Happy Spring!
 
Spring is taking its own sweet time in coming to Chicago this year, but as you'll see in this issue of FLASH, SACC-Chicago started the year off strong with great programs, many new members, and a year of focus on the topic of leadership.
 
We're especially pleased to welcome two new Directors to our Board:  Malin Gunneberg and Marie Landfors.  Malin is currently an Assistant Controller, Global Operations, at the Abbott Diagnostics Division, coming to Chicago in 2012 after previously living in Uppsala and in the Czech Republic. Malin is also on the board of SWEA Chicago where she serves as Treasurer.  Marie is the Commercial Excellence Manager at AkzoNobel in the U.S., and she is back living and working in Chicago for the second time.  Both Malin and Marie quickly assumed Board responsibilities for which we are very grateful.   Please join me in welcoming these two highly accomplished professionals to our Chamber board.
 
This year we also welcome Gerd Sjogren in her new role as Honorary Consul General, Swedish Consulate and Bjorn Olofsson,Trade Commissioner, Business Sweden. Our relationship with these two organizations makes SACC Chicago a better and stronger trade organization.
 
Janis Anderson Rueping
President, SACC Chicago

Past Events
 
January 28
Annual Meeting & Trade Show 

In the last few years, we've combined our Annual Meeting with a cocktail party and trade show to provide members an opportunity to showcase their products and services.  This year provided another excellent opportunity to seven exhibitors - Firstbeat/USANA Health Services, Swedish Covenant Hospital, North Park University, Business Sweden, Warwick Allerton Hotel, Young & Associates, and Century 21. The thirty-five members and guests at the event, held at the Swedish American Museum, enjoyed a time of networking over cocktails and appetizers from Tre Kronor before the Annual Meeting convened.

SACC-Chicago President Janis Anderson Rueping provided members with a broad overview of the Chamber's programs, events, membership, marketing and communications, finances, and Young Professionals' group efforts, noting that 2015 was an excellent year for the Chamber.  She thanked several members who concluded their service on the Board, namely Linnea Sandstrom Lange and Ragnar Ekberg who have moved back to Sweden, Magnus Waller, who has retired and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Hunter Shodeen and Melanie Sandberg whose time constraints no longer permit them to participate, and Gerd Sjogren, who after many years of service to the Board in a number of roles now assumes a new role as the Honorary Consul General of Sweden.  We are fortunate that Gerd will remain on the Board in an advisory capacity as an honorary director.

Two new board members were elected: Malin Gunneberg and Marie Landfors, who are featured in another section of this edition of FLASH. The board also welcomed Bjorn Olafsson, Trade Commissioner of Business Sweden, as an honorary director.  At the conclusion of the Annual Meeting, members and guests enjoyed an interesting presentation by Steven Handler and Joe Roznai, Partners from Michael Silver & Company, on international tax law.

Thanks to all of those mentioned here who made the event a success: Karin Abercrombie, Director of the Swedish American Museum, all exhibitors, Patti Rasmussen from Tre Kronor, Malin Gunneberg and Marie Landfors, new board members, Bjorn Olofsson and Gerd Sjogren for serving as honorary directors, and Steven Handler and Joe Roznai for their presentation.  We are incredibly thankful to all board members and Chamber members who so generously share their time and support with SACC-Chicago!

 



February 18 
Speaker Event with Kitty Kurth, Political Strategist 
 
O n February 18, SACC-Chicago members and guests spent a fascinating evening learning about the inner workings of political campaigns.  Kitty Kurth, President of Kurth Lampe, a political strategy/public relations firm based in Chicago, provided our group with education and insight on the current presidential campaign.  She described the science, math, art, and business of politics, providing examples of each. The role of super PACs and the media in this campaign year were also discussed.  Most primary voters (74%), she said, choose candidates on the basis of their personality and not their stand on the issues.
Several other themes or aspects of the current campaign 'season' were discussed, including feminism, social democracy, 'show politics', party discipline (or lack thereof), and the rise of opinion vs fact-based journalism. Ms. Kurth and Kevin Lampe, her husband and business partner, fielded many questions from guests and the conversation was lively.  Those interested in learning more about the current campaign or the political process were encouraged to check out several websites,  including  538 ,  Project VoteSmart , The Green Papers   , and  Politics/Politico . 
This event was a great opportunity to hear from a knowledgeable a nd experienced political insider, and the discussion could have gone on for hours. Many thanks to Beata Krakus and the firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. for hosting this event, and to Kitty and Kevin, longtime friends and supporters of the Chamber, for lending their time and expertise to this event.

March 8
Chicago Celebrates International W
omen's  Day

SACC Chicago joined SWEA, Swedish American Museum and the Honorary Swedish Consulate for an exhibit and luncheon at the Union League Club of Chicago.   Besides informing  the more than 110 event  guests about Gender Equality and Family Values from a Swedish perspective , each  of our  organization s  exhibited their own marketing material. SACC Chicago was happy to reconnect with other exhibitors,  including  Lisa Waller from BDG International, Inc. as well Lovisa Tedestedt and Jessica Lederhausen of Lova Collection.

The  Keynote Speaker  for the luncheon  was Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Environmental and Human rights Advocate & Author of the "Right to be Cold". It was  very  interesting to hear Sheila  speak of her experience in working with global decision makers for more than a decade, and how t he Arctic connects us all.


