Annual Meeting of Members 2026

04/14/2026
Event

April 14, 2026 | 11:00 AM CT

Event details:

Event Start: April 14, 2026 · 11:00 AM CT
Event End: April 14, 2026 · 12:00 PM CT
Location: Hybrid
Language: English
Participation Fee: Free

Annual Meeting of Members 2026

Only members in good-standing, having paid their 2026 membership dues, are eligible to vote and attend. Join us in-person at GACC Midwest's office or virtually for GACC Midwest’s presentation during this year’s Annual Meeting of Members at 11:00 AM CT on April 14, 2026.

Those directors elected in 2025 (2025-2027 term), will be eligible for reelection in 2027. All voting will be done in person or by proxy. Only members in good standing, having paid 2026 membership dues, are eligible to vote. If you are unsure whether your 2026 dues have been paid or if you are eligible to participate, please contact us.

Election of Board of Directors

Name	Company	Title
Ruediger Dornhof	Wilton Brands	President & Managing Director
Michael Fassnacht	CLAYCO	CGO & President
Thomas Ginschel	Silesia Flavors	President
Stefan Heffner	Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp.	Executive Vice President
Ralf Hilpuesch	Ritter Sport U.S.	CEO
Heiko Kaufmann	KUKA Robotics	Regional Vice President & Board Member
Ursula Klicker	GACC Midwest, Inc.	CFO
Mario Kratsch	GACC Midwest, Inc.	Vice President
Philipp Lissmann	GACC Midwest, Inc. - WI Chapter Krones, Inc.	President Head of Procurement
David Nissen	Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC	Partner
Sarah O'Hare	Freudenberg North America	Global Head of Human Resources
Henrikki Pantsar	TRUMPF North America	Managing Director
Timo Rehbock	Barnes & Thornburg LLP	Partner
Michael E. Richter	J.S. Richter Ltd.	Managing Director
Dieter A. Schmitz	Baker & McKenzie	Partner
Christoph Schneider	Wintrust Bank	Senior Vice President
Markus Schyboll	EA Elektro-Automatik GmbH & Co. KG	CEO
Geoffrey Somary	Ipsen Group	CEO
Barbara Wittmann	GACC Midwest, Inc. - CO Chapter IT Zeitgeist	President CEO and Founder
Mark Zumdohme	Graepel North America Inc.	President & CEO

Candidates for the Board of Directors

Ruediger Dornhof

President & Managing Director Finance & Operations - Wilton Brands Senior international executive with 20+ years of leadership experience across consumer packed goods, manufacturing, and renewable energy sectors. Proven track record of driving corporate transformation, executing cross-border M&A, and improving operational performance in national and multinational environments. Experienced in working closely with boards and executive leadership on strategy, governance, acquisitions, and value creation across North America and Europe.
Michael Fassnacht

