
ABOUT US
Treffpunkt is dedicated to the German-speaking residents of Arizona!
We invite everyone to become a part of and learn more about German-speaking cultures.
The “Treffpunkt” (meeting place) is a nonprofit organization and meeting point for Germans, Austrians, Swiss, and everyone who speaks German - or anyone who would like to learn more about it.
Our sponsors and members contribute to diversity within the “Treffpunkt.” We are closely associated with German businesses in Arizona, local German-speaking clubs, Arizona State University ('ASU'), and other universities/schools.
In addition to our educational objectives, we offer German foods, beer, and wine from German-speaking regions, German books, exhibitions, concerts, lectures, social meetings, and much more.
We welcome new members!!
And we are happy to share more info. about all that we offer!
The “Treffpunkt” Team
OUR SUPPORTERS

What a wonderful "Welcome to Treffpunkt" message to all our german-speaking communities and individuals from Volker Benkert!
Click to video to see his enthusiasm 'in action' as he recognizes that "anything that ties my old home to my new home in Arizona is important."
Thank you, Volker!

English
German
THE ADVISORY BOARD
A special appreciation goes to our Advisory Board, which consists of supportive volunteers who help to evaluate and guide our plans so that we best fulfill the mission and vision of the organization.

Benedikt Brueckle - Chairman
Benedikt was born in Munich and grew up in Switzerland and Hannover, Germany. After completing his early education, he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen in Germany, graduating in 2005. He began his career in auditing and consulting, gaining experience in Germany and Luxembourg. His expertise spans Healthcare-IT and finance, driving international growth and innovation in leadership roles, including his current position as CEO at CompuGroup Medical US. He resides at the foothill of the Superstition Mountains with his wife and two sons.

Juergen Raps
Professor Jürgen Raps was born in 1951 in Bayreuth and completed his education there before joining Lufthansa in 1970. He underwent ab initio pilot training in Bremen and Phoenix from 1970 to 1972 and began his flying career as a First Officer on the Boeing 737 and DC-10. He later advanced to Captain on several aircraft, including the Boeing 737, Airbus 330, 340, 340-600, and the A380, being also,Check - and Training Captain on these types.
Throughout his career, he has held numerous management positions, including Department Head of the B737, Deputy Fleet Chief Pilot and Chiefpilot for Boeing 737.
He also served as VP of Lufthansa’s Commercial Pilot School in Bremen and Phoenix, Chief Pilot of Lufthansa Passage, and COO of Lufthansa Passenger Airline among other notable roles.
Professor Raps was responsible for the entry into service (EIS) of the A380 and served as the Chief of Lufthansa's Crisis Management team. He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Bremen, specializing in Air Traffic Management and Air Traffic Systems. His influence extends internationally, having held positions in various global committees and supervisory boards, including IATA and EASA.
Notably, he was the Pilot in Command for the first-ever A380 flight to the USA (JFK).

Klaus Knappik
Andrea Wimmer

Dieter Bollmann
Dieter was born in Bonn and grew up and went to school in Böblingen near Stuttgart, Germany. He served in the German Armed Forces communication unit in Dillingen. Dieter attended the University of Tübingen and San Francisco State University and graduated with a degree in business administration. Dieter is a VP Investments with First Financial Equity Corp. and manages retirement and trust assets of small- to medium-sized family business owners. He is engaged with the German-American Community through the Chamber and cultural organizations. Dieter lives with his wife, Merrill Leffmann, in Scottsdale and Sedona. Their daughter, Cheye, was raised bi-lingually and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in Magdeburg, Germany.

Werner Bonadurer
Werner Bonadurer was born in Switzerland. He has lived in Arizona since 2008 with his wife, Irene, and their two sons. Werner is a clinical professor of finance at Arizona State University. Following his B.A. degree, he graduated with an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Werner received his Ph.D. in finance with summa cum laude from the University of St. Gallen (HSG), Switzerland. Prior to his engagement in academia, Dr. Bonadurer was a senior executive with a leading global investment bank where he lived and worked in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Since 2019, Werner has been acting as the Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Arizona.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors consists of active volunteers who serve to fulfill the mission and vision of the Treffpunkt organization. As the company´s governing body, the board is responsible for providing organizational leadership and direction; ensuring that programming and plans align to and achieves our mission; overseeing financials and the annual operating budget; and promoting Treffpunkt in the community.

Carolin Gey, Board of Directors - President.
Carolin was born in Munich and grew up in Kassel, Germany. She attended school in Kassel and studied at universities in Nuremberg, Germany and Sevilla, Spain. She lives in Scottsdale, AZ (for 18 years). Carolin is the Honorary Consul of Germany in Arizona. She is also the Managing Partner of kybun USA LLC, a company exclusively importing and distributing kybun products from Switzerland in the United States. Carolin and her family do celebrate their heritage frequently in their home and are excited to share and experience more with fellow German-speaking members of the community.

Michael Spandau, Board of Directors -
Michael was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He studied Business Economics and Computer Science at Reutlingen University,
formerly known as Fachhochschule Reutlingen. Michael moved to the USA in 1994 and has been the CIO of Fender Musical Instruments for the past 16 years. Michael lives with his wife, Elke Spandau, in North Phoenix. Together with their daughter, Helena, they share their love for Arabian Horses. Both Elke and Michael are certified private pilots.

Christine Colley, Board of Directors - Treasurer.
Christine Colley, a German native, grew up in Mainz. She began her US career in Finance with
an internship in Wine Import in Dallas, Texas. Her career took her to California and New Jersey
before arriving in Arizona. Christine has lived in Fountain Hills, AZ with her husband Jack since
1995, her daughter and granddaughter joined them in 2019. After her retirement from Henkel
Scottsdale, Christine stayed involved with the German community in Arizona. She created the
popular Fountain Hills Oktoberfest in 2008 and is currently the co-chair of the
“Weihnachtsgottesdienst” in the German language in Ahwatukee, Az, that began in 2009. She is
an avid fan of Treffpunkt events.

Volker Behnkert, Board of Directors – Education.
Volker Benkert studied history and English at the Universities of Bonn, Edinburgh, St. Petersburg, and Fribourg. He graduated with a master's degree from the University of Bonn and a doctorate from the University of Potsdam. Volker is an Assistant Professor in the school of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University where he teaches a broad spectrum of curriculum, including upper-division courses in modern German and European history. Volker has authored and edited many books/publications (as seen in Amazon) and is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer at educational conferences.

Bernard Otremba-Blanc, PhD, Board of Directors - Outreach.
Bernard is an international business consultant with offices in Arizona, Mexico, Germany and Libya. He was born in Germany and grew up in France, Switzerland and Germany. A “citizen of the world”, he has lived and worked in nine countries in Europe, the Middle and Far East and North America and has traveled in 119 countries, on all continents. Bernard came to the U.S. in 1985 to assume responsibilities as Chairman/CEO for all of the Americas, for a subsidiary of a multinational European manufacturing company. From 2002 to 2012 he served as German Honorary Consul to the State of Arizona and was twice honored by the President of Germany with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Cross and Cross of Merit First Class). Bernard has since 1997 served as the Phoenix Warburg Chapter Director in the American Council on Germany and is a board member of the Arizona Club in Dresden, Germany.

EMPLOYMENT: Treffpunkt Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.