September 2018 Newsletter
gg
Articles
Francis M.S. Peel Obituary
Francis M.S. Peel February 16, 1927 – June 18, 2018 Long time AIC member and perennial membership contest winner/runner up, Francis (Frank) Peel, passed away of natural causes on June 18th 2018 at his home in Naples, Florida, surrounded by his loved ones. He was 91 and had lived a good life. An attorney with an international reputation and an international lifestyle, Frank was born in London in 1927 and during the Blitz was a boy bicycle messenger. He was the son of Gisele née Mirmovitch and Rabbi Maurice Perlzweig, a leader long associated with human rights at the United Nations. During the worst of WWII, the family moved to New York where he joined the US Army and gained dual citizenship. A graduate of Cornell and the Columbia Law School and passionate about political life, he worked on …
July 4th Cookie Bake Off
The American International Club of Geneva presents its annual Great American Cookie Bake-off during the AIC 4th of July event Campagne du Chateau, Grand Saconnex 6-10pm (judging to take place at 7:30pm) How to enter: Indicate your interest when registering for the AIC 4th of July event. Prepare a dozen cookies with the below criteria in mind Bring your baked cookies to the Bake-off table between 6:45-7:15pm Entries will be judged on the following criteria: Overall Taste Appearance Creativity (e.g. use of 4th theme) Judges choice - special mention (e.g. gluten-free, vegan, natural sweeteners) Prizes: The best cookie will receive a blue ribbon and the glory of having the best cookie! After the judging the cookies will be sold for charity. Special note: please indicate very clearly on a note card your ingredients, especially if your cookies contain …
Chamber of Commerce Soccer World Cup
Chambers of Commerce Soccer World Cup Where: Centre Sportif du Bout-du-Monde, Genève When: June 16th-17th Are you or one of your children a soccer player? You can now be part of the AIC team representing the USA to one of the most exciting soccer tournament of the year gathering the ex-pat community living in Geneva. 8 national teams, including Italy, England, France, Portugal and Spain are already in the competition. The tournament has a compact format (5 players per team) and includes group phase matches on Saturday and Eliminatory phase matches and the Finals on Sunday. Massage therapists will be present and fruits and beverages will be offered by the organization staff between the matches. Note: American citizenship is mandatory to integrate the team Are you interested? For subscription and further details …
Jean-Pierre Roth
Ex-President of the Swiss National Bank Provides Financial Insights Geneva, May 3, 2018: The American International Club (AIC) hosted a presentation by Jean-Pierre Roth, the ex-President of the Swiss National Bank and former Chairman of Banque Cantonale de Genève, at the Swissôtel Metropole on May 3rd. Dr. Roth analyzed the global financial crisis of 2007-2009. Due to risky investment bank behavior and benign neglect by financial authorities, the sub-prime crisis slammed global financial markets in 2007. Central banks responded by injecting massive amounts of liquidity to prop-up the global interbank system, and to keep financial markets functioning. While aggressive quantitative easing successfully rescued the markets from collapsing, Dr. Roth pointed out that these unconventional policies were never meant to become permanent. Central banks and federal governments have become complacent, and the collateral damage is building. He …
EDWARD MCMULLEN JR: AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN
New US Ambassador to Switzerland, Ed McMullen speaks to the AIC Geneva, April 25, 2018: Just four months into his tenure as US Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Ed McMullen spoke to nearly 100 attendees at the 764th AIC luncheon at the Metropole Hotel. A businessman based in South Carolina and former political strategist for Donald Trump, Ambassador McMullen sold his advertising firm to take up his position in Bern on December 15 of last year. Ambassador McMullen is not a stranger to Switzerland. Under the American Swiss Foundation’s Young Leaders Conference, initiated by one of his predecessors Ambassador Faith Whittlesey, young Ed McMullen visited Switzerland in 1995 and met with Swiss businessmen, politicians and opinion leaders. He also came to Zermatt to ski as a boy and has continued to take his own family there on …
Guillaume Barazzone
Former Geneva City Mayor Discusses Geneva’s Challenges
Patrick Aebischer Discusses Swiss Innovation and Venture Funding
Patrick Aebischer Discusses Swiss Innovation and Venture Funding Geneva, March 6, 2018: The American International Club (AIC) hosted an inspiring presentation by Dr. Patrick Aebischer, President Emeritus EPFL.at the Swissôtel Metropole on March 6th. Dr. Aebischer is a leading figure in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Switzerland. Dr. Aebischer stated that Switzerland’s innovation, technology readiness, and higher education & training have led to a #1 competitiveness ranking by the World Economic Forum. World-renown inventions emanating from Geneva include the world-wide web and restriction enzymes (which cut DNA into many pieces). Switzerland’s weakness thus far has been an inability to capture the commercial value of these inventions. He laid out an innovation ecosystem framework consisting of 1) top universities that produce disruptive, world-class research, 2) an innovation ecosystem, 3) anchor companies that are global leaders (e.g. Google in …
WWF Director General Discusses Global Conservation Efforts
Geneva, February 28, 2018: The American International Club (AIC) hosted a presentation by Marco Lambertini, Director General of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at the Swissôtel Metropole on February 28th. Headquartered in Gland, the WWF is a global federation of about 7,000 people located in 100 different countries. After the United Nations, the WWF is the most-followed organization in the world. The WWF promotes living in harmony with our environment. The WWF’s six areas of environmental conservation include Wildlife, Oceans, Forests, Freshwater, Climate & Energy, and Food. Mr. Lambertini pointed out that since the 1950’s there has been a “great acceleration” in the human consumption of water, land, fish, and food to unsustainable levels. He added that humans have been taking nature for granted, and ignoring the consequences. Global warming has accelerated, leading to melting polar …
Patrick Gleason, Director of State Affairs for Americans for Tax Reform (ATR)
On January 17, Patrick Gleason, Director of State Affairs for Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), spoke about the continuing and highly-disputed policy of taxing U.S. citizens living and working abroad and why this policy was omitted from the most recent tax reform laws approved in December 2017.
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors.
Upcoming Events
AIC “New” Monthly Apéro Canton Vaud
Oct. 30, 2025, 5 p.m.250th U.S. Marine Corps Ball
Nov. 14, 2025, 7 p.m.Thanksgiving Celebration
Nov. 28, 2025, 7 p.m.Become a Member
We look forward to welcoming you as a new member of the American International Club of Geneva!
Get Updates
Stay in the know by subscribing to our Newsletter updates!