Chief Growth Officer & President, Chicagoland - CLAYCO A seasoned business executive, marketing and strategic thought leader with more than 30 years of experience, Michael joined Clayco, one of America’s largest fully integrated design and engineering centric builder and real estate development firm across the commercial, industrial and residential sector as its first ever Chief Growth Officer and President of Chicagoland in early 2024. Prior to this role between, Michael led as President and CEO World Business Chicago, the City’s economic development organization, with more than 100 C-Suite executives from all over Chicagoland on its business centric board between 2020 and early 2024. The organization’s core focus is on growing its industry sectors by supporting the expansion of existing Chicagoland based companies and by attracting new corporate relocations to the region, all with a focus on equitable economic prosperity across all 77 neighborhoods and the region. Additionally, Michael worked alongside the Mayor’s Office as the Chief Marketing Officer to ensure that all marketing, branding, and business development activities for the city were aligned with Mayor Lightfoot’s and then Mayor Johnson’s economic growth plan focused on inclusive growth across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. Michael Fassnacht is a prominent figure in Chicago's civic community, known for leading crucial pro bono initiatives. His contributions include rebranding the Chicago Public Library and its foundation, developing the city's bid for Amazon HQ2, supporting the City's Census 2020 efforts, and spearheading "Boards of Change," an award-winning voter registration campaign. He recently co-chaired Mayor Johnson's transition subcommittee on Economic Vitality & Equity. Michael’s extensive board service includes the Chicago Public Library Foundation, The Civic Consulting Alliance, CURRENT, The Poetry Foundation, Intersect Illinois, the Executives' Club of Chicago, and World Business Chicago. He also advises P33 and The Chicago Prize by the Pritzker/Traubert Foundation. He is a 2022 Daniel Burnham Fellow. Prior to his most recent role, Michael served for more than 10 years as CEO & President at one of the city’s oldest and most successful advertising agencies, Foote Cone & Belding (FCB). He led his agency to unprecedented international creative recognition and strong above-industry topline growth over his tenure. Over his long career, he has been recognized as a global expert in building and marketing brands. He started his corporate success trajectory at Lufthansa Airlines in Frankfurt, where he led the airline’s frequent flyer program, Miles & More, before departing to Silicon Valley where he was a successful start-up entrepreneur. Michael was born in Germany and made his way stateside in college where he met his wife, Dr. Rhonda Duffaut. They currently reside in Chicago and have two children, Maya and Ryan.
Thomas Ginschel

President of the Americas - Silesia Flavors Born and raised in Cologne, Germany, Thomas has lived in the US for the past 23 years, of which he spent the first 11 years in Atlanta, GA. At the end of 2014 he moved his family to Chicago. He is the proud Papa of 2 sons; one is 19 and the other one is 22. While the youngest studies Business Engineering in Maastricht, NL the oldest works for EY in Luxembourg. Thomas holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Cologne. He is an accomplished senior executive who brings extensive international leadership experience with a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas. Throughout his career, he has worked exclusively for mid-size family-owned manufacturing companies, developing deep expertise in long-term value creation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. His industry experience spans steel, architectural and functional cabinet hardware, and the food sector. Known for his pragmatic leadership style and strong execution, he has successfully guided organizations through international expansion and market development across diverse cultural and business environments. He has been the President of the Americas for Silesia Flavors, Inc. for almost 5 years, currently based out of Hoffman Estates, IL. He is expanding their presence in North America by adding a plant for powdered flavors in Huntley, IL turning the US into 1 of the 3 group’s manufacturing hubs. Thomas has served on the boards of several organizations and start-ups as well as a director on the board of the GACC Southeast from 2011 until 2014 and on the board of the GACC Midwest from 2016 until 2019.
Stefan Heffner

Executive Vice President - Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. Stefan Heffner was born in 1981 and grew up in Baden-Württemberg, where he joined an apprenticeship program as an industrial management assistant at Richard Wolf GmbH in Knittlingen and later went through an internal young professionals program. He then worked in various areas of the company, including IT, project and product management as well as sales, for which he was responsible as Director Sales. Always open to new challenges, in 2019 he took over management of the largest subsidiary of the Richard Wolf Group, Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. in Illinois as Executive Vice President. In 2025 Stefan returned to the German HQ of Richard Wolf and became responsible as Vice President for Administration for the Richard Wolf Group. He remains Executive Vice President at RWMIC, and supports his successor as an ambassador for the US business within the RW HQ in Germany. RWMIC celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and employs 230 people, most of them working at the Vernon Hills location. The company is manufacturer of premium medical devices for minimally invasive surgery. One of the main tasks for Stefan is to transfer more products to be manufactured in the US for the US, as well as optimizing the P&L.
Ralf Hilpuesch

