Board of Directors

Benedict Herbst – Chairman and Executive Team
President & CEO United Soft Plastics, Inc.

Benedict Herbst serves as the President & CEO of United Soft Plastics, Inc., a fast growing and international operating TPE compounder that was founded in 2005. He previously held the position of Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and has expertise in strategy & management consulting.
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Juergen Gentzke – Vice Chairman and Executive Team
Vice President Kuehne & Nagel Inc.

Juergen Gentzke joined Kuehne + Nagel AG & Co. in 1987 and had his first assignment as Officer in 1996 overseeing the Airfreight Division in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1998 he was appointed as Regional Vice President S.E. Region USA.
Read more about Juergen Gentzke …
Josip T. Tomasevic – Vice Chairman and Board of Directors
Senior Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer, AGCO Corporation

Josip T. Tomasevic joined AGCO Corporation in 2011 as Vice President and was appointed Chief Purchasing Officer, CPO in January 2013. Josip was appointed Senior Vice President in January 2019. He manages the global spend of AGCO.
Read more about Josip T. Tomasevic …
Teri Simmons – Secretary and Executive Team
Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

Teri Simmons directs the International and Immigration Practice groups at Arnall Golden Gregory, where she has practiced law for over 22 years. She has served for many years on the Board of the German American Chamber of Commerce, German School of Atlanta and Atlanta Council for International Relations.
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Thierry Kartochian – Board of Directors and Executive Team
Executive Vice President & CFO Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Thierry Kartochian entered the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in July 2010. He is responsible for Finance, IT services, Procurement, Facilities Management and Human Resources. He further serves as President of Porsche Enterprises, Inc., the holding company for Porsche in North America.
Read more about Thierry Kartochian…
Dennis Wagner – Board of Directors
CEO BESTAR STEEL Group, President BESTAR LLC

Dennis Wagner joined BESTAR in Germany in 1996 and began building up the company’s business in the United States and Canada. In 2001 he relocated to Atlanta to start BESTAR LLC. BESTAR is a renowned German specialty steel supplier established 1978 in Remscheid.
Read more about Dennis Wagner…
Senol Bayrak – Board of Directors
Vice President, Sales and Product Management, Mercedes-Benz USA
David C. Peterson – Board of Directors
Senior Vice President-Commercial Banking at PNC

Experienced Senior Vice President Commercial Banking with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Skilled in Cash Flow, Management, Asset Based Lending, Private Banking, and Financial Analysis.
Read more about David C. Peterson… 
Linda Emde – Board of Directors and Executive Team
President at International Expo Consulting


Linda Emde is the President of International Expo Consulting a Design and Turnkey Exhibit Agency. In Atlanta since 1996 she founded International Expo Consulting 2004. The company has specialized in designing and building tradeshow booths for European companies here in the US and for US companies in Europe.
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Christian Halpaus – Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer IFF, Inc.
Carsten Alting – Deputy Secretary and Board of Directors
Attorney at Law, Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

Carsten Alting practices in the areas of business law, corporate law, international transactions between the U.S. and EU countries, investments, immigration and civil practice. He is a member of the German, Georgia, and New York bars.
Read more about Carsten Alting…
Warren Colter – Board of Directors
CEO Bauerfeind USA

Warren Colter is an exceptional marketing strategist, collaborative executive leader and gifted coach of talent.
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Johannes Dorsch – Board of Directors
President JDC Group

Johannes Dorsch is the Founding Partner and President of the JDC Group. He is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the company, cultivating domestic and international relationships, maximizing JDC Group’s technology alliances, and overseeing the company’s national and international expansion.
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Andreas Droege – Board of Directors
President & CEO, Actemium INP (INP North America, Inc.)

Andreas Droege is passionate about supporting European manufacturers & OEM machine builders and integrating their technology into the US market.
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Wolfgang Hartert – Board of Directors
V.P. at Vorstellung, Inc.
Dr. Eike Jordan – Board of Directors
President, Jordan Inter Consult, Inc.

Dr. Eike Jordan has been involved in the international business community in the southeastern United States for the past 32 years. Since 2004 Dr. Jordan is the Chairman of the board of trustees of The Halle Foundation which supports knowledge, understanding and friendship between Germans and Americans. He is a recipient of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Read more about Dr. Eike Jordan…
Christina Rebel-Otterbach – Board of Directors
President & Founder of CRO Management Consulting LLC


PRIORITIZE, FOCUS & SUCCEED – Leadership & Finance Excellence for Transforming Companies
Transformational Leader accomplished in Financial & Business Management, Turnaround & Organization, Global Expansion & Integration, Exit Planning.
Read more about Christina Rebel-Otterbach…
Joerg Starkmann – Board of Directors
CEO, Schuh Complexity Management

Joerg Starkmann- a driven, communicative leader with over 25 years of experience, ranging from Strategic and Operations Management over Engineering to Business Development and Program Management in different industries and cultures.
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Peter Halpaus – Honorary Board Member
Chairman and Founder IFF, Inc.

In 1983, Peter Halpaus founded International Freight Forwarders, IFF, Inc., in Atlanta, GA with just one employee. Today IFF has over 60 employees and offices in Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Miami, FL, and Vance, AL.
Read more about Peter Halpaus…