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 FACC-Chicago                                                                                            September 2014
Read this publication on www.facc-chicago.com.
 
1.Editorial

Communaut� Francaise Breaking News

Introduction au Nouveau Consul General de France a Chicago

Eric Michoux et sa deleguation en visite a Chicago

La Commission Junker 

 2. FACC Activity

Passport to France, November 20th
Save the Date


Professionals Networking Event, October 15th, 2014

October Monthly Members Luncheon

Women for Women Committee

Meet Miss Nyet, One of our French Innovation Week Marche Vendor

   

Economy

R&D investment generates jobs and accelerates productivity

Bank mergers churn Chicago's top 10, but Chase still top dog

Energy conservation efforts in District 99 save millions

Employment
 
Uber keeps its word, adding 420 jobs by 2016
 
Politics

Rauner puts another $1.5 million into Illinois governor campaign

Obama heading to Chicago , will fundraise for Quinn
 

Business    

 

Money talks and it says: Chicago's still a good bet

Seventeen Illinoisans have made the latest Forbes 400 list of the nation's richest people.

 

Society

 The Hot Doug's line: a survival guide

Press Pass: Cooking With John Kass

 4.Event & Ads

CCI France International

Bistronomic

Brasserie by LM

Le Troquet

French Market

Join us for a classical French Dinner

Everything Provence

Job Openings

Welcome to our

New Members!

   

DASSAULT SYSTEMES 
Sean Baumgartner

ESCOFIER  
Nicolas Choudin

Alexandra Lafaurie 

Alain Joyeux  
 

To learn more about FACC-Chicago membership, visit our Membership Page. 

FACC-Chicago Upcoming Events
 
Monthly Luncheon

October 15th
Professionals Networking Event 
 
November 20th

Passport to France
 
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Lafarge website


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Edito1.Editorial

 

Dear Members,


Hoping September has let you enjoy our gorgeous Midwest fall weather, I am glad to report good news to enter the new season: first of all, the FACC recently welcomed Ms. V�ronique Bushala to its team. V�ronique comes with an extensive experience of Tradeshows and Events Management: her last endeavor in 2014 has been the co-organization of the magnificent Alliance Fran�aise Gala (Red Carpet at the Monte-Carlo Casino). We are delighted to have her join us for our Passport to France Season.... Particularly in a year that will see us celebrate the 30th Anniversary of our event!

At our October 14 Luncheon at the Sofitel, Mr. Vincent Floreani, the new Consul General of France in Chicago, will join us to share his vision and meet FACC Members and our dynamic local French-American Business community.

Earlier in September, we had the pleasure of welcoming a Delegation of officials and business leaders from Chalon-sur-Sa�ne in Burgundy.

Under the Leadership of Eric Michoux, elected mayor in Burgundy and  CEO of Galil� Groupe (an incubator space of its own for a dozen Burgundy companies), the delegation came to explore synergies and visit our Incubator in the Chicago Smurfit-Stone Building as well as the city's ever-growing 1871 digital incubator  in the Merchandise Mart. It was also the occasion to meet Tom Bartkoski from WBC.

It was a unique way to welcome as a new FACC member, Escoffier ,a company specialized in cold rolling technology and part of their Burgundy-based incubator program as they are starting their US (Chicago-based) business Development.

                     

I wanted to thank everyone who attended our largest (of the summer) Professionals Networking event this month (maybe due to the last Ivy rooftop edition of the season or simply the beautiful weather!) and let you know that October will see us return to the beautiful Drake for the fall season.  
Also in October, our Fall Breakfast Business Seminar Series will be inaugurated by IMS and Antoine Guillaud, with a special tax workshop for French in the US.

Last but certainly not least, this week you will all be receiving our first Passport to France digital invitation: from then on, you will be able to register to the event. Remember Passport to France has been sold out for the past 3 years!

The FACC has chosen to make a sustainable choice this year by not sending out a paper invitation so do not hesitate to spread and share the invitation amongst friends and colleagues, post it on your favorite social medias and check our own Passport to France Facebook Page for the latest on the event at
https://www.facebook.com/Passport2FranceChicago

Did I mention that Untilted will be welcoming us for a special 30th Anniversary After-Party? 

