Dear Readers,

This year was marked by the 60th anniversary of the Marshall plan. The name of George Marshall is connected to the European reconstruction after WW II, and a newly established visitors program which brings young American professionals to Austria bears his name. The first George C. Marshall Austria - U.S. Visitors Program was held in Austria in October with a focus on “Environmental Technology” and was judged a great success.

A fact-finding mission, organized by the Austrian Trade Commissions in Chicago and Toronto provided Austrian suppliers the opportunity to present their products and technologies in the Mecca of the Automotive Industry and to meet with some of the most important buyers representing the North American automobile industry.

We are very happy to present an interview with the Austrian hockey player Thomas Vanek who is one of the top players of the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League and was recently awarded Austrian Sportsman of the Year 2007.

This issue is also dedicated to the contribution of Austrians to the sport of skiing in the U.S. We present a three-part documentary entitled, Legacy: Austria’s Influence on American Skiing, which provides a historical account of the remarkable contributions made by three generations of Austrian skiers to the ski industry in the United States. Furthermore, we present an article on the Austrian ski coach Erich Sailer, founder of several popular racing programs in the U.S. and was recently inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.

I wish you a peaceful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

Wolfgang Renezeder
Editor-in-Chief