The Atlanta chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce planned its 2007 business calendar and re-elected 10 board members at its annual meeting held March 29 at the Buckhead Club.
In 2007, the chamber is planning to attract more American members, collaborate with local consulates and work more closely with other local business chambers, according to Frederic Mot, its executive director.
It will also keep existing events that have proven successful in encouraging U.S.-France business relations in the past, according to Denys Gounot, president of DG Network LLC, who was re-elected at the meeting for another two-year term as FACC president.
Such events include the chamber’s annual Passport to France dinner gala, which will be held for the 22nd time in May, its annual Beaujolais Nouveau Festival to be held at the Pied de Cochon restaurant in November and its Crystal Peach business awards gala.
The Crystal Peach awards, which will take place for the fourth time in February, was introduced by Mr. Gounot and recognizes French and American businesses for their efforts to encourage trans-Atlantic trade and investment.
Other upcoming events for the chamber include a Thursday, April 19, business seminar on investing in France that will be co-hosted by the Invest in France Agency and the FedEx Corp. Held at the Woodruff Arts Center, the conference will take place from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The chamber is also planning to organize a joint seminar with the Paris-based insurance and financial services company, AXA SA and the French Trade Commission in Atlanta to be held some time in October. The focus of the event has yet to be determined.
Additional networking events throughout the year are also on the chamber’s agenda, Mr. Gounot said at the meeting.
In addition to Mr. Gounot, other board members re-elected to the chamber include Michele Oliveres, owner of Olivers Travel, as its vice president; Richard Taylor of HLB Gross Collins P.C., as its treasurer and David Aferiat, managing partner with Trade Ideas LLC, as FACC secretary.
Robert Banta, managing partner of Banta Immigration Law; Phil Bolton, president of GlobalAtlanta; Raymond Budraitis, sales representative at Air France; Marc Ducloz, president of Epicurean Food and Beverage and Lionel Zajde of Victec Multimedia were also re-elected.
Other FACC board members who will be up for re-election next year include Andy Scott, partner at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker LLP and vice president at the chamber; Jim Blair of the Georgia Department of Economic Development; Jeff Bulvin, branch manager of AXA Advisors LLC; Gerard Guyard, chairman and CEO of Gravograph Group; Bruno Jactel, director of strategic marketing at Merial Inc. and Michael Shapiro, director of the High Museum of Art.
The chamber has about 100 corporate members and 220 individual members.
Story Contacts, Links and Related Stories
French American Chamber of Commerce – Frederic Mot (404) 846-2500.