And I want to thank Jennifer Pohl and Cuv�e for inaugurating together our first After-Party 3 years ago... D�j� 
We look forward to welcoming you on November 20th at the Union League Club to celebrate French Gastronomy! (with a "clin d'oeil" to the "F�te de la Gastronomie" that just happened in France from September 26 to   28) 
In the meantime, be well and we hope to see you again soon at one of our FACC events, 

Bien amicalement, 
Emmanu�le van Houdenhoven

 

 

Communaut� Francaise Breaking NEWS

Introduction au Nouveau Consul G�n�ral de France � Chicago


 
Vincent Floreani est depuis le 23 ao�t 2014 consul g�n�ral de France � Chicago avec comp�tence pour les 13 Etats du Middle West. Il �tait depuis 2011 porte-parole adjoint et directeur adjoint de la communication et de la presse du minist�re des Affaires �trang�res, apr�s avoir �t� sous-directeur de la presse.

Vincent Floreani est un ancien �l�ve de l'Ecole nationale d'administration, promotion Cyrano de Bergerac. A sa sortie de l'ENA, en 1999, il a �t� affect� � la direction des Nations unies et des organisations internationales, sous-direction des Affaires politiques. Il �tait notamment charg� de l'Irak, de la Libye, de la r�forme du Conseil de s�curit�. Il a ensuite �t� premier secr�taire � la mission permanente de la France aupr�s de l'organisation des Nations unies � New York, de 2002 � 2005, comme expert au Conseil de s�curit�.

Chef du service de presse et de communication � l'ambassade de France � Londres en 2005, il a �t� d�tach� comme diplomate d'�change aupr�s de l'administration britannique en 2007, au Departement for International Development.
Vincent Floreani a ensuite �t� num�ro deux de l'Ambassade de France � Abou Dhabi (�mirats arabes unis) de 2008 � 2011.
Il est mari� et p�re de trois gar�ons.

 Learn More

Eric Michoux,Pr�sident d�l�gu� du Grand Chalon et sa d�l�gation en visite a Chicago le 10 Septembre

   

50 ans, mari� et p�re de 3 enfants.

 

Pr�sident du CJD r�gional, entra�neur en natation, ing�nieur g�n�raliste.

Pr�sident du Medef Sa�ne-et-Loire de 2007 � 2010 et �lu Pr�sident du Medef Bourgogne en septembre 2009.

 

Il met son exp�rience d'ing�nieur au service de deux entreprises industrielles avant de voler de ses propres ailes. En 1998, il reprend l'entreprise SIEM � M�con (maintenance de chariots �l�vateurs) et poursuit sa politique d'acquisition avec d'autres PME en difficult� : MCM (aujourd'hui Prov�a) � Venarey-les-Laumes (fabrication de machines sp�ciales), Manustra � Lyon (maintenance et vente de chariot �l�vateurs), B2M � Avignon (chariots �l�vateurs), CLM Industrie � Dijon (fabrication d'enceintes de confinement et de pi�ces pour le nucl�aire), CPM � Venarey-les-Laumes (Coupe de tube inox), Escofier � Chalon-sur-Sa�ne, Farman � Jou�-l�s-Tours, Peinta � Cusset, Coloc Provence � Bouc-Bel-Air et VDM � Sint-Marcel-les-Valences.

 

Mais toutes ces aventures industrielles ont en commun d'associer les dirigeants et les cadres au capital et d'inscrire l'entreprise dans la vie de la cit�. Une organisation garante de d�veloppement est en marche ... Une philosophie de l'entreprise qui lui vient certainement de son exp�rience au sein du CJD dont il fut pr�sident r�gional.

 

C'est ainsi que Galil� Groupe, qui chapeaute les 10 entreprises, est cr�� en 2005 avec pour objectif d'aider de futurs entrepreneurs � se mettre � leur compte : chaque directeur a pour mission de former au cours de sa carri�re trois �l�ves entrepreneurs, auxquels il sera ensuite demand� la m�me chose. Transmission des savoirs pour passer le flambeau mais �galement pour donner l'envie d'entreprendre et garantir les meilleures chances de r�ussite. Galil�, une certaine id�e de l'entreprise citoyenne ...

 

Le groupe repr�sente aujourd'hui 380 salari�s pour un CA de 50 millions d'euros.

 

Ce groupe s'est donn� une dimension sociale en cr�ant ICARE, association qui fonctionne comme une fondation, g�r�e uniquement par les salari�s du groupe. Objectif : choisir, financer et suivre des projets rapprochant une des entreprises du groupe Galil� de la soci�t� civile. Les projets sont pr�sent�s et port�s par l'un des salari�s. Ils peuvent �tre �ducatifs, culturels, humanitaires ou sportifs (hors sponsoring). Exemple : am�lioration du quotidien des jeunes malades de l'h�pital Debrousse � Lyon, co-financement d'un stage au Japon ...

