By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Dowagiac, Cass County and Southwestern Michigan College officials welcomed a 13-member delegation of Russian financial managers to the community Sunday with a reception in the rotunda of The Museum at SMC.
The Russians, visiting with host families Sept. 9-Oct. 3, are on the second leg of a journey that includes Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.
Their greeters included Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert Wagel, City Manager William H. Nelson Jr., City Clerk James E. Snow, SMC President Dr. David M. Mathews, who spent his 13th birthday in 1973 in Moscow, and Rotarians Donald Woodhouse and Douglas Stickney.
Their greetings and the gratitude of the visitors were translated by Natalia Yakimenko, 43, of Vicksburg, whose American husband is a professor at Western Michigan University.
She is a facilitator for PEP, the Productivity Enhancement Program of the Center for Citizen Initiatives in San Francisco, Calif. She said some 4,000 visitors have been exposed to America through the program, which receives financial support from the U.S. State Department.
Local participating businesses include Martin's Supermarkets, Lyons Industries, Edward Lowe Foundation, SMC, Fifth Third Bank, South Bend Chocolate Co., Robert Weed Plywood, Plante, Moran CPAs, Huntington Bank, Wick's Apple House, Michiana Truss, the Cass County Sheriff's Office, 911 Emergency Center and jail staff.
Max Kotchetkov, 35, an interpreter from San Francisco, followed in the footsteps of his father, who worked for the United Nations. He lived in Moscow for 10 years. He has also studied French and Latin.
Andrey Malygin, 43, of Nizhniy Novgorod, is director of Malkom (35 employees). His company produces plastic items, such as tubes for heating, bottles and cans. He is married, with a son, 17, and daughter, 10. He likes sports. He has been in his current position since 2001.
Vladimir Rubtsov, 31, of Kazan, 800 kilometers east of Moscow, is financial director of Kazan Pharmaceutical Factory (50 employees). He is also commercial director for a pharmacy chain similar to Walgreen's or CVS. He is married, with a daughter, 12, and son, 4. "This is my first visit in the United States. I am enjoying it very much. I am deeply grateful for all Americans who are hosting. A huge thanks to all of you."
Olga Belosludtseva, 29, of Novosibirsk, is deputy financial director of Mobikom (100 employees). Her company manufactures equipment for cellular phone networks. Her hobby is yachting. She is fluent in English and speaks German. She studied economics at Siberian State University of Telecommunications and Computer Sciences and has held her present position since 2002.
Yekaterina Pahkomova, 25, of Stary Oskol ("a small provincial town of 270,000"), is a lawyer as well as financial director of Promstroy (70 employees). She is single and enjoys traveling, music, guitar playing, singing, literature and poetry. "My city is located 600 kilometers to the southwest of Moscow. My company manufactures plastic windows. Another division maintains and installs equipment for industrial facilities. I would like to thank everyone involved in preparing for our visit, especially our host families."
Larisa Zub, 39, of Magnitogorsk, has been financial director of Tekhnokhim, a chemical company (21 employees) since 1995. It manufactures construction materials, including paints, varnishes, wooden frames, panels, plastic panels and window sills. Her 18-year-old son attends college. "I'm really amazed by how hospitable Americans are. Americans are incredibly open and friendly. I feel totally at home with you."
Vera Mitrofanova, 42, of St. Petersburg, has been financial director of Dom na Moike (20 employees) since 2000. She is married and has a daughter, 16, in college, and a son, 12, in middle school. She loves skating, swimming and knitting. "My company invests in real estate. It has been in the Russian market almost eight years. It invests in hotels and business centers" and manages apartments. "I'd like to express my deep gratitude to all the host families, and also to all Americans who have been involved in our program and take us around and show us and share with us America. I hope all of you come and visit us in Russia and have the same pleasant surprise."
Svetlana Shukyurova, 28, of Volgodonsk, in the south. She is chief accountant of SKF (50 employees), where she has worked since 1998. "My company has very diversified business lines. One division is involved in printing. A second division is involved in furniture manufacturing." She is married and enjoys playing chess, fitness and computers. "I'd like to thank all the host families and organizers of this program. Our first week was very stimulating."
Vasilya Shalobodova, 30, of Kazan, since 2002 has been financial director of Danafleks (120 employees). "We manufacture flexibile packaging. For Russia, it was a totally new product." She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, 2. Her hobbies include reading, skating, swimming, skiing and teaching her daughter to paint, read and write. She speaks French. "I'm getting a lot of new business ideas," she said. "Thank you very much for providing us with the opportunity to come here and learn about business and life."
Svetlana Luzan is from Vladivostok, "10,000 kilometers from Moscow. Nevertheless, there is life even there." Since 2000 she has been financial manager for Khimreaktiv (12 employees), which produces chemicals for pharmaceutical compositions and for research. She is married, with a daughter, 14. She likes car travel, drawing and knitting. She turns 40 Sept. 27. "I'm very happy I have a chance to be part of this program. I very much enjoy meeting Americans. We feel very, very welcome here. I'm grateful to everyone involved. We know it takes valuable, precious time. I hope to be able to apply all the knowledge."
Yelena Kosova, 28, of Elektrostal, since 2000 has been deputy director of finance at Ekomash (25 employees). Her company manufactures milk processing equipment. "I was born, raised, work and live in a small city outside of Moscow," she said. Her daughter will be 4 in November. Her hobbies are aerobics, gym and reading. "I am very much impressed and very much grateful to Americans for being so generous in sharing with us information we need. I hope to absorb as much as I can, then apply it at my own company in Russia. Thank you very much for making it possible."
Damir Abdyushev, 27, of Volgograd, since 2002 has been financial director of OOO "Spetszheloezobteton" (100 employees). He felt "so much surrounded and cocooned by warmth" that he sat apart from the delegation. He is married, with a daughter, 2. He reads in his spare time. His company manufactures prefabricated concrete blocks for big construction projects. "Though I have spent less than 24 hours in Dowagiac, I feel I can confirm that the organizers of the program have been preparing for a very long time. I felt this right away."
Wagel presented each delegate with a county lapel pin on behalf of the 15 commissioners. The pins depict Cass County's attributes, including a cornstalk, a hog and lakes. Wagel also promoted its hiking and biking trails, skiing, museums, art galleries, libraries, restaurants "and this great community college. Cass County is a great place to live and work, a community where there is always something to see and do year-round. Over 50,000 people call Cass County home. The Board of Commissioners, 15 townships, four villages and the City of Dowagiac work together to maintain a high quality of life. I'm confident you will find your visit stimulating and rewarding."