Help us welcome Stortingspresident Gharahkhani!
Norway House is honored to host a Fireside Chat with the Honorable Masud Gharahkhani, President of the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget), and Steve Simon, Secretary of State for Minnesota. Ben Whitney, former US Ambassador to Norway, will moderate the discussion. Lisa Erickson of NorCham MSP and The EuroConnect will emcee the event, and Christina Carleton, CEO of Norway House, will welcome everyone on behalf of Norway House.
This event is free and open to the public with RSVP.
Both Gharahkhani and Simon will give opening remarks, followed by a moderated discussion and Q+A.
Together they will explore the critical factors that foster thriving business relationships between the United States and Norway. Attendees will gain insights into the policies, strategies and cultural understandings that support robust transatlantic economic partnerships. The event promises to provide a platform for meaningful dialogue on enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and innovation.
Speakers
Masud Gharahkhani
The Honorable Masud Gharahkhani has been the President of the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) since November 2021, making history as the first person of immigrant background to hold this position. Representing the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet), Gharahkhani has been a Member of Parliament for Buskerud since 2017.
He has a rich background in political and civic engagement, including serving on the Standing Committees for Family and Cultural Affairs, Local Government and Public Administration, and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. Born in Iran in 1982, he moved to Norway as a child and pursued a career in radiography before transitioning to full-time politics.
Gharahkhani is recognized for his dedication to inclusive policies, international cooperation, and strengthening democratic institutions in Norway.
Steve Simon
Steve Simon is Minnesota’s 22nd Secretary of State. He was sworn into office on January 5, 2015, and as Minnesota’s chief elections administrator pledged in his inaugural address to “work with anyone, of any political affiliation, from any part of our state” to protect, defend, and strengthen the right to vote in Minnesota.
As Secretary of State, he partners with township, city, and county officials to organize elections on behalf of Minnesota’s nearly four million eligible voters, and to ensure that the election system is fair.
Secretary Simon also oversees a wide range of services for Minnesota businesses and administers the “Safe at Home” address confidentiality program for people whose personal safety is at risk, often due to physical abuse or threats.
His goals as Minnesota’s Secretary of State are straightforward: expand access to voting, remove barriers to voting, make business services as streamlined as possible, strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence and, most importantly, be a Secretary of State for all Minnesotans.
Before being elected Minnesota’s Secretary of State, Simon served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for ten years representing the communities of St. Louis Park and Hopkins.
Secretary Simon spent much of his time in the state legislature immersed in elections issues, including serving as the chair of the House Elections Committee in 2013 and 2014. He played a lead role in many of the election reforms that Minnesota has embraced over the last several years, including no-excuse absentee voting, online voter registration, and easier access to voting for Minnesotans overseas, including those in the military.
He has also served as Assistant Attorney General of Minnesota and worked as a lawyer in private practice for several years. He was named a “Rising Star” four different times by Law & Politics magazine and has received many other recognitions for his work on behalf of Minnesotans, including the “Outstanding Legislator Award” from the Minnesota School Board Association and the “Civic Leadership Award” from the Citizens League.
Growing up in St. Louis Park and Hopkins, he graduated with a B.A in Political Science from Tufts University in Massachusetts in 1992, and earned a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1996. Secretary Simon and his wife Leia live in Hopkins with their two children, Hannah and Noah.
Florian Schattenmann
Florian Schattenmann is Cargill’s Chief Technology Officer and Vice President for Innovation and Research & Development (R&D). He oversees a global team that is driven by the vision of relentlessly creating value for Cargill and its customers via research, application and product development, and technical service support across agriculture, food, animal feed and bio-industrial markets.
Prior to joining Cargill in November 2018, Florian spent eight years at The Dow Chemical Company. His most recent role was Vice President for Performance Materials & Coatings R&D, where he led innovation across a diverse set of specialty businesses leveraging unique chemistries and advanced technology to drive market-focused product development. Florian has also held leadership roles at SulphCo Inc., GE-Bayer Silicones, a joint venture of General Electric and Bayer AG based in Leverkusen, Germany, and globally for the Silicone Elastomers Business. Earlier in his career, Florian managed several research laboratories at GE’s Global Research Center.
Florian is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, holds seven U.S. patents and has numerous publications. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards for Texas A&M AgriLife and College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the College of Science and Engineering at University of Minnesota, and the Department of Chemistry at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA and his Diplom Chemiker degree from the Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. Florian and his family live in Golden Valley, MN. Besides spending time with the family, he loves playing the bass, road cycling and working out.
Ben Whitney
Benson K. Whitney was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway by President George W. Bush on September 23, 2005. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 28, 2005, and he was sworn in by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on November 28, 2005. He presented his credentials to His Majesty King Harald V on January 12, 2006.
Ambassador Whitney’s career has included extensive experience in business, law, and community affairs. He received his BA magna cum laude from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and earned his JD from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis, graduating as an editor of the Law Review, Order of the Coif, magna cum laude, and winner of the Amos Deinard Award for Scholarship.
He practiced law with Popham, Haik, Schnobrich, Kaufman, and Doty Ltd., specializing in health care, cable television, and other regulated industries, as well as election law. He then served as Managing General Partner of the Gideon Hixon Fund, an evergreen venture capital fund focused on early-stage technology and healthcare companies in Minnesota and California. Ambassador Whitney was elected President of the Minnesota Venture Capital Association and advised and managed several other venture funds. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of Whitney Management Company, a private investment advisory firm.
With a lifelong involvement in public affairs and government reform efforts on the local, state, and national levels, both professionally and in volunteer capacities, Ambassador Whitney has served as Minnesota Executive Director and Minnesota Finance Chair for Bush-Cheney ’04 and Minnesota Finance Chair for the Republican National Committee.
Ambassador Whitney is a trustee, director, chairman, or advisor of several non-profits, including the Guthrie Theater, Wilderness Inquiry, Persephone Fund, Headwaters Fund, Minnesotans for Term Limits, and the Minneapolis Academy. He is a member of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, where he has served as a liturgical minister. He and his wife Mary have four children.
Lisa Erickson
Lisa Erickson is a key member of NorCham MSP, the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce powered by Norway House, and leads the EuroConnect Networking events in the Twin Cities.
Based in New York and Minneapolis, Lisa is a seasoned Executive Search Recruiter and Career Coach, specializing in finance, manufacturing, CPG, professional services, biotech, pharmaceuticals, engineering, medical devices, MedTech, airlines, chemicals, and IT roles. She operates both nationwide and internationally.
With extensive experience in full lifecycle recruiting up to the C-suite and senior executive levels, Lisa is known for her strong closing and marketing skills, research abilities, and immediate contribution to recruiting efforts. She excels in both retained and contingency searches and has completed assignments for Fortune 1000 companies like 3M, Cargill, Honeywell, Barclays, IBM, Target, and Best Buy.
Beyond recruiting, Lisa's project management experience includes producing films, charity benefits, and networking events, enhancing her skills in sales, marketing, social media, communications, and team building.
Lisa's diverse expertise and leadership in connecting professionals make her a valuable asset in the international business community.
NorCham MPLS, our local Norwegian-American chamber of commerce, is dedicated to promoting and strengthening business relationships between Norway and the Upper Midwest. It is a program of Norway House in Minneapolis, celebrating 20 years of connections between the Norwegian communities in Minnesota and contemporary arts, business, and culture in Norway.