German-American companies to convene in Alabama to discuss doing business in the United States

March 12, 2012 - PRLog -- Atlanta, Georgia - On May 7, 2012 the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States, Inc. (GACC South) will hold its Annual General Meeting in Huntsville, AL. The meeting serves as a gathering of some of the German-American business community’s biggest supporters and as an election of new Directors to the GACC South’s Board.

In February, it was announced that Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. President and CEO Markus Shäfer would be this year’s keynote speaker. However, fantastic business growth regarding the Mercedes C-Class now demands his presence in Germany during the Annual General Meeting and he has, unfortunately, had to decline the engagement. A new keynote speaker will be added to the meeting’s agenda shortly and announced as soon as possible.

The business program, aimed at the future of German investment and industry in the southern US, will begin with a breakfast meeting with guest speaker John Norris, Head of Wealth Management at Oakworth Capital Bank, and continue with a German Executive roundtable discussion to be moderated by AGCO Corporation Chairman, President and CEO Martin Richenhagen. A business luncheon will precede the Annual Member Meeting, the latter of which will detail chamber happenings and goals for the coming year, as well as an election to choose the GACC South’s newest board members.

A majority of the day’s events are open to the public. This year’s program, as in years past, welcomes all interested parties to join in its networking opportunities and participate in the dialogue that has become vital to the region’s national and international investments.

The meeting travels annually around the chamber’s 11 states, having visited such influential cities in German industry as Asheville, NC; Savannah, GA; and Charleston, SC, amongst many others. Alabama’s international industries sector has grown tremendously in the wake of companies like Mercedes and Thyssen Krupp AG establishing homes there, and the GACC South’s effort to foster the growth of the German-American business relationship, not only in Alabama but all over the south, is essential now more than ever.

We encourage everyone to be a part of these influential developments by joining us this spring. The program will be held at the Westin Huntsville, where group rates are available. Tickets, registration and other event information can be found online at http://www.gaccsouth.com.

The GACC South would like to extend their sincere thanks to the University of Alabama – Huntsville for their support of the 2012 AGM, as well as Evans General Contractors, Transparent USA, Walbridge, and Western Union Business Solutions for their patronage this year. The GACC South also wishes to thank the Area Development Partnership for their collaboration during and in preparation for the event.

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About the GACC South:
The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States was founded in 1978 to promote and support bilateral trade between Germany and the U.S. The GACC South is located in Atlanta, Georgia and serves the 11 Southeastern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Four local chapters have been established in Charlotte, NC, Greenville, SC, Dallas, TX, Nashville, TN, as well as a branch office in Houston, TX, with a focus on the energy sector.

The GACC South is a private, non-profit organization and serves as the official representative of German trade in the Southeastern US. It is part of an international network composed of 120 German foreign chambers of commerce and government offices in 80 countries. The GACC South is one of the largest bi-national chambers in the United States.

Visit www.gaccsouth.com for more information.