CEO - Ritter Sport U.S. Ralf Hilpuesch is a confectionery industry leader with more than 30 years of experience building iconic global brands including Werther’s Original, merci, Mamba, and Ritter Sport. He is recognized as a global brand builder and peoplefocused leader. Ralf currently serves as CEO of Ritter Sport U.S., leading the company’s expansion in the world’s largest confectionery market. In 2026, he also assumed the role of Regional Vice President for the Americas, and CEO of Creative Natural Products, owner of the Chocolove brand. Previously, Ralf spent 13 years as President and CEO of Storck North America, and served as a member of the Board of August Storck KG for several years, assuming responsibility for the sales region USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America. During his tenure as CEO, Ralf shaped what is widely regarded as one of the most successful and reputable candy companies in North America. Since 2008, Ralf has both chaired and served on the Board of Urban Initiatives, a non-profit organization focused on strengthening and empowering Chicago’s underserved youth. In 2026, Ralf will also join as Member of the Board of Trustees of the National Candy Association
Heiko Kaufmann

Regional Vice President & Board Member - KUKA U.S. Heiko Kaufmann serves as a Regional Vice President and Board Member of KUKA U.S. Holdings Company LLC, the KUKA Group’s holding company for the Americas. KUKA delivers industrial robots, automation solutions, and digital services globally, supporting applications in manufacturing, warehouse logistics, healthcare, and related sectors. Heiko heads the Corporate Office and oversees the legal operations in the Americas. He focuses on corporate and regulatory matters in robotics and AI, international trade and investment, and U.S. national security. Before relocating to Michigan in 2015, he served as Corporate Counsel at KUKA’s German headquarters and as legal counsel in project and acquisition finance at UniCredit Bank in Munich. He holds an LL.M. from the University of Southern California and completed his undergraduate studies at LMU Munich, the University of Cambridge (Trinity College), and the University of Regensburg. He is married and has two children.
Ursula Klicker

CFO - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest A Native of Germany ,Ursula has been working and living in the US for 25 years. She has been working predominantly in the manufacturing industry for various German and European companies as CFO, COO and Managing Director. Her business background encompasses solid financials, business development, key account management, start up, reorganization and operations experience. As the Managing director of Melitta System service ( now Melitta Professional Services) she was a member of the GACC board from 2014 to 2017. She has served as Chief Financial Officer of GACC Midwest since January 2024 and enjoys actively contributing her international and operational experience to support the organization’s mission.
Mario Kratsch

Vice President - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Mario joined GACC Midwest in October 2014 to lead the Skills Initiative, the Chamber’s effort to promote German-style apprenticeships in the US. In this capacity, he built the chamber’s apprenticeship programs and the Apprenticeship Networks department. Before joining GACC Midwest, Mario worked at a Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Germany as a training consultant for industrial and technical professions, and later as head of the international business division. Mario was also responsible for international projects on know-how transfer in Central Asia and the Balkans. Mario is head of GACC Midwest’s ICATT (Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training) Apprenticeship Program, the largest apprenticeship program in the U.S. fully benchmarked on the German Dual Education System. In addition, Mario oversees the management of the MAT2 (Michigan Advanced Technician Training) apprenticeship program and all GACC Midwest’s apprenticeship and workforce development activities. Mario was elected Vice President of GACC Midwest by the Board of Directors in September 2017. In this capacity he also manages GACC Midwest’s Membership & Events and Marketing/Communications departments. Mario serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the German - American Apprenticeship & Education Foundation which supports the creation and expansion of high-quality apprenticeship pathways and related education in the United States. In 2024, Mario was appointed to serve as an Employer Representative on the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Philipp Lissmann

Head of Procurement - Krones, Inc. Born and raised in Germany, Philipp moved to the United States in 2006 and made Wisconsin his home in 2018. He currently serves as Head of Procurement at Krones Inc., the North American headquarters of Krones AG. Throughout his career, Philipp has been guided by a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and strong transatlantic collaboration—principles that have shaped his leadership at Krones and within the German-American business community. As President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, Philipp plays an active role in strengthening regional engagement, expanding partnerships, and supporting the success of vocational training initiatives. He has been directly involved in the growth and continued success of the Krones Inc. apprenticeship program, helping to champion high-quality workforce development based on German style dual education principles.
David Nissen