 

Cr�ation �galement de l'EDEG (Ecole de Dirigeants Entrepreneurs de Galil�), dont les formateurs sont les directeurs des 6 soci�t�s. Originalit� : prendre en charge une mati�re qu'ils ne connaissent pas, ce qui les oblige � se former eux-m�mes.

  

Derni�re cr�ation : GALILE 360 : un r�seau communautaire pour financer les start-up.

Pour faire face aux difficult�s rencontr�es par les porteurs de projet, notamment en termes de financement, il existe d�sormais des solutions. �ric MICHOUX, entrepreneur � la t�te de sept soci�t�s, est venu ce vendredi � la rencontre d'une vingtaine d'entre eux pour leur pr�senter, en avant-premi�re, Galil� 360, un r�seau de financement communautaire. Concr�tement, ce r�seau devrait permettre de mettre en relation des porteurs de projet et des mentors qui croient en eux. Le syst�me entend offrir les conditions id�ales au d�veloppement des entreprises et ainsi permettre la cr�ation de nombreux emplois.


La Commission Juncker: une �quipe forte et exp�riment�e pour faire bouger les choses

 

 

Le pr�sident �lu, Jean-Claude Juncker, a d�voil� aujourd'hui son �quipe et la nouvelle organisation de la prochaine Commission europ�enne. Apr�s avoir travers� l'une des p�riodes les plus difficiles de son histoire, l'UE devra convaincre ses citoyens que les choses vont changer. Et pour que les choses changent, la Commission doit �tre ouverte aux r�formes. La nouvelle Commission europ�enne sera simplifi�e pour se concentrer sur les grands d�fis politiques de l'UE: la lutte contre le ch�mage par la cr�ation d'emplois d�cents, la promotion de l'investissement, l'acc�s de l'�conomie r�elle au cr�dit bancaire, la cr�ation d'un march� num�rique connect�, la formulation d'une politique �trang�re cr�dible et l'ind�pendance �nerg�tique de l'UE. La nouvelle organisation de la future Commission refl�te les orientations politiques sur la base desquelles Jean-Claude Juncker a �t� �lu par le Parlement europ�en.

 

 

1. La nouvelle organisation de la Commission

2. Les visages de la Commission Juncker

3. �ge et sexe: statistiques

4. Une �quipe forte et exp�riment�e

5. R�partition des portefeuilles et services d'appui

 

   

Pierre Moscovici nomm� commissaire europ�en aux Affaires �conomiques et mon�taires

La nomination de l'ancien ministre des Finances fran�ais � ce poste cl� �tait attendue.

 

Pierre Moscovici h�rite du portefeuille des Affaires �conomiques et mon�taires au sein de la nouvelle Commission europ�enne pr�sid�e par l'ex-Premier ministre luxembourgeois Jean-Claude Juncker. La nomination attendue de l'ancien ministre des Finances fran�ais � l'un des postes majeurs de la Commission, a �t� annonc�e, mercredi 10 septembre.

 

Jean-Claude Juncker d�signe une commission tr�s politique � la t�te de l'UE_  LE MONDE | 10.09.2014

Activity2.FACC Activity




November 20, 2014 


Union League Club of Chicago
65 West Jackson Boulevard
First Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
    
SAVE THE DATE

 
   
October 15th  
at the



140 East Walton Place 
Chicago,IL 60611

Register Here 

 

FACC-Chicago   

Monthly GUEST SPEAKERLuncheon 


Dear FACC-Chicago Members,   

            

We are honored to welcome Mr. le Consul G�n�ral de France � Chicago, Vincent Floreani,

 as our October Guest-Speaker.

   

 

Mr. Vincent Floreani   

Consul G�n�ral de France � Chicago 

 

 

Tuesday, October 14 , at 12:00 p.m.

Caf� des Architectes

  

Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel

 20 East Chestnut Street  

Admission: $40

 
Learn More
 

W4W Red and Blue    

 
In 2011, the FACC Chicago created W4W, ("Women for Women") the Executive Women's Committee.  The mission of W4W is to create a strong network, aimed at sponsorship and active support for women to help open doors to growth opportunities and counsel women through career peaks and valleys. 

In 2013, FACC Chicago W4W organized a breakfast seminar about Best Practices for gender compositions on Corporate Boards in France and the United States.  W4W is currently developing another informative event. 

