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RETROSPECTIVE
MONTH OF JUNE 2009
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| JUNE 9: ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE MILWAUKEE HOSTS RECEPTION FOR FRENCH CONSUL GENERAL |
Article by Catherine Jones
Marketing Coordinator for the Alliance Française de Milwaukee
On Tuesday, June 9, 2009, the Alliance Française de Milwaukee hosted a reception for M. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul général de France à Chicago. The Consul General spoke eloquently about the Alliance Française’s role in promoting French language and culture world wide and about the history of French influence in the Midwest.
He touched on the political climate in Israel and Iran and the mortgage market in France, wrapping up his speech with a comment on the warm friendship between Obama and Sarkozy. |
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| M. Main de Boissière was appointed as Consul General of France in Chicago in February 2007. Prior to being posted in Chicago, he was assigned Special Representative for Business Affairs in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2006. His own business background is in telecommunications. He has held the position of CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding (2000-2002) and France Télécom Mobiles International (1995-2000). From 1993 to 1995 he worked as the Telecommunications Advisor to the Minister for Trade and Industry. Mr. Main de Boissière was born in St. Raphaël, on the Riviera. He and his wife, Béatrice, have six children. |
| The reception was well attended including board members Mary Emory and her husband John, John Gaebler of Godfry & Kahn and his family, and Randy Williams, former President of the Alliance Française de Chicago. Wollersheim Winery graciously donated the wine and Larry’s Market provided French hors d’oeuvre. To the crowd’s pleasure, high school student Ari Lipchik played Bach’s adagio sonata in G-minor on violin. |
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Genevieve Leplae, Anne Hérrison-Leplae (AF Milwaukee Executive Director), Madeleine Hérrison-Leplae, Martine Meyer |
Among those attending were Executive Director Anne Hérrison-Leplae, artist and writer Pacia Sallomi, long-time member and former AF de Milwaukee President Martine Meyer, Principle of the French Immersion School Ginny McFadden, teachers Margaret Schmidt Dess and Dieudonne Bienvenue Mananga, fashion designer Gwenda Le Bihan, Jean-Baptiste Thibault of GE, Marc Robert of Prolitec, Betty Miller of Stein Business, and AF members, Ruth Pike, Patrice Van Hyle, Chris Roth, Ney Collier, and Trish and Rich Larson. Alliance Française staff members, Marketing Coodinator Catherine Jones, and Fund Development Coordinator Beth Haskovic were also in attendance. |
The Alliance Française de Milwaukee was founded in 1919. In recent years membership has varied between 600 and 700. For more information about AF de Milwaukee visit www.afmilwaukee.org.
Article first published on: http://francerevisited.com
Photo credit: David Pruszka.
More photos on BizTimes. |
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| DU 22 AU 26 JUIN : MISSION FRANCE PLASTICS - SALON TRIENNAL NPE (National Plastics Exhibition |
Le bureau Ubifrance à Chicago a organisé une mission pour une délégation de dix entreprises françaises de la plasturgie et Plastipolis, le Pôle de Compétitivité d’Oyonnax qui représente la filière au niveau national.
Les entreprises ont pu ainsi participer au principal salon de la plasturgie aux Etats-Unis et nouer des contacts sur le stand France. Des visites collectives d’entreprises et des rendez-vous avec les principaux Centres de Recherche en Illinois, Wisconsin et Ohio avaient également été programmés en parallèle par Ubifrance.
La Réception Networking France Plastics organisée à l’University Club of Chicago en face du Millenium Park a marqué la semaine de la délégation. Les 200 participants, représentants de l’industrie plastique : Industriels, Universitaires, Chercheurs, importateurs, journalistes etc ont pu échanger avec les membres de la délégation francaise dans une ambiance de convivialité post salon.
M. Daniel Gallissaires, Directeur d’Ubifrance à Chicago et M. Neil Pratt, directeur international de SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) organisateur du salon NPE ont officiellement accueilli les invités et prononcé les discours de bienvenue. Ils ont salué cette réception comme une occasion unique d’échanges entre les entreprises francaises et américaines dans un secteur durement touché par la crise économique et qui doit donc relever de nouveaux défis par l’innovation et les partenariats technologiques. |
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| JUNE 6: FRENCH HONOR EX-URBANA SUPERINTENDENT KERMIT HARDEN |
On June 6, M. Kermit HARDEN was presented with the Knight of the Legion of Honor medal from the French government during a special ceremony that took place at the Stone Creek Banquet Center in Urbana. The medal was presented by retired U.S Navy Cmdr. Joseph RANK. The event also marked the 50th Anniversary of M. Harden's marriage to his wife Ann.
Enlisted in December 1942 in the 301th Infantry Regiment, Mr. Harden participated in several campaigns in Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. He was wounded in action in September 1944 in France. For these achievements, the American Government presented Mr. Harden with prestigious awards: the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the European, African, Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with four Bronze Battle Stars, the Combat and Expert Infantryman Badges, the Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
Read the article from the News Gazette - June 7, 2009 |
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| MAY 14: ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE CHICAGO - AWARDS TOWARDS EXCELLENCE CEREMONY |
In addition to last month's review
On May 14th, the Alliance Française de Chicago’s “Award Towards Excellence” Educational Outreach Program held its annual Award Towards Excellence Ceremony honoring the Educational Outreach Program’s 2009 student laureates, its partnership with the Chicago Public Schools, and its donors.
The event brought together Alliance board members, donors, teachers, as well as students and their families in celebration of another successful year of collaboration with the Chicago Public Schools. The audience enjoyed words from keynote speakers Ron Huberman, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, and Professor Thomas Pavel from the University of Chicago.
Of the fifty high school students in the program, ten were chosen this year for scholarship trips to either France or Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota during the summer, and each award recipient spoke briefly in French about their experiences in the weekly after-school enrichment classes and recited a poem by Paul Fort.
A former laureates spoke of the time he spent in France as “one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences I have ever had. My life since then has been so unquantifiably enriched that it is almost overwhelming.” Upon their return to school the following fall, the honorees become envoys, reporting back to the classes about their experiences and reactions to France and the French people.”
Our students play a vital role as ambassadors from France to their home school classmates as well as ambassadors from the United States and Chicago to France”, commented Francine Saltoun, Chairman of the Educational Outreach Program. The ceremony ended with enthusiasm when one of the students gracefully led the audience in song to the classic, “Aux Champs Elysées”. |
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