The LCG meeting on june 7th took the participants of the LCG program to Zweibrücken, where they had the opportunity to get to know different parts of the city. And with a very special "city guide": Lord Mayor Prof. Dr. Marold Wosnitza.

The meeting started in Zweibrücken's town hall, where Mr. Wosnitza gave the participants a quick run-through of Zweibrücken's past. The city of roses was almost completely destroyed at the end of World War II and had to be rebuilt from scratch. Since Zweibrücken was home to an airbase that was first used by the Royal Canadian Air Force and later by the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE), the coexistence of the people of Zweibrücken with the North American population was an integral part of the city's post-war life. When the air base was closed in 1991 and the Americans were withdrawn from Zweibrücken, the people of Zweibrücken experienced a change that was comparable to a culture shock. For Mr. Wosnitza, it is clear that he would like to strengthen the ties between the Americans and the city of Zweibrücken again - so the LCG meeting comes at just the right time.

After the historical excursion, insights into the daily work of a Lord Mayor and a short visit to the council chamber, the tour through Zweibrücken continued: first with a stop at the ice arena, then the group was able to visit the Zweibrücken Airport briefly. The airport was taken over by the TRIWO Group after its insolvency in 2014. Since then, the site has been used not only as a special landing site, vehicle test center and business park, but also as a fire training facility.

The next and final stop on the tour was the Zweibrücken Fashion Outlet. It was obvious that a lot of work had been done in recent years to create a pleasant shopping atmosphere, including restaurants, greenery and seating. The look behind the scenes was particularly interesting. During the visit to the Management Center, the participants were able to see how much the management of this important employer in the region does for its employees and those of the local stores: Potential is encouraged, whether it is trainees who want to complete their training at the outlet or established employees whose potential is recognized and promoted. For example, by supporting talented employees with further training or similar.

The various stages of the meeting provided an opportunity to learn about two very different management perspectives: that of the Mayor of Zweibrücken and that of the Retail and Community Director, Ibrahim Alsac. While companies are primarily concerned with maximizing sales and, in Alsac's case, maximizing the outlet's potential, the mayor of Zweibrücken has to ensure that the city is doing well economically and that its residents are happy.

The organizational structure of the two institutions differs significantly from that of the USAFE. What they have in common is that education and training play a crucial role. The biggest argument in favor of the military is the educational aspect. This shows that in the military you have the opportunity to receive a very good education, and that this is also a point of particular pride. The outlet center also attaches great importance to the educational aspect - because good training and further education binds people to the company and creates a qualified workforce for tomorrow. As different as the goals of the individual facilities may be, they all have one thing in common: good employees must be recognized and retained to ensure success.