International Club Samara

In the mid 90's there was already a small group of expats starting to have their regular get together on monthly basis. There was no formal name yet decided. 2 of them Tijs Jansen Netherland & John Gordon UK are still in Samara.

 End of 1997, short after the visit of Vice President Al Gore and Prime Minister Viktor S. Chernomyrdin, the Samara investment initiative with support of the US government started.

 A great number of US citizens where coming to Samara to support this program. At the same time a big number of expats where living in Samara in setting up business for foreign companies. E.g. Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, Nestle, GM related PES/SCC, Fluor Daniels, Lufthansa a.o. 

Dirk Grossmann from Lufthansa and me MD of PES/SCC got the idea to bring the expats together and to create a business club.

The club had the first formal meetings in the Hansa Hotel (today Graf Orlov). After a lot of debates people voted for the name of the club.

This than resulted to give the name “International Club Samara (ICS)”. At that time the membership was on average around 40 - 50 people.

Initially the members had the intention to register the club and to run it like a business club. But after some month they decided just to keep it simple.

The club members realized that the membership was permanently changing. The interest of the people was mainly to come together have a talk in English and to relax.

So still today they follow this idea. 

The main characteristics of the club activities

• The club is not asking for member ship fees
• Is mainly a social gathering to create a meeting platform in English.
• Other languages also find each other in the events
• Information exchange helping to understand the Russian and local environment
• No politics - focus on social relationships and creating friendships among the members
• Exchange of experience and providing advices to the novices in the area.
• It is not exclusive for Expats. Russians are welcomed
• Participation is voluntary only an international understanding and spirit is mandatory
• Consumption of food and beverages are on your own account

Photos by  Ekaterina Sidorenkova, student

Togliatti Academy of Management

Club contacts

Coordinator of the club data base & organizer of Samara city events is Dirk Vlierboom.

Email: [email protected]

Tel.:    +7 927 008 0101

Club co-founder  &  organizer Togliatti city events is Hartmut O. Hengstwerth

Email: [email protected]

Tel.:    +7 927 202 2344