Newsletter May 2012

A whopping 90% of German subsidiaries in the United States showed healthy gains in the Top 50 Ranking of German Firms conducted by the German American Chambers of Commerce. Their entities are investing in business expansions and new hires throughout the United States.
Overall, the sales performance increased by 7.5% from $295 billion in 2010 to $318 billion in 2011. The Top 50 firms created over 461,000 jobs, up from 427,000 in 2010. Download the ranking.
Exclusive Top 50 CEO Quotes:
Torsten Gessner, Chairman and CEO, ThyssenKrupp North America“ | "ThyssenKrupp has been part of the American landscape for over 170 years, and today, despite tough economic times, our U.S. subsidiaries are continuing to expand...
Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc | “2011 was a critical year for Volkswagen in the U.S., with our Chattanooga plant receiving Platinum LEED Certification, the 2012 Passat being named Car of the Year,...
Eric Spiegel, President and CEO, Siemens Corporation | "Our 60,000 employees in the U.S. make it possible for Siemens to continually innovate and remain competitive in what is not only the company’s largest market,...
GACC NY NEWS
Welcome to our NEW Board Members
On April 25, our member firm Commerzbank kindly hosted the GACC’s Annual Meeting at their Two World Financial Center offices. The event was attended by approx. 50 company representatives. In the course of the meeting, 5 new candidates, proposed by the GACC’s Nominating Committee, were elected as members of the Board.
We are honored to welcome the following 5 new Directors:
• Michael Kruklinski • Head of Region Americas
Siemens Real Estate | Washington D.C.
• Lars Leitner • Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer
The Turner Corporation | New York, NY
• Jan-Patrick Schmitz • President & CEO
Montblanc North America | Murray Hill, NJ
• Michael Traub • President & CEO
Bosch Siemens Home Appliances Corp. (BSH) | Irvine, CA
• Ludwig Willisch • President & CEO
BMW of North America | Woodcliff Lake, NJ
At the following Board of Driectors meeting, Harry Yergey, Managing Director & General Manager at Commerzbank AG, was elected as Secretary of the GACC. To see a list of all members of the Board of Directors, please visit our website.
Ten Years of Outstanding Support: Special thanks to the outgoing Secretary of the GACC - J. Hayes Kavanagh

After having served as Secretary of the German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. for 10 years, J. Hayes Kavanagh has decided to resign from his officer position. The German American Chamber of Commerce wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation for such exceptional dedication and commitment to the GACC – a sincere Dankeschön! to J. Hayes Kavanagh for contributing his time, for his service and counsel.
Being granted the Fulbright scholarship to Germany, Hayes Kavanagh studied at the University of Marburg, hitchhiked all over Germany and was an eyewitness to John F. Kennedy's famous speech in Berlin in June 1963, proclaiming "Ick bin ein Berliner". As a young attorney, Hayes worked for White & Case in Frankfurt, doing pioneer work in attracting German companies to invest in the US, which was gaining significant movement at that time. Back in the United States, he established himself as an outstanding lawyer for the German-American business community in New York.
He has worked diligently to strengthen the German-American ties and his contributions have expanded our network to be the far-reaching organization it is today. Without him, we would not be where we are now and we are tremendously fortunate that Mr. Kavanagh will remain a member of our Board of Directors.
NEW: GAT Marketplace - Classified ads in our magazine
Send us your logo & text and we place the ad for you! ($249) Contact Ning Wang at nwang@gaccny.com or (212)974-8855 for further details.
Example in our current "German American Trade Magazine" on page 40.
New edition of the "Subsidiaries of German Firms in the U.S." - Now Available

Title: Subsidiaries of German Firms in the U.S. 2012/2013
Content: 250 pages listing over 3,500 firms in the U.S., with German ownership of 50% or more. In addition to contact information, it also lists the number of employees, contact name, title etc.
Price: $120 (* Member Discount available)
• Order Book: "Subsidiaries of German Firms in the U.S." *
• Online Access *
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday May 17 | European Chambers Spring Networking Event

