Focus on Leadership - Fall Leadership Gathering Cultivates Teamwork

The historic setting of the Fall Leadership Gathering hosts specimens of Kentucky coffee trees, descendants of trees grown by Washington. It is also home to an immense Osage orange tree, the largest in Virginia and the second largest in the country. As the oldest tree on the farm, it is believed to have been a gift from Thomas Jefferson to the Washington family and grown from a seedling gathered on the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06.

The Fru-Con and Centennial teams were addressed by Bilfinger Berger AG Executive Board Member Professor Hans Helmut Schetter. Professor Schetter reported on the varied worldwide projects of Bilfinger Berger and areas targeted for growth. In addressing current financial and economic challenges, he quoted Bilfinger Berger Executive Board Chairman Herbert Bodner: “No company can avoid economic fluctuation … but they can be crisis-proof.”

Professor Schetter told Fru-Con leaders that opportunities are rich in both the services and construction sectors for projects related to climate change and the demands for energy. Life cycle optimization, geothermal and wind energy, process industry enhancements and power plant efficiency improvements create future demand. He also highlighted some of the company’s recent acquisitions in the service sector.

“It is always a pleasure for our team to hear from Professor Schetter and learn more about how our contributions and innovations are important to the organization’s continued success,” notes Fru-Con President and CEO Clem Mitchell. “As we look to our future growth, there is much to cultivate, both within our firm and in partnership with our clients who are working to shape solutions we can help them achieve.”