Making connections in the business world is important to discover new ideas and partners, but when the unions formed stretch across continents, interests extend beyond the bottom line.
That was the message as members of a contingent of Russian entrepreneurs attended the weekly meeting of the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club Monday.
The Fort Atkinson Rotary Club is hosting the six Russian food-processing equipment manufacturers, a bilingual facilitator and an interpreter during the first 10 days if their 24-day stay in southern Wisconsin.
They arrived Thursday through the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) of the Center for Citizen Initiatives, founded in 1984 to empower individual Russians to create their own political and economic futures as their nation transforms from a Communist to market based society. PEP is modeled after the post-World War II Marshall Plan, which brought more than 24,000 non-English speaking managers and owners from 16 countries to America to learn how business were run.
As they shared their experiences during Rotaryıs luncheon meeting at the Legion Dugout Monday, the Russians told of a commercial environment in their homeland that is very different from that in America. Without exception, all of the Russian guests started their business in 1991 at the end of the Cold War. The collapse of communism prompted career changes that led the six to their current positions in food-processing equipment manufacturing and related industries.
Each Russian guest spoke to the club, most with the aid of an interpreter, noting what his or her company produced and outlining some of the challenges he or she has faced in getting started. "In 1991, we got a feeling in Russia that something could be doneyou could change things," said Victor Golberg, director of economics of the APER Co. in St. Petersburg. "Sometimes it could be scary."
Many of the Russian speakers worked for or started companies that produce a wide variety of products Golberg's, for instance, makes processing equipment for flour milling, small bakeries, potato chips, mayonnaise, sauces and creams, ice cream, dumplings, popcorn and hotdogs, an grills an mobile stalls for selling hot and cold meals.
Vladimir Trufanov, general director of the Armez Co. in Archiangelsk, noted his firm produces everything from meat manufacturing equipment to furniture for schools. Even with the wide variety of his companyıs interests, however, it is looking to expand. "One of the reasons I came here is to diversify our kinds of products, " he told the Rotarians. Julia Solovieva is accompanying the group as a facilitator. "We are here not only to learn business. We are here to see and learn from your experiences." She noted. "We have learned a lot already. This is a new concept of caring and sharing." "I am really happy if you can learn something from us, too," she added. Each member of the Russian contingent was presented a pin that included the Rotary motto, "Service above self."
The Russians returned the favor by giving the Rotary Club a banner to adorn the American Legion Dugout walls during future Rotary meetings. In addition to Golberg, Trufanov and Solovieva, the Russian guests include Tatiana Averianova, of Rostov-on-Don; Viktor Golberg and Alexey Istomin, both of St. Petersburg; Viktor Rublev, of Voronezh; Vladimir Tchistiakov, of Krasnodar; and Vladimir Trufanov, of Archiangelsk.
For Atkinson Rotary host families include Bob and Kathy Cheek, Joyce DesJardins, Mike and Sue Doleschy, Dianne and Joe Hrobsky, Christi and Steve Ott, Ed an Joanne Smith, Geoff and Joan Smith and Robert and Edna Wagner.
The Russian will be staying in Fort Atkinson through Sunday, March 14. They will then spend a week each with the Oconomowoc and Hartford-Slinger Rotary Clubs before leaving for Russia on March 27.