Please join us at the European Chambers Spring Networking Event 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012 from 6-9 p.m. at the Central Park Boat House:
Cocktail Networking Reception jointly organized by GACC & the European-American Chamber of Commerce in the United States, Inc. including the Austrian, Belgian, British, French, German, Italian, Luxembourg, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swiss, Finnish and Swedish chambers.
Space is limited! Register online or fill out RSVP form. If you have questions, please contact Anne Wittig at events(at)gaccny.com or (212) 974-8837.
Bronze Sponsor:

May 20-23 | GACC at National Stationary Show

The German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. will be visiting this year’s National Stationary Show, May 20-23, at the Javits Center in New York. In its role as facilitator of bilateral business relations between Germany and the US the GACCNY will meet with exhibitors and attendees interested in the US or the German market.
If you are exhibiting or planning on attending the show please contact Andreas Seitz at aseitz(at)gaccny.com or (212) 974-8844 to schedule an appointment.
Thursday June 7 | White Asparagus Dinner 2012

Register NOW!
Once again, our approximately 250 guests will experience a dinner event which is second to none, including generous portions of white asparagus from Germany, German wines, and entertainment. This year’s venue, CAPITALE, is rich in history and offers a unique and elegant ambiance. Prior to the dinner, we would like to welcome our guests with a reception.
Register online or fill out the RSVP form. If you have questions, please contact Anne Wittig at awittig@gaccny.com or (212) 974-8837.
To highlight your company at this special occasion and invite your guests to a memorable evening, please have a look at the sponsorship opportunities!
June 18-27 | dasHaus is coming to Cambridge!

After successful stops in Canada, the dasHAUS pavilion is finally coming to the East Coast. The energy efficiency pavilion will be displayed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA from June 18-27, 2012. dasHAUS can be found in the parking lot at 219 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139.
The pavilion is free to tour for the public. During the exhibition various events will take place such as a Grand Opening, a Green Building Conference, Guided Tours, Networking Events with industry experts and political decision makers, and much more. Please make sure to RSVP for the events. For more information, please visit our website http://cambridge.dashaustour.com/. Come and join the dialogue!
WASHINGTON UPDATE
BDI and DIHK submit comments on U.S.-EU High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth to the European Comission
DIHK calls for policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic to consider all options to boost the EU-US relationship. Detailed comments.
The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag -DIHK) is the umbrella organisation of the German Chamber Network (AHK), providing experience, connections and services worldwide through 120 locations in 80 countries.
TRADE FAIRS
Messe Essen Partners with Chinese company to host Hortiflorexpo IPM in Beijing

Successful Premiere for a New Cooperation
It was an excellent way to start to a new partnership: As a result of the new joint venture Hortiflorexpo IPM Beijing gained strength and internationality. For the first time, Hortiflorexpo, the most important plant trade fair in China, and IPM ESSEN, the world's #1 fair in the green sector, came together for a joint event in the Beijing Exhibition Center. 405 exhibitors from 24 countries and regions presented their products and services from April 11 – 14, 2012. More than 16,580 visitors obtained information in the sold-out halls about trends in the green sector. Hortiflorexpo IPM 2012 was the largest event of its kind to ever take place in the Beijing Exhibition Center.
The visitors and the exhibitors praised the fact that the products and the supporting program complemented each other in an outstanding way. Floristic demonstrations from Germany, the USA and Taiwan were met with particular interest. The highlights of the fair included seminars and lectures about tree nursery and plant production from Italy and France. National pavilions came from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Taiwan.
The next Hortiflorexpo IPM will take place on April 17 - 21, 2013 at the Shanghai Expo Pavilion fair site in Shanghai.
Trade Fair Calendar
Essen Trade Fairs | Leipzig Trade Fairs | Munich Trade Fairs |
May 15-18, 2012 June 4–7, 2012 June 5-8, 2012 June 16-19, 2012 | June 2-6, 2012 June 2-6, 2012 June 2-10, 2012 | May 7 - 11, 2012 May, 22 - 25, 2012 May, 22 - 25, 2012 June 5-7, 2012 Shanghai, China |
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SOS Children's Villages in Germany Opens New Village with Help from FedEx
Member firm, SOS Children's Village, the world's largest charity dedicated to building families and communites for orphaned, abandoned and foster children has received $90,000 in funding for the construction of a new housekeeping department at SOS-Hof Bochum.
The transportation company FedEx Express promotes with this donation the construction of a new facility, promoting the social and professional integration of adults with disabilities. More
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