Mr. Torre is the founder and partner of Venture & Capital International, LLC, a San Diego downtown high tech incubator/accelerator (www.vcilinks.com). Sebastien has participated in the US expansion of many French technology companies as country manager and/or Vice President of Business Development. In 2007/2008, as Product Marketing & Capture Strategy advisor at Captaris [CAPA], he facilitated the acquisition of the German OCR software company called Océ Document Technologies for $32 million, before Captaris' own merger with the company Opentext [OTEX] in November 2008. Mr. Torre has lived in Paris for 30 years in the picturesque Bastille/Le Marais district. He holds a French CPA diploma (DESCF units) from the Institut Commercial Superieur of Paris and an MBA from the University of San Diego.

sebastien.torre@france-sandiego.org

After many years in the Hollywood film industry he formed Albrecht Productions in September of 1985. The company had offices both in Hollywood and in San Diego where I functioned as owner, Producer & Director. While in charge of at times 35 employees he produced internationally award-winning film & video for Direct Response Advertising, Theatrical and TV Commercials, Television Programs, Initial Public Offerings and Corporate Communications for multinational corporations. In 2002 he stopped traveling so much, and this big career change brought him to the marketing and sales of single family homes, apartment buildings and industrial investment properties. Currently he is associated with Prudential California Realty. Mr. Albrecht was born in Verdun, France.

jacques.albrecht@france-sandiego.org

Frank Danglard, San Diego entrepreneur and car aficionado, is a French native born in Limoges, France. Since his move to the United States in 1992 he has never lacked fresh ideas. He quickly put his business savvy to use with the creation of his first San Diegan venture in July 1995: F.I.D. Group, Inc. Short for French Island Distribution, F.I.D. Group is a trading and brokerage firm that supplies primarily shoes, apparel and spare parts to French Territories in Polynesia, especially Tahiti. Eight years later Franck satiated his passion for speed by opening the Miramar Speed Circuit, one of San Diego’s premium indoor go-kart racetracks. The excitement did not end there. In 2004 Franck sold the racetrack and established San Diego Prestige, the city’s only luxury and exotic car rental business. The company’s success was instantaneous and Franck soon launched what was to become San Diego Prestige’s biggest asset: The Supercar Tour. The tour allows twelve people to drive six of their most exclusive and exotic sports cars in one outing. Based in La Jolla, Franck got used to catering to a posh clientele and quickly expanded SDP to include Prestige Yachts offering up luxury yacht rentals to San Diegans. Today, after 14 years of outstanding entrepreneurship, Franck is pursuing yet another project. This time he has partnered up with a friend, Fabien Faucheux, to launch an online gourmet food retailer. Euro Food Depot, as this site is named, carries all sorts of fine European delicatessen. Franck currently lives in La Jolla with his wife Sandrine and their two 5-year-old twin daughters Luce and Mila. And of course he drives a Porsche.

franck.danglard@france-sandiego.org

Marie Flacassier is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of BeatBabel, a San Diego based Localization Company with partner offices in France, Germany and Latin America. Born in Limoges, France, Marie has been working in the language industry for the past 12 years in Europe and in the US. She has over 10 years experience as a senior manager for several localization and translation companies in Southern California. She graduated from the University of Nice with a Master’s degree in English studies majoring in translation and linguistics and with an MBA in International Business from National University in San Diego. Her diverse cultural background, education and industry experience helps her daily in finding creative solutions to international business challenges. She continues helping US and European companies on a daily basis with their international expansion into foreign markets.

marie.flacassier@france-sandiego.org

Yacine Baroudi comes from over a decade long career in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries on the commercial side, at major corporations including Pfizer and Amgen where he participated in the launch of several billion dollar products. In 2004, he founded 2K.2 inc, a marketing and market research consulting practice focusing on the launch and optimization of pharmaceutical and biotechnology branded products. In 2007, as a technology enthusiast, seasoned and forward-looking marketer, Yacine funded FasTake, a new media agency focusing on assisting businesses and organizations leverage the power of social media to their advantage, and to that of the communities they serve.

A trilingual born in Paris, France and raised in Marrakech, Morocco, Yacine moved to the United States in 1994 and thus possesses and intrinsic affinity to bridge cultural different views and approaches at both social and business levels. Two key components to the support and success of the SDFACC mission that vies to support and promote French-American commercial relationships and partnerships in San Diego.

yacine.baroudi@france-sandiego.org

A three months stay in the summer 1980, at the University of Dallas for a Pre-MBA program in conjunction with “international management” studies in Paris was the trigger to find work in the USA. With his business degree obtained in 1981, Gerald Gaucher found a position to come in the US (Southern California) in order to establish the first computerized industrial bakery line in North America (1,600 baguettes an hour).

From there, Gerald went to work for a bakery retail operation in Dallas with the tasks of searching, finding and opening retail outlets. After a period of two years, Gerald was hired by a French company to take over their San Diego subsidiary as General Manager. Then after three years, he became the company CEO. In 1992 Gerald had the opportunity to purchase the company. The company became the largest French bakery operation in San Diego with 100 employees with sales outside California. In 2003, Gerald sold the company to a larger competitor and went to create two years later a new company importing “natural body products” manufactured in France and targeting high-end gift shops and spas in USA and Canada. The company Ellesca was sold in 2008.

All this years, Gerald learned how to navigate the cultural differences between France and the US, making sure than the practices on both sides were respected in order to achieve the best results. His experience in managing companies here in the USA for the past 20 years gave him a wide experience from the food manufacturing side to the implementation of an agents’ network across the US. His marketing approach and unique appreciation of both cultures allow him to bring concrete solutions to business situations.

gerald.gaucher@france-sandiego.org

Duane Trombly is a well-known San Diego technology executive having worked within the local high technology community since the early 1980’s. He is a founding partner of PointeBreak Solutions, a boutique investment banking firm that works with privately held companies in the lower and middle markets. He has a great deal of expertise working with business owners increasing the value of their businesses prior to sale. Duane was also Chair of the Small Business Advocacy Committee for the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce giving him a solid understanding of the local business community as well as relations developed as a result.

He grew up on the border of New York State and Canada, south of Montreal, Quebec, with family and friends across the province. Duane is the Secretary/Treasurer of Club de Petanque San Diego and a member of Alliance Francaise.

He is a strong advocate and voice for the French-American business community in San Diego and looks forward to bringing his community business expertise to the San Diego French American Chamber of Commerce.

duane.trombly@france-sandiego.org