GACC South Presents New Atlanta Location

The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US, Inc. opened its brand new office facilities and celebrated with the largest New Year’s Reception ever.

Atlanta, GA – January 26, 2010. – On January 26th, the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US, Inc. (GACC South) celebrated the grand opening of its new office facilities at the White Provision building on Howell Mill Road.

In attendance were over 300 members of the GACC South, members of the Atlanta Consular and business community, several fellow bi-lateral chambers of commerce, and government officials including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Senator Jeff Mullis and Senator Judson Hill of the Georgia State Senate, Representative Ron Stephens, Atlanta City Council Member Kwanza Hall, and Commissioner Kenneth C. Stewart.

"Our business and our culture are here in the Southern U.S. not for short term advantages but for long term joint success and to secure jobs in Germany by enhancing its global competitiveness through job creation in the U.S.," German Consul General Lutz Görgens stated in his opening remarks. "Our culture and our language contribute to the multicultural diversity which constitutes the charm of Atlanta and the attraction of this location we have come to call home."

The GACC South was excited to share its new home with the community, and is encouraging its members to take advantage of the resources the new office provides. In addition to a wide variety of meeting spaces, the GACC South has developed a large business incubator space on-site, with plans to expand it even further.

"This is a unique space that fits the character of our organization," stated Kristian Wolf, President and CEO of GACC South. "We wanted to keep the unique loft and warehouse feel that customers enjoyed about our previous location while being able to create better work synergy among our departments."

Square Feet Studio, Inc., a full-service architecture, planning and design firm worked with the GACC South to complete the new office, located on the third floor of a former meatpacking building that overlooks downtown and midtown Atlanta. The design kept sustainability in mind, with a large focus on natural lighting and open space. German products are featured throughout the space including kitchen cabinetry by Poggenpohl, appliances by Bosch, door and glass hardware by Bayerle and Dorma and furniture by VS America, Inc.

The GACC South event comes only two days before the grand opening of yet another German institution – the new joint offices of the Goethe-Zentrum / German Cultural Center and Alliance Francaise at Colony Square on Thursday.

The GACC South and the Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta have a long history of collaboration and support. While their missions of the promotion of business and culture, respectively, are different, their paths often cross in the not-so-small population of Germans with about 45,000 residents (U.S Census Bureau) here in Georgia. The organizations often share meeting and event space, resources, and contacts in the spirit of working together toward the common goal of promoting transatlantic communication and cooperation.