NORMA BRENNE HENNING

Norma Brenne Henning, J.D. has been serving as Honorary Consul to the Federal Republic of Germany since 2003. Her district includes the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.

In her day job, Ms. Henning is a practicing Florida lawyer, who focuses assisting foreign clients in achieving their goals regarding both temporary and permanent U.S. residency - including strategic planning of U.S. commercial ventures or personal objectives to meet the requirements of U.S. immigration law. Her particular experience has been in the area of investor and intra-company transfer visas, visas for outstanding artists and business people as well as family immigration. She also advises U.S. employers in the area of compliance with U.S. immigration law with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified foreign workers if such workers cannot be found in the U.S. labor market. Due to her proficiency in the German language and knowledge of her clients’ cultural backgrounds, she often acts as “general counsel” to foreign clients with complex legal issues and co-counsels with specialists in other practice areas as needed. Such areas include tax, international probate, as well as litigation.

Ms. Henning graduated from Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Public Relations as the Distinguished Journalism Graduate in 1993. In 1996, she graduated Cum Laude from the University of Florida, College of Law where she also received Book Awards for outstanding scholarship in Constitutional Law and Trial Advocacy. In addition to various continued professional education programs, she is also a graduate of the 63rd InfoDVag (Leadership Academy for Civilian Leadership Personnel of the German Naval Academy) in Mürwik.

Born and raised in Germany, Ms. Henning’s professional life began working in Public Affairs as the Coordinator of the KONTAKT Club for the U.S. Military Community in Ansbach, Germany, in 1982. She moved to the United States in 1986 as a military spouse and spent two years in South Korea where she taught English and German. After her return from Korea, and as the mother of her two now adult children, she completed her U.S. studies. She has been in Naples, Florida, since her admission to the Florida Bar in 1996. After practicing with large law firms for ten years, she opened the Henning Law Firm in 2006.

Ms. Henning is a frequent contributor to publications dealing with foreign investment and immigration issues and the recipient of the Silver Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces. She also serves as president of the European-American Network of SW Florida and as a member of the External Advisory Board of the University of Florida International Center. She is also a founding leadership committee member and serves as the Chairman of the Membership and Events Committee of the Florida Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States.

ANNETTE KLEIN

Born on March 15, 1962 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Biography:

• Since August 2016 Consul General for Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, Miami

• July 2016 Consul General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

• July 2014 Consul General in Gdansk, Poland

• 2010/11 Language training

• April 2010 CIO of the German Foreign Office

• 2007 Deputy Head of the German Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan

• 2005 Head of Division in the Protocol Department

• 2001 Desk Officer for Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherland and Austria, Berlin

• 2000 Head of the Cultural Department of the German Embassy in Mexico-City

• 1997 Regional Office of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSZE, in Tuzla, Bosnia and Hercegovina

• 1996 Desk Officer for multilateral technical cooperation, Bonn

• 1994 Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Skopje

• 1992 Desk Officer at the Permanent Mission of the FRG to the United Nations, New York

• 1990 Desk Officer at the German Government's Diplomatic School

• 1987 - 1989 German Government's Diplomativ School, Bonn

• 1986 First State Exam (Law)

BROCK MCCLANE

Brock McClane is Managing Director of McClane Partners Law Firm, P.A., a transactional law and business litigation firm specializing in international matters with its office in downtown Orlando. He also serves as Honorary Consul of Germany in Orlando.

Brock is a Florida native raised in Lakeland. In 1983, he received his undergraduate degree in economics with a minor in German from Emory University. In 1988, he graduated from George Washington University law school with a J.D. degree. Brock is admitted to all state and federal courts in Florida. He is board certified by The Florida Bar in international law and has earned Martindale-Hubble’s highest peer rating of “av.” He is a Florida Civil Law Notary and also a Florida Supreme Court appointed circuit court mediator. His law practice ranges from representation of companies and their owners in litigation of business disputes to providing planning and trustee services for individual clients with large or growing estates.

Brock has served in all executive capacities of the Florida Bar International Law Section, including service as chairman from 2009-2010, and he continues to serve on its executive council. He is Chairman of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s International Advisory Board. Brock is Treasurer and a Director of Global Connections Foundation, Inc. He serves as Orlando co-chair of the Florida Chapter of the German America Chamber of Commerce – South. He was a Founding Director of Blankner School Foundation, Inc. and currently serves as vice chair of the
governing Ministries Council of First United Methodist Church of Orlando.

In 2010, Brock received his appointment from German President Köhler as Honorary Consul of Germany in Orlando.