March 17
Speaker Event with Anders Gustafsson 
CEO of Zebra Technologies Corporation
On March 17, SACC-Chicago members were treated to a very special speaker event at Zebra Technologies in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Our host, Anders Gustafsson, held the event in Zebra's new Experience Center - a state-of-the-art Center that features the technologies and applications that have earned Zebra awards for leadership and innovation. After a guided tour featuring the company's healthcare, retail, warehouse management, field mobility, manufacturing, location and logistics solutions, and a time of networking over cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, guests had the opportunity to hear directly from Anders about his experience in leading the company through change and opportunity. He specifically described the challenges and opportunities he faced in bringing together two corporate cultures - Zebra and Motorola Solutions in 2014 when Motorola's Enterprise business was acquired.   

Gustafsson described the executive competencies that became most important as he led his corporation through these changes, calling them the "4 R's": a focus on Results, the need for Resilience, the importance of Reciprocity and of taking and managing Risk. Guests left the evening with a new understanding of Zebra's solutions, and appreciation for the important role of leadership - specifically Zebra's leadership - in managing change.  Many thanks to Zebra Technologies and to Anders and his staff for their wonderful hospitality and for providing us with great insight into the role of the CEO in leading change and creating a new corporate culture.



Young Professionals Happy Hour
E very second Tuesday of the month the Young Professionals meet up at a bar and enjoy a great evening together after studies or work!

Professional Networking Events 
This monthly event, which takes place every third Wednesday, is a great way to network with members from the other European Chambers. During the winter months the networking events takes place at the Palm Court Bar at Drake Hotel while in the summertime it is moved to a roof deck bar.  Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Young Professionals 

The SACC YP group met up for after work at the Clark Street Ale house on March 8. With fantastic sunny weather we were able to sit outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm March evening! We had new people joining us and it's always great with new acquaintances and connections made. 

In April we are gearing up for the event together with Fj ällräven on the 14th. If you haven't done so already make sure to sign up. Don't miss this opportunity to network, all the while taking advantage of the discounted pricing Fjällräven offers and maybe even win your very own Kånken backpack! Sign up with an email to [email protected]. 
 
We are also actively looking for additional mentors in our Mentorship program, if you or someone you know in the SACC community have interest in taking part and mentoring a Young Professional member, don't hesitate to reach out to the SACC office.


Save the Dates 

April
Store visit at Fjällräven 


May 19
Speaker Event with Jonas Prising, CEO and Chairman of Manpowergroup Corporation 

June 10  
Annual Golf Outing

September 10
Annual Crayfish Party

October 27
Speaker Event with Professor Bengt Kristensson Ugla, at North Park University 
December 2
Annual Lucia Luncheon 

To read more about the upcoming events, please visit our  website . 

We hope to see you at the above events during 2016!

Gunn and Nina
SACC-Office 
Meet our New Members

Corporate
Starcom

Business
Mentice
Persson Innovation, Inc
Hilton Chicago Oak Brook Suites  
Law Offices of Daniel A. Zeft
Swedish Historical Society of Rockford

Individual
Anna Wramner
Marie Landfors 
Malin Gunneberg
Hugh Edfors
Filip Johansson
Elisabeth Hubbard
Lisa Waller

Young Professionals
Frida Koskell
Andrew Johansson


Welcome our spring interns! 

Nina Svensson - SACC Chicago 
Nina is one semester from finishing her Bachelor degree in political sciences with in the program International Administration with English at Linnaeus University in Vaxjo.   Nina was beside her studies involved in a variety of different organisations at her university, she was the Vice President of her educational organisation VISKA (Vaxjo's international, language, communication and administration students) from fall 2014 to fall 2015.  Nina would like to work internationally in the future and sees the internship at SACC Chicago as a steeping stone towards that future. She believe that this internship will help her gain valuable knowledge and practical experiences. During her stay she hopes to contribute to the chambers development and growth.

Jenny Erixon - Consulate General of Sweden Chicago
Jenny is a Law student at the University of Lund, Sweden. She moved to the U.S in April 2014 for an Internship at an American Law firm in Los Angeles. She extended her stay in the U.S and started to study as an exchange student at UCLA Extension, where she graduated in June last year and got a certificate in International Business with concentration in International Trade and Commerce. Jenny started her Chicago journey in August 2015 as an intern at SACC Chicago and was later offered to stay as an intern at the Consulate General of Sweden during the spring, which she gladly accepted. Jenny likes to participate in organizations and have been working as a volunteer for several events, both in Sweden and in the U.S. She has for example worked for ELSA Lund, European Law Student Association and helped out at various charity events hosted by Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles. Besides work and studies Jenny have been practicing figure skating at elite level and during her career she has won a total of eight National Championships (both in synchronize and single skating). Jenny's long-term goal is to work internationally and become a Diplomat. In order to reach her dreams she need to broaden her horizons, gain valuable knowledge and experience which she is sure an Internship at the Swedish Consulate in Chicago will give her.


American Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Forum 

Linnea Bengtsson, SACC Chicago Board Member, attended the American Chamber of Commerce 12th Entrepreneurial Forum in Stockholm earlier this year. The forum was very informative and also provided great networking opportunities. In my role as an International Business Developer, for the City of Lidköping & County of Skaraborg, where I assist Swedish companies to navigate on the U.S. market, I was able to add to my knowledge bank, about business cultural etiquette. I al so gain greater insight on what Swedish platforms there are in the U.S. as well as U.S. platforms in Sweden. The speakers were really good and I especially enjoyed hearing from Katarina Bonde,  Managing Director of Kubi and Anne Lidgard, from Vinnova. 


In need of a new Swedish Passport? 

Swedish citizens can apply for passports at the Consulate General of Sweden in Chicag o on   April 26 -  28, 2016.  Please call the Consulate General of Sweden  at (312) 781 6262 for more information as they are fully booked. 

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