Kurt G. Waldthausen Partner

Born in Portugal and educated in Germany , Waldthausen has acquired over the years a good command of several languages. He lived five years in Pakistan , one year in South America and the last 25 years in the United States . He traveled through five continents to more than 100 countries.

Waldthausen started his business career with the German export-import company Lohmann & Co. in Bremen , Germany and served the company for 12 years. His last assignment with Lohmann & Co. included overall responsibility for 15 subsidiaries located on five continents with more than 750 Employees.

In 1982, Waldthausen moved to the United States and became president of Hettich America Corp., the world's largest furniture hardware manufacturer. In 1988, Waldthausen became President of HOLZ-HER U.S., INC., Charlotte , North Carolina , a company that assembles markets and sells industrial woodworking machines for distribution and sales in a territory that stretched from Canada to Chile . In addition, Waldthausen became Chairman of HOLZ-HER Canada in March 1995 after Holz-Her U.S., Inc. acquired the company from the parent organization. In 2000 the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association in Baltimore/Maryland selected Holz-Her U.S., Inc. as the “Supplier of the Year”. Under his leadership, HOLZ-HER U.S., INC. has been a North Carolina Export 20 Award winner in 1994, 1997, 1998, and also received the coveted “Fast 50 Award” in 1999 and 2000 when ranked eighteenth and thirtieth fastest growing privately owned company in a 15 county area exceeding 2 Million people.

In 2000 Waldthausen started the company Waldthausen, Inc., (later renamed Waldthausen & Associates, Inc.) to share his success with others, primarily German Entrepreneurs with subsidiaries in the eastern United States . In addition Waldthausen became a partner of a regional retained executive search firm, which he left in the spring of 2005 - together with several associates –for the purpose recruiting executives for US subsidiaries of German and European companies under his present day company of Waldthausen & Associates, Inc.

Past /Present Professional Activities :

- Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany to the State of North Carolina
- Member, Board and Executive Board of Directors, Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Board of Directors, German American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta , GA
- Founder/President of the North Carolina Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta , GA
- Member, Board of Directors, Charlotte Regional Partnership (Economic Development Org.)
- Member, Board of Directors of several subsidiaries of German/European companies
- Member, Board of Directors, Charlotte World Affairs Council, Charlotte , NC
- Member, Board of Trustees, Echo Foundation, Charlotte , NC
- Member, Board and Executive Board, Mayors International Cabinet, Charlotte , NC
- Member, Board of Visitors, Charlotte Country Day School , Charlotte , NC
- Chairman, Charlotte Sister Cities (7 Sister Cities on 4 continents)
- President, International House, Charlotte NC
- President and Chairman, German Saturday School , Charlotte , NC
- Member, Board of Advisors, Academy of International Business Studies, Pfeiffer University , NC
- Founding Member, German Church of Charlotte
- Member, Board of Junior Directors, Bremen Chamber of Commerce, Bremen/Germany
- Member, Rotary International & Paul Harris Fellow

Recipient of the “Richard Vinroot International Achievement Award” in 2000, from the Mayor of the City of Charlotte , NC Recipient of “The Old North State Award” in November 2005, presented by the Governor of the State of North Carolina.

Contributions to Publications:

- “Geschäftserfolge in den USA ” (“Business Successes in the USA ”), published by Dr. Th. Gabler, GmbH/Germany
- “Interkulturelles Management” (“Intercultural Management”), published by Prof. Dr. Thomas R. Hummel,    (Publisher: Rainer Hampp Verlag – Page 156-163)
- Business Journal, Charlotte , NC
- Charlotte Observer, Charlotte , NC
- Business South, publication of the German American Chamber of Commerce
- Bremer Nachrichten, Bremen/Germany
- Wirtschaft in Bremen, Bremen/Germany
- Various Trade Publications incl. FDM-Furniture and Design Magazine, Wood & Wood -- Products, European    Woodworking Machinery & Supplies and many others
- VDMA Maschinenbau Nachrichten, Frankfurt/Germany
- Wirtschaftsreport Rheinhessen, Mainz/Germany
- Euro Wirtschaftsmagazin, Germany
- Wirtschaftswoche, Germany
- Impulse, Germany
- Personalmagazin , Germany
- Auslandskurier , Germany

Speaking Engagements (not complete):

- German American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta , GA & Charlotte , NC
- European American Business Forum, Charlotte , NC
- Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
- North Carolina World Trade Organization, Charlotte , NC
- CPCC, Charlotte Piedmont Community College , Charlotte , NC
-  Pfeiffer University , Charlotte , NC
- VDMA/Germany
- The German Chamber of Commerce System
- Regional German Economic Development Corporations
- USA Forum, Tübingen/Germany
- American Chamber of Commerce System in Germany (AmCham)
- Rotary International

		Robert F. Rothert Vice President

Bob has over 30 years of line and staff Human Resource experience with both domestic and international corporations. In addition, Bob has traveled extensively throughout Europe for business and pleasure. After graduating from High School, he enlisted in the United States Army and was fortunate enough to be stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany for three years. Having received his Honorable Discharge from the Army, Bob entered West Virginia University and obtained his Bachelors degree in Business Management and his Masters degree in Industrial Relations. He started his career with General Tire and Rubber Company (now Continental Tire North America, Inc., headquartered in Hanover/Germany) as an Employment Specialist. Bob progressed to executive HR roles with five other corporations such as Stauffer Chemical Company, Cheesborough Ponds Corp, Glaxo-Smith Klein, Bayer Corporation and finally as Vice President, Human Resources with DyStar LP, a joint venture with Bayer Corp, Hoechst Celanese Corp and BASF Corp. Bob took early retirement from DyStar and joined the firm as Vice President where he will be responsible for Human Resource Consulting and Mid-level Executive Search.