Ambassador Schneebauer's ReFocus Austria visit to North and South Carolina from March 20-24, 2024 emphasized the region’s significance as a hub for Austrian businesses in the United States. The trip included meetings with key figures in both states, including Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Lt. Governor Pamela Evette of South Carolina, Greenville Mayor Knox White, and the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce. The highlight of her trip was Allegro Foundation’s14th Ambassador’s Ball where Ambassador Schneebauer was the guest of honor, the grand prize of the charity ball was a signature trip to Austria.

Another highlight of the visit was a reception hosted by the Carolinas Austrian Business Circle at the headquarters of Bank of America. This event brought together top representatives of Austrian companies operating in the Carolinas, as well as various government officials. Notable attendees included South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III, representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce, and officials from the State of North Carolina and the City of Charlotte.

The promotion of apprenticeships, a cornerstone of the cooperation between Austria and the United States since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2022, was again at the center of the trip's agenda. During the trip, Ambassador Schneebauer visited two Austrian subsidiaries that have implemented state-of-the-art apprenticeship programs: Egger Wood Products at its $700 million manufacturing facility in Lexington, and Blum, which pioneered the Austrian apprenticeship system in the U.S. through its Apprenticeship 2000 program at its headquarters in Stanley, NC. The recent launch of an apprentice exchange program between the U.S. and Austria was particularly well received by the companies in the region.

Impressions: