David has been a part of the Hellmann family for over 17 years. Even before he finished school in Germany, he was committed to Hellmann. Back then, Hellmann was searching for students for the dual study program, and after successfully participating in the assessment center, he started working for Hellmann right after his A-levels. David was already inclined towards the field of contract logistics and warehousing during his studies, and today he is our Director of Solution Design and Engineering at Hellmann North America, where he moved to work at our Americas HQ in Miami in 2015.

Hi David, what motivated you to go to Miami?

Back then, I worked in Germany and joined our "PMO" office, a team made up of different colleagues to operate as an internal consulting group. Originally, I was asked to stay and support in the US for 6 months and then go back to Germany to support other countries. But quite quickly, we realized that the focus should be on the US, and then I was asked if I was willing to move to the States. Believe it or not, at first, I actually hesitated. But the challenge appealed to me because the task was a very unique learning opportunity that I didn't want to miss out on. A chance like that doesn't come up every day, especially with a mentor like Stefan Borggreve, who was the leader of the program and who was always a great supporter and motivator.

Has it been easy for you to integrate into your new work environment and the new country?

Since I had already traveled all over the world before my move - also to Miami - I already knew the place and also the people there. Thankfully, Miami has a very open culture, as there are always people with multicultural backgrounds. Actually, very few people referred to themselves as Miami locals. The atmosphere was super inviting, and therefore, it was very easy to integrate. I found myself in a very open and bright office environment, which made it easy to communicate with colleagues.

What do you miss most from home?

Of course, there are things I miss. Number one is definitely my family. I would probably also get in trouble if I didn't say so. Back home in Germany, I have one brother and four sisters. As I am the youngest, there are already a few nieces and nephews around. When I come home – once or twice a year, I realize how much they have changed and grown. So that's hard. A funny thing that I miss is home-made jam. So whenever someone from home visits me, I ask them to bring me the specific sugar I need to make some jam myself, and by now, a few of my neighbors are fans.
Another thing I sometimes miss is the German climate and seasons. When we look at pictures of Miami, we see that it's really sunny. But what you can't tell from these pictures is that it is mostly really humid. Therefore, I miss just opening the windows for a day and letting in fresh air into the house, like I used to do in Germany. As a side note, Miami is quite expensive, so I wish I could go out for dinner more often without breaking my bank account.

What do you love most about living in Miami?

Miami is very multicultural, and that's so interesting to experience. Miami is the perfect package; you get the US and Latin American influence all together. That's awesome. You are in the US, but as it is so multicultural, you experience so many cultures, which I love. I always remember when a friend from Latin America joked once: "The nice thing about Miami is that it is really close to the US." That sums it up quite well. The outdoors and weather are also lovely. A constant mix of blue and green. Whenever I go back to Germany, I see a lot of gray and brown, which is not bad, but I prefer the green and blue. Nevertheless, it's a very popular destination for friends and family, so I don't need to convince anyone to visit me.

How does a perfect day off look like for you in Miami?

It has to be a Saturday. I would very likely get up early and do a short workout or focus on one of my DIY projects around my house or in the yard. I like to start my day by doing things that make me feel like I accomplished something. At that time, my wife is likely still sleeping, but by the time she wakes up, we most likely jump on our bikes, and the destination would be a nice breakfast place. After that, we would most likely walk along the water and hang out there. Maybe we would go to the beach, even though I am not a beach person, which is kind of a waste when living in Miami. But whenever I have visitors, I go with them. In the afternoon, I'd go play golf with friends and just have fun. Then I go to Aldi and grab some German Bratwurst to throw on the grill to finish up my perfect day.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us! Is there anything else you would like to add before we say goodbye?

I've been working for Hellmann for over 17 years. It's still a family-owned company. Hence, it is small enough to still give you an atmosphere of family, but it's also big enough to take you all around the world. To everyone who is thinking about becoming a globetrotter, it's such a unique experience and a community within Hellmann. To feel like family but still be able to see the world.

Family is where Hellmann is.

Thanks a lot for sharing your story with us, David!