The second mission of the FACC Chicago W4W is its ongoing mentorship program aimed at professional women in need of assistance with their career advancement whether they have recently relocated to Chicago, are rejoining the workforce after a break or are relocating to France from Chicago. To further this second prong of the mission, the WMW Committee ("Women Mentoring Women") was created.  
WMW pairs a candidate with one of the volunteer mentors to provide guidance on networking, identifying opportunities and understanding cultural differences.

The program is free for FACC members but application is required. For more information, please click go to http://www.facc-chicago.com/about-us/committees/.

If you are interested in beeing a Mentor please click here, if you would like to be a Mentee please download  form here.   
 
MEET MISS NYET, ONE OF OUR FRENCH INNOVATION WEEK MARCHE VENDOR

About Miss Nyet:

 

Miss Nyet is the company that encompasses my artistic work, from writing (I have published a political thriller titled "ETA: Estimated Time of Arrest," along with short stories in various anthologies. I also am in the process of writing the sequel to my first novel) to designing and hand-making original jewelry here in Chicago.


Should you be interested in reading more about myself, I invite you to click here

 

Why Miss Nyet?

 

   

In the beginning, Miss Nyet was founded as a book publishing company. It was the summer of 2009 and, in order to register my company, I needed to find a name for it, which is no small task because it is the crucial step that will forever define my brand. Thus, it cannot be chosen lightly. The problem was, out of all the names that I liked, 100% of them had already been taken/trademarked in one form or another. I was starting to lose courage, when I thought of my grand father and the nickname he gave me when I was a child: Miss Nyet. "Nyet" is the Russian word for "no," a word many toddlers love to repeat as soon as they learn to talk.

I thought that 'Miss No' would be a fitting name for my company, given that publishing companies tend to reject about 99% of the submissions they receive. I checked online to see whether the name had been taken, and it was free. This is how Miss Nyet first came to the world.

 

When I started the jewelry division, I decided to keep the same name as well as the mermaid logo, though one says 'publishing' and the other, 'jewelry,' for it seems to be a brand name that sticks in people's heads. Besides, who doesn't love a pretty mermaid? I get a lot of compliments about my company's logo.

 

Where does my inspiration come from?

 

When I started making jewelry, it was not with the intention of turning it into a business. I just got done writing and publishing a novel, and I think my brain just needed a break, while my hands wanted to do something other than typing on a keyboard for a change. Because I was spending a lot of time in the water, I wanted to design a piece of jewelry that I would not have to remove when immersed in salt water, or in a chlorinated pool. That was how the anchor bracelet was born. Made of weaved parachute cord, with a marine grade stainless steel anchor shackle for a clasp, it was the perfect accessory, colorful, original and sporty, for the holidays. Before long, fellow water sports enthusiasts were asking me to make some for them and their friends: that was how Miss Nyet Jewelry began.

Then I was approached by a Chicago Boutique to sell them at their store. When they asked me what I had in mind for a Fall collection, something clicked in my head. That was it, I had to broaden my horizons and think of designing a full collection!

I have always loved the texture and luxuriousness of leather, so that's the medium I chose to work with. I also took metal smithing classes to learn how to make jewelry. With every year that passes, I strive to improve and hone my skills, which is a challenge I love taking.

As far as inspiration goes, I love to make jewelry out of things that are not meant to be used in traditional jewelry-making. Instead of stones, I love to use old coins and unusual pieces of hardware. The reason why I got into designing an equestrian line, for example, stems from this very reason: I love the look of horse bits, shackles, rivets on leather, etc. Turns out I am very glad I created this collection, because I was commissioned to design a piece of jewelry for the professional polo players at the Beach Polo World Cup in 2013 and 2014, after the organizing committee got to see my work. This amazing opportunity definitely helped putting my budding company on the map.

For this Fall/Winter collection, I am working on a series of round leather chokers with dangling stainless steel chains, as well as stainless and leather bracelets for men. Of course, I am still continuing the models from past collections, which amount to a total of over 130 different creations, many of them meant for both men and women to wear.

 

How was your experience at the French Market during the French Innovation Week ?

