Detroit Regional Chamber > Member News > French-American Chamber of Commerce Michigan Chapter to host annual gala and awards ceremony

French-American Chamber of Commerce Michigan Chapter to host annual gala and awards ceremony

March 18, 2015
April 24 event to celebrate business ties between Michigan and France; Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executive Olivier François is speaker and guest of honor

Detroit, Mich. — March 17, 2015 — The French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter (FACC Michigan), a not-for-profit business organization committed to the improvement of economic, commercial and financial relations between France and the United States, will host its annual gala and awards ceremony on Friday, April 24 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills. This year’s gala will celebrate the ties that bring France and the United States together through Michigan companies with French roots or French leadership.

Leading an anticipated 165 attendees in an evening of celebration and reflection will be guest of honor and speaker Mr. Olivier François, Fiat brand CEO and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Chief Marketing Officer, and a member of the FCA Group Executive Council. Mr. François will discuss his experience leading FCA Marketing initiatives.  He will describe his strategy at defining and highlighting the identities of the individual brands of the company’s portfolio and explain the genesis of FCA’s acclaimed advertising campaigns. A native of Paris, Mr. François holds a degree in economy, finance and marketing from Dauphine University and a diploma from the Institute des Sciences Politiques (IEP), both Paris-based institutions.

Cedric Ballarin, FACC Michigan president and a vice president in the Michigan headquarters of France-based Faurecia, shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming event.

“We look forward to an evening celebrating French culture and contributions that tie Michigan and France together, specifically through the business community,” Mr. Ballarin said. “The gala promises to be a wonderful evening and will be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates all things French, including the food, fashion and culture.”

A portion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders.

The FACC Michigan gala and awards ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction, dinner at 8 p.m. and speakers beginning at 9 p.m. An afterglow with live music will begin at 10 p.m. Gala tickets are $160 per person for FACC members and $190 per person for non-members; sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets for the black-tie optional gala, donate items for the silent auction, become a sponsor or for additional information, please contact Stephanie Salvadero, executive director of FACC Michigan, at salvaderos.faccmi@gmail.com.

About the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter

The Michigan Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC Michigan) is a member of the French-American Chamber of Commerce – the oldest bilateral chamber of commerce in the United States, comprised of 21 chapters in major cities across the nation representing more than 5,000 member organizations. The FACC is a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to the development of commercial relations between French and American businesses. Learn more at www.faccmi.org.

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