela Jackson.

The new Aussies have arrived

While we work through the last few days of 2011, we just wanted to let your curious minds know that the Wolf family has officially arrived and started settling into their new Aussie home. Former President & CEO of the GACC South, Kristian Wolf, has started getting into the swing of his new position as the Executive Director of the German Australian Chamber of Commerce, and his wife Jennifer and their son Otto have been getting used to their new home. Cheers to the Wolfs!

Otto enjoying the Sydney view

Porsche Consulting, Inc. officially open for business in the ATL

Last week, GACC South Interim President & CEO Stefanie Jehlitschka attended a luncheon that marked the introduction of Porsche Consulting, Inc. to Atlanta, the organization’s first office in the U.S. and fourth internationally. The event took place at The Mansion on Peachtree hotel and brought some of the biggest names in Porsche out to celebrate the launch of the newest extension of Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

From right: Porsche Consulting Group President & CEO Eberhard Weiblen, Porsche Consulting, Inc. President & CEO Dr. Norman Firchau, CFO Dr. Wolfgang Lindheim, Manager of Finance Ryan Nelligan, and Senior Consultant Kevin Schwutke.

Happy holidays from the GACC South!

This past Tuesday, the GACC South Atlanta office held our annual holiday party with some Christmas classics: a Charles Dickens play, some warm apple pie… and lots of yummy Italian food. First, we went to café Italia Baraonda for dinner and feasted on wine, tortellini and bruschetta (amongst other goodies), followed by lots (and lots) of chocolate cake and tiramisu. Feeling stuffed, it’s safe to say the walk to our group’s next destination was not a swift one…

Consulting Department members Jimi Smoke, Julia Reimann, Anika Buchholz and Ellen Schmidt at our holiday dinner.

Rockin’ Around the Ice Skating Rink

Some members of the Marketing Department from left to right: Pamela Jackson - Manager, Communications, Manual Muhl - Communications Associate, Chris Rasmussen - Membership Coordinator, Nina Möller - Market Research Analyst and Stefanie Jehlitschka - Interim President & CEO and VP, Atlanta Office & Marketing Services

Last night, in what is becoming a yearly tradition, members of the marketing department enjoyed ice skating at the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta. Around the holidays each year, the St. Regis sets up the Astor Holiday Ice Rink in their hotel – this year over the pool deck.

Lights in the Heights

This past Saturday, staff members from our Houston Office got their holiday cheer in by attending the Woodland Heights Neighborhood’s “Lights in the Heights” celebration. Lights in the Heights started 24 years ago as a way to get the neighborhood together during the holidays. These days, more than 70 entertainment groups take part in the event and homes in the neighborhood are decorated with amazing light displays, all done on a volunteer basis. The decorations were amazing, the homemade Glühwein and Christmas cookies were vital and it was a great holiday time!

Houston staff members and friends enjoying “Lights in the Heights” (back ltr.: Katharina Strenge, Jan Christoph Wiedemann, Jette von Tenspolde, Jacob Claussen, Patrick Brooks; front ltr.: Nico Rudolph, Julia Schulz, Jessica Barber, Julia Zimmermann)

The DIHK tours ATL

Last Friday, the Deputy CEO of the central German Chamber of Industry and Trade (DIHK) in Berlin, Dr. Volker Treier, visited the GACC South Atlanta office to get some insight into the Chamber’s operations. Atlanta was the second stop on his tour of three German American Chambers of Commerce, with his trip beginning in Chicago and later taking him to New York for the German-American Business Outlook presentation that took place on December 5.

Joined by Dr. Treier was Dr. Sara Borella from the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Brussels, Belgium. They had breakfast in our office with several GACC South staff members to discuss projects, events and goals for the New Year. Dr. Treier and Dr. Borella also took a tour of the office and had the opportunity to meet other staff and interns.