 

The French Market was a very different approach to what I experienced before, in terms of exposing my work to the public. First of all, the show lasted for an entire week, when I am more used to both retail and private trunk shows, as well as weekend art expos. Also, the location was very original, at the Ogilvy train Station. If I was skeptical at first about how it would turn out, the show was a success for me. Once I got used to the foot traffic pattern, which corresponds to rush hour, meaning early in the morning, during lunch time and at the end of the work day, I became very appreciative of both the location and my customers. As we all know, a train station is a place where you will encounter people from all walks of life: they are construction workers, lawyers, nurses, teenagers, and everything in between. They all have one thing in common: they are rushing to catch their train to get home in the suburbs, or go to work, depending on the time of the day. Because they are commuting, their daily schedule does not allow them to do much shopping during the work week. Yet, by bringing the shopping to them, right there in the terminal, I found out they showed a lot of appreciation and interest for our work. And because their time is counted in minutes, they also turn out to be very decisive buyers, which is always a plus when it comes to the ABC (Always Be Closing!)

Another thing I loved was to see the people who bought a piece of jewelry on, say, Tuesday, make a point of saying Hi! to me for the remainder of the week as they rushed past my booth, all the while proudly pointing at their bracelet or necklace, saying: "I love it! Got so many compliments, thank you!"

This show of genuine appreciation really made my day. A lot of my customers came back later on to buy more pieces for a coworker or a friend, because they loved what they were wearing and wanted one for themselves.

 

Aside from the sales aspect, I got to make friends with my fellow exhibitors and FACC members in our downtime, which was a great opportunity to network and get the chance to speak French!

I am definitely looking forward to being a vendor next year again, and, I hope, to see more of the French community to be a part of this great initiative!

 

Miss Nyet events, trunk shows and online sales get added on a regular basis, so I encourage everyone to subscribe to my monthly newsletter and/or to follow me on Twitter and Facebook by clicking on the corresponding widgets on my main page www.missnyet.com.

 

Thank you very much for your interest, and for giving me the opportunity to present my work to our fabulous and resourceful network,

 

Delphine Pontvieux

Breaking3.Illinois Economic Breaking News

ECONOMY

R&D investment generates jobs and accelerates productivity

by Illinois Science and Technology Coalition

Technological innovation is linked to three quarters of the Nation's Post WW II growth rate.Two innovation linked factors capital investment and increased efficiency represent 2.5 percentage points of the 3.4 percent average annual growth rate achieved since the 1940's. (Commerce Department)

Bank mergers churn Chicago's top 10, but Chase still top dog

Crain's  

 

September 29th 

 

Bank mergers shook up the pecking order of Chicago's banking industry over the past year, but the top five deposit holders are unchanged from a year ago, according to newly released data.

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. added to its leading local deposit market share in the year ended June 30, boosting deposits in its 397 area branches by 15 percent to $87.9 billion, or 24.8 percent, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s annual update of bank deposits.

Learn More
Energy conservation efforts in District 99 save millions

Chicago Tribune

August 25th

Conservation efforts at Downers Grove Community High School District 99 facilities have saved millions of dollars over the years, according to a report presented to school board members.
Downers Grove school bus drivers practice routes
Downers Grove school bus drivers practice routes
Dawn Rhodes, Tribune reporter

The district has saved more than $5.4 million in energy costs since the energy conservation program was started more than 11 years ago at Downers Grove North High School, Downers Grove South High School and the administrative building on Springside Avenue, district officials said."We have a very successful program," said Lisa MacArtney, science teacher at Downers Grove South and energy education specialist for the district. "That (the savings) is a big thing to celebrate."

EMPLOYMENT

Uber keeps its word, adding 420 jobs by 2016

Crain's

September 29

Uber Technologies Inc., is keeping an informal political deal it had struck with Gov. Pat Quinn and, as a result, Chicago will be getting hundreds of new Midwest headquarters jobs.

The big ride-sharing firm today announced that it will add 420 jobs to its Central Region headquarters in Chicago by the end of 2016, more than quadrupling the number of non-driving staffers it has here now.

Uber had dangled the possibility of such jobs while Mr. Quinn was considering signing a bill that Yellow, Checker and other conventional cab companies had been pushing to impose tighter rules on companies that dispatch vehicles via cell phone apps. And now that Mr. Quinn has done so, the company says it's moving ahead.

POLITICS


Rauner puts another $1.5 million into Illinois governor campaign

Chicago Tribune

September 26

The GOP governor candidate begins a big push into Pat Quinn territory.Bruce Rauner has loads of support in suburban and downstate Illinois, but can he trounce Pat Quinn in Chicago?

Not a chance. But he's going to try.

The multi-millionaire Republican venture capitalist-who's waging a successful grassroots campaign to unseat Democratic Gov. Quinn-has shifted attention to Cook County, the largest voting block in the Land of Lincoln and one dominated by diehard Democrats.

