Though fresh out of college, Germany's Stephan Segbers and Tobias Wigge as well as Jenny Holmstrom of Sweden already have a world of experience thanks to their participation in the E.ON Graduate Program.

As E.ON Graduates, all three have completed the required international four-month training cycle at E.ON U.S. For them, life in the United States was a home-run experience accented by caring supervisors, supportive employees and, for one graduate, the thrill of watching America's favorite pastime at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

The program is designed to attract graduates with high academic credentials to consider careers at E.ON companies. Participants fulfill four training cycles, including one or more in a foreign market unit, to increase their skills and appreciation for the company's diverse slate of people and cultures.

Following the lead of the other E.ON Market Units, E.ON U.S. adopted the program in 2006, recruiting to date a total of four American graduates (previously profiled in News Transmission).

The European graduates, Holmstrom, Segbers and Wigge, completed their U.S. assignments by the close of the third quarter, after which each reflected on their experiences.


Jenny Holmstrom, Customer Commitment

A native of Malmö, Sweden, Holmstrom served in Customer Commitment at the Broadway Office Complex. Her main responsibility was helping to create the department's strategic plan. In addition, she worked on projects related to bill payment, customer inquiries and customer appreciation.

"I really enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere and the friendliness Americans show," said Holmstrom, who holds master's degrees in business administration and human resources from the Gothenburg University School of Business, Economics and Law in Sweden.

Holmstrom credits her E.ON U.S. rotation for teaching her the finer points of U.S. business culture while learning how the company helps customers who face challenges in paying their bills. And working in a regulated environment was an education since her home market, E.ON Nordic, operates in an open market, she said.

"I also had the opportunity to travel throughout our service territory, from as far as Barlow in Western Kentucky to Harlan in Eastern Kentucky," she added. "That was a neat experience that enriched my stay."

She also is quick to mention her appreciation for her former supervisor, Timothy Melton, Acting Manager, Customer Commitment, and her colleagues in Customer Commitment.

"They were outstanding and they were a big part of my stay," she said. "They embraced me from the first day and did everything to make my stay more than pleasant."

Currently, Holmstrom is finishing her final rotation working with sponsorships and corporate social responsibility at E.ON Nordic in Stockholm. She said the Graduate Program has been instrumental in preparing for a successful career at E.ON.

"Working in one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world gives you hundreds of opportunities," she said. "It's just up to you to set the limits. And I love that feeling."


Stephan Segbers, Internal Audit

Segbers, who hails from Mönchengladbach, a town just outside of Düsseldorf, holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and taxation from the University of Paderborn in Germany. He also has a master's degree in accounting and control from the Rotterdam School of Management, part of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Holland.

For Segbers, who worked in Internal Audit, even the seemingly less significant aspects of American business life made an indelible impression.

"Life at E.ON U.S. was very agreeable to me," recalled Segbers, who is finishing his final rotation at E.ON Corporate Audit in Düsseldorf. "Work life was less formal than in Germany. I also liked that people call each other by their first names, which creates a very welcoming atmosphere."

Segbers' main duties involved group-wide audits, which are scheduled by the E.ON AG Board of Management for all market units. He also supported Sarbanes-Oxley testing for Audit Services and conducted an audit requested by E.ON U.S.'s management.

"The program allows any graduate to get to know the company from a variety of angles…and the duties performed by different departments in a short period of time," he said. "It offers great opportunities for networking both with fellow graduates and the firm in general."

In addition to increasing his professional acumen, Segbers said working in Internal Audit offered great personal rewards. He formed invaluable relationships with the audit team, including his former supervisor, Paul Tirey, Manager, IT and Operational Auditing.

"Paul proved to be an outstanding manager who challenged me both in personal and work-related aspects," he added. "He served as a manager, mentor and also as a friend."


Tobias Wigge, Human Resources

Working in the Benefits Department of Human Resources was an eye-opening experience for Wigge. In Germany health insurance and most other benefits are typically regulated by the government and handled by public or private insurance companies.

But learning new concepts is the very reason he requested an assignment at E.ON U.S., noted Wigge, who also served in the Organization Development and Compensation areas at E.ON U.S.

"I chose the U.S. because I had never worked here and I wanted to learn your way of working," said Wigge, who is completing his third rotation at Ruhrgas' HR Department in Essen, Germany. "This was also the reason why I worked first in the Benefits Department because processes and procedures are very different in the U.S."

Wigge, who has a master's degree in psychology from the University of Nijmegen in Holland, also was impressed by E.ON U.S.'s commitment to customer service and diversity.

"In Germany we just started a couple of years ago to focus on these things," said the native of Sonsbeck, a small village on the Rhine River. "Another difference is that you involve everybody in decisions, which is reflected in your meeting culture. And there are such differences as working in cubicles, a less-obvious hierarchy and wearing casual clothes at work."

Despite these differences, adjusting to life at E.ON U.S. and outside the office proved very easy thanks to the great support of all HR colleagues. "Everybody was interested and offered me every help I needed. This made it really easy to feel home very quickly," he said.

And like Holmstrom and Segbers, Wigge took every opportunity to experience local and regional attractions, including Churchill Downs, national parks and his first baseball game ever at Chicago Cubs' historic Wrigley Field.