Partner - Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC As a Partner at Cherry Bekaert, Dave plays a pivotal role in the strategic direction and success of the company. He is a key contributor to the decisionmaking process, providing leadership and actively participating in the growth of the business. Additionally, Dave serves as the Chicago Market Leader, providing specialized guidance and unique insight to the Firm's clients in the Chicago market. Dave brings his expertise in strategic planning, business development and operations to his role, as well as his extensive knowledge in accounting, tax, business consulting and attestation services. Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert, Dave was the CEO of an award-winning public accounting and business advisory firm, serving clients both domestically and internationally. In his role, Dave led the firm's business operational activities and spearheaded the international business development activities, which led to the provision of services for many foreign subsidiaries on a national level. Dave is also a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) and has testified in numerous business valuation litigation cases. For over 43 years, Dave has worked to develop close relationships with his clients primarily in the Manufacturing, Automotive, Healthcare, Professional Services and Technology industries.
Sarah O'Hare

Global Head of Human Resources and President and Regional Representative, North America - Freudenberg Group Sarah O’Hare serves as the Global Head of Human Resources and President and Regional Representative, North America at Freudenberg Group—a forward-thinking, innovative global solutions company serving 40 market segments in around 60 countries. As the Global Head of Human Resources, Sarah serves as the strategic leader for all Freudenberg business groups in employment, especially in the realm of talent development and management. She also spearheads policies and initiatives that weave their way into Freudenberg’s DNA. On a regional level, Sarah leads Freudenberg’s North America Regional Corporate Office, providing expert support and counsel to Freudenberg’s North America based sectors, and comprehensively strengthening North American operations and collaboration. Sarah began her 20+ year career at Freudenberg in 1998 as Director of Compensation at Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies. By 2012, she’d been promoted several times prior to taking on a role with parent company, Freudenberg as the Regional Vice President of Human Resources for North America. In this role, Sarah was responsible for driving the strategic direction of the human resources function, including: talent management, people management, organizational and associate development, compensation benefits, talent acquisition, labor and employee relations and training. Prior to joining Freudenberg, Sarah worked in the Metro Detroit area in the manufacturing and finance sectors serving in similar roles pertaining to compensation and human resources, exemplifying her passion for people. Sarah graduated from Kalamazoo College with a B.A. in Economics. She’s passionate about corporate philanthropy, having served as a board member and development chair for Beyond Basics, a literacy nonprofit, as well as serving as President and Vice President for the Michigan Ontario Compensation Association. Sarah has also been a Guest Lecturer at several local universities.
Henrikki Pantsar

Managing Director and Vice President of Sales - TRUMPF North America Dr Henrikki Pantsar is Managing Director and VP of Sales of Laser Technology at TRUMPF North America, based in Plymouth, MI. In this role he is responsible of TRUMPF’s Laser technology and Extreme Ultraviolet business in US, Canada and Mexico. Henrikki received his M.Sc. and D.Sc. degrees from Lappeenranta University of Technology. After his academic career he work in applied laser research companies VTT and Fraunhofer USA, before joining Cencorp as Vice President of Research and Development, and Valoe Corporation as CTO until joining TRUMPF in 2017. Henrikki is a Board Member of German American Chamber of Commerce Midwest, Member of Board of Directors at Access Laser, Senior Advisor to the Fraunhofer Science and Technical Advisory Committee, and Fellow of the Laser Institute of America (LIA). He has served in the executive board of the LIA between 2018 and 2025, including being the President from 2022 to 2023. Henrikki is also a recipient of the Henry Granjon Prize of the International Institute of Welding
Timo Rehbock

