The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s International Business Council will discuss ways to strengthen business relationships with immigrants of Swiss origin at its monthly meeting on May 24.

The meeting, sponsored by the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The INCubator, at 100 Cherokee Blvd. Swiss food will be provided at this free event. Advance registration is required by May 23.

Russ Steward, vice president of supply chain for TVA and representative for the TVA & Amigos employee resource group, will open the meeting with brief introductory remarks. Delivering the keynote presentation will be Wendell O'Reilly, a local attorney with McKoon, Williams & Hegeman, and Andreas Bruhwiler, President of Alrol of America, Inc.

The discussion, titled “Doing Business in Switzerland,” will cover the following points of interest:

?     Historical and demographic overviews of Switzerland

?     Swiss business culture

?     Tips for developing enduring relationships with business people of Swiss origin.

Wendell O'Reilly is an attorney with McKoon, Williams & Hegeman in its Chattanooga office.  The firm serves individuals and business communities in Tennessee and Georgia in domestic and international matters. The firm has assisted clients from Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Turkey, Chile, Brazil and the UK. Mr. O’Reilly has been practicing law in Tennessee since 2002. Prior to that time, he was a practicing attorney in Canada, having obtained his law degree from the University of New Brunswick. He has Swiss roots and is chairman of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce in the Southeast. In that role, he has assisted several U.S. companies in exploring Switzerland as the headquarters for European operations. He has also assisted Swiss companies in exploring the establishment of U.S. operations in the Southeast. 

Andreas Bruhwiler is president of Alrol of America, Inc. He graduated in 1985 from the Swiss Institute for Technology in Zurich with a degree in Military Science and Leadership. For many years, he worked as an executive human resources manager for Zurich Insurance in Switzerland and abroad. In 2003, Mr. Bruhwiler moved from Switzerland to Dalton, Ga. and started his own manufacturing business, Alrol of America, Inc.  Alrol is a custom manufacturer of coatings, coverings and rollers for any industrial application. Mr. Bruhwiler is a Swiss citizen and lives with his wife, who is also Swiss, in Dalton. Having lived in both countries, Mr. Bruhwiler will share his perspective on some differences in the American and the Swiss business culture.

The International Business Council meetings, which take place the fourth Thursday of each month, are open to Chattanooga Chamber members and non-members. These events are free and open to the public. Food and drinks are provided. RSVPs are required by May 23.

For information about sponsoring a meeting of the International Business Council or to RSVP, please contact Gladys Pineda-Loher at 763.4345 or gpineda-loher@chattanoogachamber.com.