Our Founders

The German Cultural Foundation ("GCF") was founded on October 6, 1994. 

The founders were:

The GACC remains the only original founder still actively involved with the Foundation. In 2017, Paul Maricle — a past president of the GACC and, at the time, Germany's Honorary Consul for Colorado — was asked to step in as President and Chairman of the Board following Karl Schmidt's retirement. Under his leadership, the Foundation sharpened its focus on supporting German language education, directing funding to Front Range high school German teachers and their students, as well as to cultural organizations such as the Bavarian Philharmonic and the Colorado Bach Ensemble.

The GCF believes in the transformational impact of intercultural programs. We preserve, celebrate, and share German culture by creating accessible opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect through education, cultural experiences, community partnerships, music, history, and shared traditions. 

As the Denver ChristkindlMarket has grown more successful over the years, the GACC has steadily increased its annual gift to the GCF — and that growth has let the Foundation expand its support in meaningful ways. We now underwrite high school GAPP summer exchange programs at schools across the state, helping more students experience German language and culture firsthand. We've also supported musician exchanges between the Bavarian Philharmonic and the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, and most recently helped fund travel for two Colorado Symphony Orchestra musicians who accompanied Governor Polis and a delegation of Colorado businesses on a trade mission to Munich.

Board of Directors

Paul Marcle

Paul Maricle grew up in Goodland, Kansas. At 18, he was chosen as an American Field Service foreign exchange student and spent a year living in Krefeld, Germany, an experience that sparked a lifelong passion for German language and culture. He went on to spend about five years living, studying, and working in Germany during the 1970s and 80s.

Today, Paul chairs the German Cultural Foundation and is a founding member of the German American Chamber of Commerce. He also practices law at Lantz Law Group, where he helps small and medium-sized businesses with commercial, corporate, and cross-border legal matters. From July 2015 to November 2023, he served as Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany.

John Frank

John traces his ancestry back to the early 1600’s to the Heidelburg and Frankfurt Areas.  He served on the Board of the GACC as Treasurer and continues as Treasurer for the GCF.  He is a Colorado native but finds Cheyenne, Wyoming more to his liking.  He is involved in his church in Cheyenne as well as the political scene, which along with his GCF duties keeps him busy.

Jack Englert

Jack Englert's German ancestors arrived in the U.S. during the 1870s and 1880s and then homesteaded in western Nebraska.  Jack is an original member of the organization that became the GACC-Colorado Chapter.  He served on the Board of the GACC-Colorado Chapter for many years and was the GACC's President for two terms.  As a member the Board, Jack was a founder of the Denver Christkindl Market in 1999 and was the GACC's manager of the Christkindl Market for its first six years.  In 1994, Jack worked with Karl Schmidt to establish the German Cultural Foundation and has been on the Board of the GCF since its creation.  Jack is a retired partner of the law firm of Holland & Hart.

Michael Irion

Michael, a German native from the Black Forest area, came to Denver in 2002 to work as an intern at a law firm “just for a few months.” He returned to Germany after his internship and completed his German law degree. He then returned to Denver and earned his MBA from Regis University. He has over 15 years of experience as a compliance professional in the financial services industry. He lives in Centennial, CO with his wife and two children, and loves to hike.

Chadwick Williams

Chadwick Williams is a Denver-based real estate broker who has served as Honorary Consul for Germany in Colorado and Wyoming since 2023. He spent several years living, studying, and teaching in Austria as a young man, an experience that shaped his lasting commitment to strengthening German and Austrian business ties along the Front Range.