BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT: 380 YEARS AND THRIVING
380 Years and Thriving
On March 29th, 2018, SACC Philadelphia
welcomed guests to the Corinthian Yacht
Club in Essington to celebrate the history of
Swedish presence in the Philadelphia region.
The name - 380 Years and Thriving - signifies
the founding of the New Sweden colony in
1638 along the Delaware River 380 years ago.
The word thriving comes from the historical
and current success of Swedish companies
in the region, including the presence of large
Swedish companies such as SKF, IKA and
SCA. Therefore, a business networking event
with a historical setting would be the perfect
theme to celebrate this important milestone.
On March 29th, 1638, the first Swedish
expedition sailed into the Delaware Bay
aboard the ships Fogel Grip and Kalmar
Nyckel. Dr. Kim-Eric Williams, historian and
the first speaker of the night, spoke about this
expedition and the historical significance of
the location. It was not a coincidence that
this event was held at the Corinthian Yacht
Club. Visible from the venue is Tinicum Island,
the former capital of and a vital strategic
point for the New Sweden colony.
The next speaker of the evening was the
Swedish Honorary Consul of Pennsylvania, Ulf
Hammarsköld. Ulf shared his story on how he
ended up becoming the Swedish Honorary
Consul of Pennsylvania and his view on how
Swedish companies are thriving in the U.S.
After the presentations, the evening
transitioned into time