Learn More

Obama heading to Chicago will fundraise for Quinn

Chicago Tribune

September 26th

obama
WASHINGTON-President Barack Obama will travel to Chicago on Wednesday and depart the city on Thursday, a White House official said today.

The president's visit will include a campaign event for Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, the White House official said.

Quinn is being challenged by Republican Bruce Rauner in the Nov. 4 election.

More details about the overnight trip "will be made available in the coming days," according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
BUSINESS

Money talks and it says: Chicago's still a good bet

Crain's

August 25th

It's going on right in front of our faces, but it's still a surprise: Despite the near certainty of hefty property tax increases, real estate investors are pouring big bucks into Chicago.

Earlier this year, one company spent $3,000 per square foot for a small Gold Coast commercial building. In May, another announced it would pay $850 million for a River North office tower. New apartment buildings and hotel projects are being announced almost every week. That's not political hot air or happy talk from business boosters. It's real money and lots of it.

17 Illinoisans make list of richest people in America

Chicago Tribune

September 29

Seventeen Illinoisans have made the latest Forbes 400 list of the nation's richest people.

The list, released Monday, includes four Illinois women and five members of Chicago's Pritzker family.

Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin retained his title as the state's richest man, jumping 13 spots on the list to No. 91. Griffin, who is in the midst of contentious divorce battle with wife Anne Dias Griffin, has a net worth of $5.5 billion. No other person in Illinois made the list's top 100.

SOCIETY

The Hot Doug's line: a survival guide

Crain's

September 29th

It's the final Saturday before Hot Doug's closes forever. It's 12:45 p.m., and the line is down the block - way down the block.

 

I walk up and peek in the front window and someone shouts out, "Hey, Anthony Bourdain, get in line!" The shout comes from somewhere within a group of guys in their 30s, all drinking craft beers in specialty glasses.

"Whales only," says Matt Ziegler of Chicago. For this special occasion, they've all brought out their rare bottles, their white whales. Some of these guys are kind of hammered, which is understandable considering they took their spot in line at 5:45 a.m. But Mr. Ziegler is sharp. He must be drinking slowly. Beer sipping is one way to pass the time in this slow-moving line, which saw its first customers at 2:30 a.m. The hundreds of people queued up on Roscoe Street, snaking west away from California Avenue, have their ways of coping, too.

Learn More
Press Pass: Cooking With John Kass

Chicago Tribune

Sold out!


If tickets should become available, they will be released to the waitlist in order.

Chicago Tribune political columnist John Kass will give you lunch and tell you the straight truth as the wildly popular "Cooking with Kass" makes its annual return. Come for the food, stay for the discussion as Kass, Tribune Deputy Metro Editor Mark Jacob and Tribune reporter Will Lee give you the whole story on today's biggest political issues. Missing this is like a moutza to yourself.

Parking available in Fawell A and Fawell B lots, the nearest parking lots to MacAninch Arts Center.

 Co-Employment: What if France once again became a good country for a foreign group to invest in?

 

Published on July 4, 2014

 

From the AEF website

By Marie-Fran�oise Clavel.


In its July 2, 2014 decision on co-employment (read on AEF), the Court of Cassation "shows that it knows what life is really like by sanctioning the inevitable economic domination of subsidiaries by corporate groups, and the need to coordinate those subsidiaries actions. The decision leaves it to the trial court to determine whether that coordination and dominance remain within reasonable bounds, or instead degenerate into a sort of visualization without any accountability. Although it is a thin line, at least that line has now been drawn.

 

So says Nicolas Sauvage, a partner in SEA Avocats, in an interview with AEF. The Court "accordingly limits the risk of co-employment only to those pathological cases in which the now-diabolical triad: the merger of interests, activities and management, results in "interference [by the parent company] in the economic management of the subsidiary, and in the management of its personnel," he explains.

 

In a decision handed down on July 2, 2014, (read on AEF) the Court of Cassation held that "absent a relationship of subordination, a company that is a member of a group cannot be considered a co-employer of personnel employed by another company unless, in addition to the necessary coordination of economic activities between companies that are members of the same group and the economic dominance that such membership can create, there is also a merger of interests, activities and management which manifests itself by interference in the economic management of the company, and in the management of its personnel." Nicolas Sauvage, a partner in SEA Avocats, commented for AEF on the scope of this decision, and what it means for businesses.

 

AEF: Why is this decision by the Court of Cassation important?


