Consular Chief Aaron Hellman talking about ESTA Photo by Kathryn Crockart

Munich Consular Chief Aaron Hellman travelled to Memmingen for a multi-part outreach program.  After meeting up with German-American Society Memmingen key contacts, Hellman visited a combined audience of two high schools at Vöhlin Gymnasium for a PowerPoint-enhanced lecture on the U.S. elections.  In the ensuing Q&A, Hellman answered specific questions pertaining to student exchanges and internships, natural fields of interest for the 200+ senior high school students.  After the school visit, Hellman met up with editors of the "Memminger Zeitung" to spread the ESTA News.

 

More interest in exchanges to the U.S.
June 19, 2008

Consul General Eric Nelson joined Bavarian Justice Minister Beate Merk for a visit to Neu-Ulm.  In cooperation with the consulate public affairs section, Dr. Merk arranged the visit to her home town and the Christoph Probst Realschule.  The Consul General and Justice Minister Dr. Merk discussed integration challenges with school leaders and then talked about German-American ties, exchanges and elections in Bavaria and the U.S. with 40 students.  The information about exchanges spontaneously sparked interest among the students to spend some time in the U.S. as au pairs or as interns.  During the visit, the Consul General and Justice Minister Merk also met with the mayor of Neu Ulm, Gerold Noerenberg (CSU), who introduced major conversion projects transforming former military installations to modern housing, an innovative technology park and a brand new University of Applied Sciences to be inaugurated this August. 
• "Amerika muss man erleben": article in Südwest Presse
• "Consul General Eric Nelson impressed by conversion projects": article in Neu-Ulmer Zeitung

Ambassador Timken in Swabia
July 26-28, 2007

Ambassador Timken was the keynote speaker at the Augsburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s annual Summer Fest.  The chamber’s annual event spotlights one country each year, and this year’s choice was the USA.  An audience of more than 500 – including Bundestag member Christian Ruck – listened to him hail a "New Era for Transatlantic Economic Cooperation".  He also spoke with regional press.   A local Augsburg TV station covered the Summer Fest. During his visit, Ambassador and Mrs. Timken met Prince and Princess Fugger-Babenhausen, the descendants of the influential Augsburg Fugger family and toured the oldest social housing estate still in use, the Fuggerei. The Timkens also attended the opening of the world-famous Bayreuth Opera Festival and the world’s largest medieval jousting tournament at Kaltenberg.
• Photo Gallery
• Augsburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Summer Fest
• Article in "Bayerisch-Schwäbische Wirtschaft", pp. 32-33

Consul General Eric Nelson (center) and Principal Commercial Officer Isabella Cascarano (right) met with Hermann Merschroth, Vice President and Director General of AGCO/Fendt at the Fendt production facility in Marktoberdorf in Bavaria. The AGCO Corporation is a major worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, and Fendt is the corporation's new high-tech brand for highest demands. Vice President Merschroth welcomed his guests and gave an overview of Fendt's history as a tractor manufacturer, highlighting the firm's acquisition in 1997 by U.S. agricultural industrial giant AGCO. AGCO's global retail network opened key export markets for Fendt tractors, ensuring the continued growth of the Fendt brand despite a declining domestic market Consul General Nelson and Principal Commercial Officer Cascarano were given an extensive tour of Fendt's production facilities and a tour of the museum. They are seen here standing with Vice President Merschroth reviewing one of Fendt's early tractor models. Consul General Nelson also visited Lindau, located on a small island on the edge of Lake Constance in the westernmost corner of Bavaria. Lord Mayor Petra Seidl welcomed the Consul General in her office.