The Southwest German Society was founded in 1997 to coordinate events that celebrate German Culture, Traditions and Heritage and to promote educational programs, cultural exchange and the studies of the German language in Fountain Hills and throughout the greater Phoenix area.
The Southwest German Society has coordinated a series of public German events including the famous Fountain Hills Oktoberfest and traditional Carneval celebrations.
In 2004, members of the Southwest German Society successfully developed and delivered a Cross Cultural Program to the Dial Corporation in Scottsdale. This event came to life shortly after Henkel KGaA of Germany acquired the Dial Corporation in 2004. The program was designed for to help US colleagues build awareness about life in Germany and to help make the foreign ownership a positive experience. Over 600 Dial employees have participated in the overview that since has been modified to include more information about the Henkel world. Southwest German Society members initially presented the educational sessions and today Henkel employees in Arizona on special assignments lead these sessions interweaving life at Henkel that lead to greater understanding and better relationships between the two companies.