Nicolas Sauvage
: This decision marks a welcome return to reality by the Court of Cassation. The Court's Labor Division decided to issue this closely-reasoned decision en banc in order to enhance its impact. It is labeled FS-P-B, reflecting the court's desire that it be widely reported. It essentially recognizes an obvious fact that the business world must deal with on a daily basis: the "need to coordinate economic activities between companies that are members of the same group" and "the economic dominance that such membership can create." Accordingly, it limits the risk of co-employment exclusively to the pathological situation in which the now-diabolical triad: the merger of interests, activities and management, results in "interference in the economic management of the company, and in the management of its personnel." In so doing, it adopts a position similar to that of the Court of Cassation's Commercial Division, which uses the same approach to accept or reject actions involving a merger of assets in the name of "interference in management".

AEF: Why was the Court of Cassation's previous position criticized?


Nicolas Sauvage: The previous position of the Court of Cassation's Labor Division represented a departure from
legal orthodoxy (see, esp. the well-known decisions in Aspocomp (June 19, 2007) and Jungheinrich (January 19, 2011 and November 30, 2011). The Court's position upset many commentators. It had adopted an innovative approach by creating co-employment without employees: where co-employment could have been acceptable when two companies had employees working under their joint control (salary paid by one or both, exercise of supervisory and disciplinary authority by one, and then at other times by the other, services provided to either one, without distinction) the Labor Division had taken an innovative approach for purely financial reasons: the need to find a solvent debtor through the fiction of co-employment, against whom damages could be awarded for the benefit of employees terminated on economic grounds by an insolvent French subsidiary. So that, contrary to the principles that were supposed to guide the search for immanent justice rendered "in the name of the French people", the end justified the means.
Alerted by legal professionals to the unsuspected consequences of this line of cases, the Court of Cassation dug in its heels, even though it could have opted to certify the question to a higher court (Jungheinrich November 30, 2011), an ideal solution that would have allowed it to avoid reversing its position, and instead bow to the authority of the Court of Justice of the European Union. It dragged along in its wake several courts of appeals and numerous employment tribunals in decisions that were widely covered in the media, and whose echoes were heard far beyond our borders, panicking foreign investors.

  

AEF: What are the consequences of these decisions for corporate groups?


Nicolas Sauvage: We should begin by noting that all of these decisions were rendered in cases that involved the issue of the territorial jurisdiction of a French court over a foreign company in France, that had never been the contractual employer of the employees who were bringing the lawsuit.

On the merits, foreign corporate groups inevitably lost in the Court of Appeals because the Labor Division's judge-made rule provided that even if a French company was operating at a loss, the foreign group also had to be operating in the red. I have raised the risks associated with co-employment during my trips abroad over the past seven years. Those who are familiar with the world of business and French or foreign corporate groups, know that the diabolical triad mentioned above is virtually inevitable in any organization, especially one with a "matrix" structure. Since corporate groups are not going to alter their global organization merely to avoid having the French courts award damages against them on a theory of co-employment, they have parried this attack in two ways. Firstly, an intense effort, drawing on company law, to avoid having a manager who is shared by both the corporate group and its French subsidiary, in order to counter any claim that there may be a "merger of managers". The artificial nature of this game of musical chairs is clear to all. But what else could they do, to combat the hostile stance of the courts? Secondly, and this is far more serious: for the past four years, corporate groups have avoided making new investments in France, and have instead shifted their gaze toward more clement legal and economic climes.

The disarray in which labor law practitioners found themselves when faced with the theory of co-employment, which merely accelerated the process of foreign disinvestment, reached its peak at a colloquium organized by Avosial at HEAD (Hautes Etudes Appliqu�es du Droit) on June 25, 2013. Speaking on the subject of co-employment, an eminent Labor Division judge addressed the stunned audience in the following terms: "You're not really going to tell me that your clients for one minute think of co-employment when they are considering a job protection plan?" The judge's candor left the participants speechless. Their case files were overflowing with memos on this very subject, accompanied by staggering awards of damages in the cases cited above that were so widely reported in the press, (to which one can add the Court of Appeals decisions in Bosch and Continental).

AEF: Under what circumstances can co-employment be found to exist?