Partner & Chair of the European Practice Group Chicago Specialized in domestic and international corporate and commercial matters. • Represents clients in complex cross-border transactions, mergers & acquisitions, private equity and venture capital investments, restructurings, financings, and strategic alliances. • Bridges cultural and business gaps, guiding multinational companies through the intricacies of U.S. and international markets. • Trusted advisor to businesses expanding into the U.S. and beyond.
Michael E. Richter

Managing Director - J.S. Richter Ltd. Michael is the managing director of J.S. Richter, Ltd., a CPA firm located in Chicago that specializes in handling the complex audit, accounting, and tax needs of foreign-owned subsidiaries operating in the USA. After becoming partner in 2002, he assumed the role of managing director in 2010, succeeding his father, Jack S. Richter, who founded the firm in 1979. In addition to his role at J.S. Richter, Ltd., Michael is also the managing partner of International Attest Solutions, LLC, which provides similar services to U.S. subsidiaries of French-owned companies. Prior to working at J.S. Richter, Ltd., Michael had an 11-year long career as an engineer after earning his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1987. He is a member of the AIPCA and the Illinois CPA Society. In addition to his CPA certification, he also carries the CGMA (Certified Global Management Accountant) credential. Michael has been a board member of GACCOM since 2015; he is also a board member of GAELLC. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce and DanceWorks Chicago.
Dieter A. Schmitz

Partner - Baker & McKenzie Dieter Schmitz is a Chicago-based partner of Baker & McKenzie, where he has spent his entire year legal career advising U.S. and foreign clients on all types of cross-border transactions with a focus on M&A and joint ventures. Fluent in German, Mr. Schmitz has worked in the Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich offices of Baker & McKenzie. Mr. Schmitz has written various publications to assist German/American companies, including “Willkommen in Amerika,” a handbook for German companies with their U.S. expansion plans. He has represented many companies with respect to their “largest transactions ever,” including Ecolab’s $8.3 billion acquisition of Nalco, Marel's $3.9 billion sale to John Bean Technologies, and AgraQuest’s $500 million sale to Bayer CropScience AG. Mr. Schmitz has degrees from the University of Notre Dame (B.A.), Northwestern University School of Law (J.D.), and DePaul College of Law (LL.M.), and has studied at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and the Universities of Freiburg and Munich in Germany. In addition to serving on the board of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Mr. Schmitz has also been actively involved in a number of civic organizations including the Juvenile Protective Association, LINK Unlimited, St. Athanasius School Board, and Boy Scout Troop 912.
Christoph Schneider

Senior Vice President - Wintrust Bank Christoph Schneider holds the position as Senior Vice President at Wintrust Bank, where he advises and finances multinational companies operating in the U.S., with a particular focus on internationally owned subsidiaries. With decades of experience across commercial lending, relationship management, and treasury solutions, he brings a practical, risk-aware perspective on how businesses grow, invest, and manage cash—especially when “cross-border” isn’t a strategy buzzword, but the reality of everyday operations. Christoph’s career spans work and leadership across the U.S., Germany, and Asia, and he is a native German speaker. He is known for connecting the dots between executive goals and on-the-ground execution—helping leadership teams navigate complexity, make confident decisions, and build durable banking and operating partnerships. As a newly elected board member of the German American Chamber of the Midwest, Christoph is excited to support the Chamber’s mission by supporting financial and governance discipline, fostering a strong network across the German-American business community, and advocating a strong service mindset for member companies. He believes great organizations succeed when strategy is clear, relationships are real, and meetings end with actual next steps—preferably before the coffee gets cold. Outside of work, Christoph enjoys his family, traveling, and spending time with his German Shepherds—who have taught him a lot about leadership: be calm, be consistent, and always show up prepared (especially when the stakes are snacks)
Markus Schyboll

