Executive Speeches
20 March 2009
Remarks at the Volkswagen Group of America Philanthropic Announcement
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Frank Fischer, CEO & Chairman, VWGoA, Chattanooga Operations, LLC
Welcome Remarks
Governor Bredesen…
Congressman Wamp…
Mayor Ramsey…
Mayor Littlefield….
Commissioners Kisber and Farr….
State legislators…
County Commissioners and City Council members…
And from our group: Dr. Neumann…, Stefan Jacoby,
Dear friends, neighbors and colleagues …
Welcome. Thank you for joining us today for this happy occasion.
I also want to thank Hamilton County Schools and principal Valerie Brown for hosting us.
And the students for being here representing their school.
Also, thank you to the string quartet members Arick Wong…Caroline Smith… Lucas Garner…Sarah Stoloff. All four are from the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences.
Calvin Donaldson is an exceptional school.
As a company committed to environmental responsibility.
We are thrilled that the students here have taken a similar interest.
Thank you also to the students who are joining us today.
We are sorry for cutting into your spring break.
Please take the cool VW T-shirts as an attempt of apology.
We would like to share with you good news today.
This is an exciting time for Volkswagen. Construction work at our new plant is moving right along.
We can't wait to get it finished so we can start building cars.
We've been thinking a lot about our future here.
The future is what today's event is about.
I'm extremely pleased that Dr. Horst Neumann was able to join us.
Dr. Neumann is a key member of our board of management. He is responsible for human resources and organization – counting almost 370,000 employees worldwide.
Being among the most influential persons in our group, he is a strong supporter for our plant project.
Dr. Neumann is an economist and expert on the automotive industry. He is passionate about education. That's one reason why he wanted to be here today.
Ladies and Gentleman, Dr. Horst Neumann.
[Dr. Horst Neumann speaks]
Frank Fischer Remarks
Thank you, Dr. Neumann
This is an important day in the history of our company. As of today, we are partners with you in the education of our children.
Many of the people who will work in this plant grew up in this area.
Others, like me, are newcomers. But we all have a stake here now.
And that means we have a stake in education.
We follow and further develop a strategy that will ensure teachers and students to get the maximum benefit from every dollar.
Our five and a quarter million dollar, five-year education program is a comprehensive project that is supposed to serve as a catalyst for improvement.
Our program shall benefit students from kindergarten through high school; college undergraduates and graduate students; and scholars and researchers at the state's premier research institutions.
We'll also support teachers, so they can help others.
Let me give you some specifics:
In the Hamilton County Public Schools, we'll provide funds to support a summer teaching training institute. Teachers will be able to get the training they need to keep pace with the state's new, more rigorous education standards.
Additional funds will go to helping Calvin Donaldson by renovating the space right behind us into a working student lab.
And, we'll also provide funds to help Hamilton County students perform better on college admission tests.
At the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, the new Volkswagen Competitive Challenge Fund will support financial assistance to students, as well support for faculty research, travel, recruitment and outreach.
The fund will have a particular focus on engineering, and computer and environmental science.
At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, our Volkswagen Engagement Endowment Fund will provide student aid and faculty support in areas such as supply chain logistics, mechanical engineering and environmental engineering.
At the University of Memphis, we'll support a far-reaching initiative to recruit, retain and prepare the next generation of specialists in science, technology, engineering and math.
The program reaches down to the kindergarten level to encourage interest in math and science. It also links schools with local businesses.
At Tennessee State University, we'll provide funds for student scholarships and faculty support in the Colleges of Business and Engineering.
At Fisk University, we'll also support high-achieving students who are engaged in community service.
At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we'll establish a Volkswagen Scholars Program for upper division and post-graduate students who are interested in careers in the automotive industry.
And, our partnership with Chattanooga State allows us to collaborate on workforce training. I appreciate the work of Dr. Catanzaro and his team as we develop our training facility and program.
We're not just building a plant. We're building a partnership.
We're putting down roots in Chattanooga.
And: I hope that some of the students we help with this program will help us reach our goals by joining our company.
But even if they don't, I know that their education will enrich the community we now call home.
And that alone is worth it.
Now I'd like to invite Governor Bredesen, Dr. Neumann …. Congressman Wamp….Mayor Ramsey….Mayor Littlefield and Stefan Jacoby to please join me on stage.
And now I would like to invite our new partners to join us on stage as I call your name and institution.
Jim Catanzaro, President of Chattanooga State
Hazel O'Leary, President of Fisk University
Jim Scales, Superintendent of Schools for the Hamilton County Department of Education
Thomas Ballard, Director of Partnerships at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Melvin Johnson, President of Tennessee State University
Shirley Raines, President of the University of Memphis
Roger Brown, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
James Cheek, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee - Knoxville
[Presentation of awards followed by Mr. Jacoby's speech]
Frank Fischer Close
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you all for coming today.
This concludes the program, but the celebration is not yet over.
We've set up some refreshments inside the school, and I invite you to follow the signs to the reception area and join us to commemorate today's announcement.