Nicolas Sauvage: The decision handed down on July 2nd is so measured and well-written that law students really should learn it by heart. The judge's role is to ensure that citizens obey the law. Accordingly, he must "know what life is really like". Here, the Labor Division has shown that it does, by sanctioning the inevitable economic domination of subsidiaries by corporate groups, and the need to coordinate the subsidiaries actions. The decision leaves it to the trial court to determine whether that coordination and dominance remain within reasonable bounds, or instead degenerate into a sort of visualization without any accountability. Although it is a thin line, at least that line has now been drawn.
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About Bistronomic

Bistronomic, a chef-owned and award-winning restaurant, offers housemade, modern cuisine rooted in the French culture and bistro experience. Showcasing seasonal and sustainable ingredients from Midwestern farms, the Gold Coast neighborhood restaurant's contemporary bistro fare features big flavors, a variety of portion sizes and options, and is prepared entirely in-house. The name, Bistronomic, is a combination of three words: bistro / gastronomy / economic, and the restaurant is Executive Chef/Owner Martial Noguier's long-time dream come to fruition - to create a contemporary bistro that is both approachable and affordable.

Received with wide acclaim, Bistronomic was named a semi-finalist by the prestigious James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant nationally and Executive Chef/Owner Martial Noguier was also selected as a semi-finalist in the category of Best New Chef Great Lakes. Bistronomic received Michelin's Bib Gourmand recognition for three years, was featured on the cover of Chicago Magazine as a Best New Restaurant, and was also named Best New Restaurant by the Chicago Tribune in 2011.

Located at 840 N. Wabash, in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Bistronomic is open for lunch Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Weekend brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are available through OpenTable.com and are strongly recommended. For more information about Bistronomic, please call (312) 944-8400 312-944-8400, visit www.bistronomic.net or view the restaurant's Facebook and Twitter pages.





 











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Le Pain Quotidien is Now Hiring Cooks for our newest location in Grant Park! If you are interested in joining our team, please reply directly to this ad with your resume to be set up with an interview!   


POSITION PURPOSE

At Le Pain Quotidien, a cook is at the foundation of our kitchen. It is an entry level position that exists to help prepare food by doing the routine and day to day tasks that are necessary in order to prepare the amazing dishes that we serve in our restaurant.

RESPONSIBILITIES  

 

- Preps and executes all menu items, including those for seasonal and specials menu items for dine-in and to-go, and in some cases, Grab n Go and Catering
- Aware of Le Pain Quotidien ticket time standards
- Keeps all areas of the restaurant clean and organized by following cleaning checklists, assisting with cleaning dishes, cleaning kitchen equipment, and detail cleaning as necessary
- Assists Kitchen Manager to maintain proper food par levels and use prep sheet to prepare correct levels
- Conducts line checks for quality control
- Practices mise en place to ensure proper set up and preparation in the kitchen
- Uses proper tools that are available to ensure adherence to recipes such as measuring cups, job aides, and various kitchen equipment such as knives, mandolins, rice cooker, microwaves, hot plates, and salamanders
- Follows all opening , mid, and closing procedures as directed by checklists and direction of Kitchen Manager
- Follows and completes Le Pain Quotidien cleaning and food safety checklists to ensure proper food handling; responsible for troubleshooting, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, FIFO, thermometers, Food Safety checklist, and temperature checklist
- Keeps all areas of the restaurant clean and organized by following cleaning checklists, assisting with cleaning dishes, cleaning equipment, cleaning bathrooms, trash removal, and detail cleaning as necessary; assists with setting up patio furniture and maintenance of outside fixtures and seating area

REQUIREMENTS:

- High School diploma or GED; or 1 or 3 months of related experience or training.
- Previous knife skills a plus
- Flexibility in schedule with the ability to work early mornings, weekends, and evenings

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS:

 

- Passionate about food, health, and Le Pain Quotidien
- Understand the meaning of organic, gluten free, and vegan
- Ability to develop positive working relationships will all restaurant employees and work as a part of a team by helping others as needed or requested.
- Ability to be solution oriented with a passion and desire to "get to yes"
- Ability to speak clearly and listen attentively to guests and other team members
- Ability to maintain a professional appearance at all times and display a positive and enthusiastic approach to all assignments
- Ability to exhibit a cheerful and helpful attitude and provide exceptional customer service
- Ability to adapt to changing customer volume levels with a sense of urgency
- Ability to demonstrate a complete understanding of the menu
- Ability to be cross-trained in all areas of the kitchen
- Ability to speak, read, and understand the primary language(s) of the work location

 

Please Contact: EBoyer@pqus.com


 For more information and for any questions about this publication or our organization, or to be added or removed from our mailing list, please contact us.

French-American Chamber of Commerce Chicago Chapter
Phone: 312-578-0444 Fax: 312-578-0445
 [email protected] www.facc-chicago.com