Une Soirée
Franco-Américaine
By Erika Wilson
Contributing writer
Posted April 8, 2007
The Pacific Northwest chapter of the
French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACCPNW) held its annual
members’ meeting on April 3, 2007, at the Pan Pacific Hotel in
Seattle. Of nineteen regional affiliates across the United
States, the Northwest chapter of the FACC is one of the most
active, according to John Walsh, the chapter’s Executive Vice
President. Walsh noted that FACCPNW is currently focusing on
trade relationships in the aerospace industry, as well as in
viticulture and biotechnology—relatively recent arrivals on the
Northwest business scene that are becoming key players in the
regional and global economy. (When it comes to wine, France and
the Northwest are natural partners: Oregon’s Willamette Valley
boasts world-class pinot noir, and Rhone-style viognier now
hails from Walla Walla.) With contacts in the industrial,
government, and cultural sectors of both countries, the FACC—which
has a counterpart in France—is well-positioned to bring these
internationally-minded business partners together. “Our primary
focus is trade service,” said Walsh.
Founded in 1986, the Northwest
chapter of the FACC embraces a twofold mission: to promote the
French-American business community in the Pacific Northwest
region, and to facilitate the development of trade relations
between French and American companies. The FACC helps companies
and individuals to expand their international focus by
connecting French and American business contacts and enhancing
trade relationships through networking, cultural events,
seminars, and support services such as travel and visa
coordination. François Ladsous, Deputy Director and Trade
Attaché of the FACCPNW, assists Executive Director Jack Cowan
with market research, trade fairs, and hosting international
delegations. Ladsous summarized the organization’s primary
purpose as “promoting the exchange of goods, services, cultures,
and people, and assisting with business plan development.”
The FACCPNW also features a strong
educational component. Each year, French and American students
and young professionals intern with the organization. The
interns assist with all aspects of the organization and also
develop special projects. A wonderful example of an intern-led
initiative is “A l’Ecole” (or “France in a Suitcase”), an
interactive cultural program that (literally) brings a taste of
France to elementary school students in the Puget Sound area.
Sophie Lavandier, an intern from Paris and one of the creators
of the program, said with a smile that one of the goals of “A
l’Ecole” is “to create a whole bunch of little Francophiles.” To
that end, FACCPNW volunteers visit third and fourth grade
classes and take the students on an interactive “trip” to
France. The children learn fun facts and French phrases—and
everyone says oui to a delicious croissant at the end of
the lesson. “A l’Ecole” is available to area schools at no cost;
teachers and those who wish to volunteer or donate to the
program are encouraged to contact the FACCPNW for more
information.
The 2007 members’ meeting of the
FACCPNW began with an informal wine reception, followed by a
business meeting and dinner. President William King gave a brief
talk about the accomplishments of the last year, as well as
future goals of the chapter. Highlights of 2006 were a visit by
French winemakers to the Northwest to learn about local
producers and distributors, a conference on mergers and
acquisitions in the aerospace industry, a visit by French
Ambassador to the United States Jean-David Lavitte, and
participation in the Governor’s Life Science Summit. In the
future, the chapter will continue its focus on effective
governance, increased networking opportunities, and active
participation by the Board and chapter members. The business
meeting was followed by a word of thanks from Air France for the
FACCPNW’s assistance in implementing a new daily nonstop flight
from Seattle to Paris—a welcome development for the many
frequent fliers in the room, and a fine example of the positive
contributions made by the chapter to French-American business
relations in the Seattle area. The centerpiece of the evening
was the keynote address by Marc Onetto, Senior Vice President of
Worldwide Operations at Amazon.com. Onetto emphasized Amazon’s
customer service focus, and discussed the globalization
initiatives his company is undertaking to serve a growing
international market in Europe and Asia.
The FACCPNW may mean business, but
it is far from being all work and no play. Chapter members also
enjoy a series of social and cultural events that provide a
forum for French speakers and Francophiles to meet one another
and share their cultural heritage. Highlights of the FACCPNW
events calendar include a gala auction held in November to
celebrate the year’s release of Beaujolais Nouveau wine, and the
Seattle Center Bastille Day festival in July. Business card
exchanges and members’ meetings are also an excellent
opportunity for attendees to socialize, with French as the
language of choice in many of the conversations. Membership in
the chapter is open to individuals and businesses who have an
interest in France and international commerce. For more
information, visit
http://www.uccife.org/usa/seattle or contact the FACCPNW at
(206) 443-4703.
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2006 All content property of European Weekly unless where otherwise
accredited
