The Board of Directors

As a not-for-profit association (Verein), the policy settings at the FIS are overseen by our Board of Directors.

The ten-member FIS Board of Directors is drawn from the associate members of the FIS Association - mostly sponsors of the school, whose donations over past years have enabled the FIS to become economically viable - and the parent body, in accordance with the FIS Articles of Association.

In the General Assembly of December 1, 2011 all Board members were re-elected to serve and help guide the FIS from 2011-2014.


Chairman:             Mr. Ralf Guntermann, Siemens

Vice-Chairman:     Dr. Thomas Lask, Kennametal

Secretary:             Dr. William Sheldon, former Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut

Treasurer:             Mr. Marcel van Leeuwen, parent


Regular members: Mr. Matthias Malessa, adidas
                              Mr. Johannes Schmidt, Siemens 
                              Mr. Michael Ahlers, parent
                              Ms. Suna Gülgönen-Wilhelm, parent
                              Mr. Andrew Walker, parent
                              Mrs. Tanja Weiss, parent

The Board is responsible for the management of the Association. It carries out the resolutions of the General Meeting held in the fall of each year, and is responsible for securing finances  and facilities of the Association. The annual budget is established by the Board and presented at the General Meeting. The accounting records of the school are audited annually. Work for the Association, either as a member of the Board, in advisory groups, committees or in any other ways is honorary.

The Board members are elected by the parents of the school community and by the sponsoring companies to represent them in the governance of the school. The Board establishes the mission, vision and philosophy of the school, in collaboration with the management team, and sets the school's long-range goals.

The Board develops policies aimed at ensuring the safe, effective and efficient operation of the school.

The Board meets regularly as a group, and operates a series of sub-committees, (Academics, Finance, Policies, PR/Fund Raising, Presidential Committee) which meet more frequently.

FIS Articles of Association in English and in German.