Like Loudoun, the economy of the region has grown rapidly in recent years. Nearby at Frankfurt Rhine-Main is Germany’s largest airport, and information technology– including the European headquarters of Korean electronics giant Samsung–make up a large part of the business base at MTK.
High-rise offices have been built in suburban Eschborn (sounds like "Ashburn") outside of Frankfurt, where much of the new development is happening. The Main-Taunus Center, Germany’s oldest shopping mall, was also built there.
There is much diversity among the 224,000 residents of the region, and like Loudoun, sharp focuses are maintained on education, recreation and culture. The history of the region is important as well, going back to Roman times–centuries before Loudoun’s founding in 1757.
There is even a well-established (albeit much older) winery industry, as well as a great river, the Rhine, that helps define the region much like our Potomac.
The MTK District Council, like the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, “…does not limit its efforts to supporting established businesses,” according to “Welcome to Main-Taunus,” published by the MTK District. “It is also keen to help entrepreneurs from Germany and abroad set up there own companies by guiding them through the early stages.”
The purpose of the June 2009 visit–which will be reciprocated when Loudoun officials visit Main-Taunus–was to “Create more business exchanges and build business partnerships,” according to Martin G. Woitschell, of the MTK Office for Regional Affairs. “In addition, we want to build a student exchange program, which is happening.”
Starting on Monday, June 8, the German delegation attended a series of meetings, breakfasts and dinners with Loudoun officials and business leaders. “We discussed lots of good ideas, and have lots of things to work on,” said Dr. Jurgen Ratzinger, Managing Director of International Business for the Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Our goal was to intensify the relationship between our two counties.”
MTK County Chief Executive Bertold R. Gall spent much time traveling through Loudoun accompanied by Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (I-At Large), meeting with Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Hatrick. Among the topics discussed were ways to expose students in the respective school systems to each other’s cultures.
On June 10, the group managed to squeeze in a few hours of sightseeing in Washington, D.C. “It has been a very busy trip,” noted Gall.
For 4 years, my parents lived in the Frankfort suburb of Bad Soden which I believe is in this district so how cool to read that this is our sister county! I even remember shopping at the Main Taunus Zentrum which is mentioned in the article. I loved that area and was disappointed that I was in college at the time they lived there, but I was certainly lucky enough to call that home during college breaks.