CEO - EA Elektro-Automatik GmbH & Co. KG Markus Schyboll was named CEO of EA Elektro-Automatik GmbH & Co. KG in July 2020 and is responsible for worldwide activities of the EA Group. Previously, Mr. Schyboll has been CEO of Bender GmbH & Co. KG since April 2017, President of Murrelektronik GmbH since January 2015 and was President of Schunk of North American from 2004 – 2014, President of Schunk Electro Carbone (Mexico) from 2008 - 2014, and President of Schunk Kohlenstofftechnik GmbH from 2012 - 2014. As Managing Director of Schunk Modultechnik GmbH from 2010 until 2011, Mr. Schyboll also oversaw subsidiaries in Hungary, China, Thailand, Mexico, and the U.S. Before joining Schunk, he was Managing Director of Rittal Middle East FZE (Dubai), Vice President at HEGLA Corp., and Assistant to the Board of Directors at HEGLA Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG.
Geoffrey Somary

CEO - Ipsen Group Geoffrey Somary oversees the global companies of Ipsen based in the US, Germany, China, India and Japan. Ipsen manufactures and services heat treatment systems that transform metals and alloys into super-performing materials used in mission critical applications. Geoffrey began working for Ipsen in 2005 and has supported Ipsen’s expansion into diverse global markets including Aviation, Space Launch, Energy and Defense while emphasizing the aftermarket business, which is now more than half of annual revenues.   Geoffrey began his career near Stuttgart, Germany while working for a German builder of automotive assembly plants. He then continued with that company based in the US until 2004.  Geoffrey serves on the board of Directors of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest and volunteers in several community organizations. He graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Barbara Wittmann

President & CEO - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. - CO Chapter, IT Zeitgeist Barbara Wittmann is an award-winning author and transformation leader who bridges operational challenges, enterprise technology, and human leadership to deliver measurable business impact. She is the founder of IT Zeitgeist and the Digital Wisdom Collective, advising CEOs and CIOs on aligning strategy, systems, and people to scale successfully in a digital economy. Barbara began her career as a senior SAP retail consultant and member of SAP’s Business Process Renovation Team, contributing to global transformation initiatives and holding multiple technology patents. After founding and scaling two IT companies in Germany, she relocated to the United States in 2016. She has served on the German American Chamber Colorado Board since 2020 and has been Board President since 2024, strengthening regional engagement and advancing German-American business relationships. Fluent in English, German, and “NERD,” Barbara connects technical depth with executive leadership across cultures and across the Atlantic.
Mark Zumdohme

President and CEO - Graepel North America Inc. Graepel North America is a Manufacturer of Perforated Metal Sheet Products for the Agricultural Machinery, Construction Equipment, Heavy Duty Truck and Automotive industries. Graepel offers its OEM customers Project Management, Product and Tooling development, Production, Surface Coating solutions and Just in Time delivery. Mark Zumdohme founded Graepel North America in 2006. The business grew from a sales office to a successful manufacturing business. In 2014 Graepel built a 45,000 SF Plant on 7 acres in the Hilltop Industrial Park in Southwest Omaha. In 2022 the plant has been expanded to 85,000 SF and 65 employees. Mark was born and raised in Germany. He received his Business Degree at the University of Applied Sciences in Vechta, Germany. He lives in Omaha and is married with 3 children. Mark serves as Honorary Consul of Germany in Nebraska and is on the Board of the German American Chamber of Commerce. He is also a Board Member of the Nebraska Diplomats and a member of the Omaha Millard Rotary Club.

Contact

Jayson Bard

Manager, Events & Membership
+1 (312) 585-8010 bard@gaccmidwest.org

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Event details:

Annual Meeting of Members 2026

Election of Board of Directors

Candidates for the Board of Directors

Ruediger Dornhof

Michael Fassnacht

Thomas Ginschel

Stefan Heffner

Ralf Hilpuesch

Heiko Kaufmann

Ursula Klicker

Mario Kratsch

Philipp Lissmann

David Nissen

Sarah O'Hare

Henrikki Pantsar

Timo Rehbock

Michael E. Richter

Dieter A. Schmitz

Christoph Schneider

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Mark Zumdohme

Contact

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