The City of Auburn hosted the 12th AlabamaGermany Partnership dinner and business forum at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, Wednesday night.
City and state officials gathered with a variety businesspeople to enjoy filet mignon and celebrate a successful business partnership with German-based companies.
During the reception a group of Auburn University engineer students were recognized as the winners of the Volkswagen design challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn., for designing a bridge.
"The AlabamaGermany partnership moves around the state in different locations every year," said Mayor Bill Ham.
The AlabamaGermany partnership exists to build a business relationship between Alabama and Germany.
Ham credited Arndt Siepmann, director of industrial recruitment and chairman of the organization, as having an instrumental role in recruiting German business to come to Auburn.
"Auburn has many relationships with Germany," Siepmann said. "One is business, but some others include connections through the University with exchange students and professors."
Alabama has 56 German-based manufacturing investments. The Lee County companies all produce automotive parts from aluminum wheels to textiles for seat covering.
"Lee County has done a fabulous job of recruiting German companies and that is evident with the people you have here tonight," said Gov. Bob Riley. "There are very few countries that are having as much of a positive economic influence as Germany on the economy in Alabama."
Eight of the 56 companies are in Lee County and six of those eight are in the Auburn-Opelika area.
"Auburn has six German-owned companies with German heritage that are employing people here," Siepmann said. "Those six company employ more than 450 people."
Siepmann said a student with a degree in engineering or German or even a combination of the two, would be hired at one of these companies.
A silent auction and wine tasting took place before the dinner. Some items for auction included trips, spa packages and a variety of keepsakes that represented Alabama's relationship with Germany.
During the dinner, awards and recognitions were presented.
Richard L. Guthrie received The 2010 Rainer Bauer Award, but was not in attendance. A group of Auburn University engineer students were recognized as the winners of the Volkswagen design challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn., for designing a bridge.
Riley was recognized and thanked for support during dessert.
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