State Legistlative Leaders Foundation

Letter from the Director

April 2008

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to announce a new name for our European branch, The Transatlantic Leadership Academy (TLA). Our mission and goals remain the same: a transatlantic network dedicated to promoting increased communication and cooperation between business and political leaders in Europe and the USA.

One issue is of special importance: the definition of the term “foundation” means something different here in Europe – in Germany in particular – than it does in the United States. In Germany, people approach “foundations” to receive funds and grants. SLLF, however, is asking its members and supporters to help finance our activities through their annual membership fees and donations. In contrast to other European foundations, SLLF does not have an endowment that allows us to finance our programs. Therefore, we reached the conclusion that after almost ten years we need to change the structure of our European branch. And thus the Transatlantic Leadership Academy was born.

By using the term “academy” we want to make clear that we are offering:

- educational programs primarily dedicated to the transatlantic relationship
- friendship and understanding among people and nations
- a dynamic forum for dialogue between leading representatives of the business community and political leaders

•    An academy offers programs and projects in the area of education and training, but it is also a place for philosophy, excellence, creativity, and the exchange of ideas. Even more importantly, an academy has sponsors and friends who support the goals and curricula of the institution and who also participate in its activities. The TLA offers first class opportunities for cooperation and networking among a diverse group of political and business leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
•    Over the last 10 years we have learned that developing a positive connection between people is a sure strategy to ensure that partners not lose sight of common goals. One of the best ways to solidify common goals is through exchange, dialogue, and people-to-people contacts.
•    The United States and Europe are certainly partners and competitors in the area of economic issues.
•    Global challenges in areas other than economics also require a level of leadership that only a true American-European partnership can provide. A strong American-European partnership is critical to face global threats and seize global opportunities to enhance security and prosperity for all of us.
•    TLA can help to improve the position of U.S. state legislative leaders on the international scene and thus contribute to broadening the outreach of their home societies
•    Among parliamentary organizations, SLLF is the only U.S. organization having its own office in Europe.

Alfons Schöps
Director of European Operations