Dr. Wolfgang Streitbörger
Managing Director and Owner
wolfgang.streitboerger]at[textransfer.de
Dr. Wolfgang Streitbörger is an experienced manager, PR expert, journalist, media researcher and adjunct professor in communication. These realms of expertise intertwine with each other to produce knowledge-based marketing. He founded Textransfer Communications in 1990.
Personal
Born in 1959 and raised in Preetz, Northern Germany. Married to Friederike Streitbörger since 1990. Children: Sophie (1990) and Pauline Streitbörger (1992).
Career Steps & Educational Background
CURRENT
Since 2020: Adjunct professor in strategic communications and journalism studies at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Salzgitter, Germany.
Since 1990: Founder, owner and Managing Director of the marketing and media bureau Textransfer Communications. Work in tourism marketing, communications, journalism and media research. Current notable assignments combining these realms of expertise are:
As of August, 2022: Startup Tennessee Experts Europe as a marketing platform utilizing a wealth of resources built in 26 years in acting as Tennessee Department of Tourist Developent German representative.
Since 2006: Director of Communications for Memphis Travel and Visit Mississippi, the tourism promotion organizations for Memphis Tourism and the State of Mississippi. Responsible for tourism marketing in Germany, Switzerland and Austria by means of media work, Internet and consumer outreach.
Since 2002: Teaching assignments in communications and Marketing with annual on-site classes at Bryant University, Providence, Rhode Island, and adjunct professor in communications and writing at Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences) Mannheim, Germany (until 2004).
Since 1998: Until 2000, German Representative for the State of Alabama in tourism development. After closure of all foreign offices, continuous engagement in project work. In 2016 re-launch as a tourism promotion office Alabama Tourism, set up as a partnership of several cities, regions and attractions and of the State of Alabama.Account Manager: Janin Nachtweh.
PREVIOUS (SELECTION)
1996-2022: German Representative for the Department of Tourist Development, State of Tennessee. Responsible for launching and operating tourism marketing in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. As per the decision of TDTD, discontinued through Textransfer and assigned to a different agency. Decision to launch the startup Tennessee Experts Europe succeeds
2007 to 2015: Managing Director Tourism Germany, Switzerland and Austria for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the state of Georgia's tourism promotion organization. Responsible for tourism marketing by means of media work, Internet and consumer outreach. Representation ended at the end of the year 2015 after Textransfer Communications preferred to not respond to a new Request for Proposals for representation, but rather started an operation for Alabama (see above).
2002 to 2013: Doctoral research project at Technische Universität Dortmund about fundamentals of journalism and journalism education in Germany and in the USA with field studies at Columbia University and University of Missouri). This produced a dissertation, which passed its defense in January 2013 with first-grade honors (summa cum laude). Two books resulting from this project have been published, see Media Research.
2002-2004: Teaching assignments at Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences) Mannheim, Germany.
1988-1990: Staff editor and reporter with Globo, at that time one of Germany's and Switzerland's leading travel magazines. Member of the original staff who launched the magazine. In charge of the liaison with National Geographic Society. Globo was the German edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine.
1987-1988: Freelance radio correspondent for Bavarian Public Radio in New York City.
1982-1987: Undergraduate and Graduate Studies in Journalism at Munich University, Master's Degree in Journalism with Communication Studies.
Minor Degrees: Political Science, American Cultural Studies, Sociology.
Parallel with university studies:
1987: Training at the leading radio German networks SWF-3 and RIAS-2.
1985-1986: TV and radio training at Deutsche Journalistenschule, Munich (The German School of Journalism).
1984: Internships in the United States with the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour of PBS with Jim Lehrer in Alexandria, Virginia and Robert McNeil in New York City, and with Public Radio in Washington, D. C.
1979-1981: Journalism & marketing trainee, then reporter on the local news beat at Lancaster Independent Press, a weekly newspaper in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
1979-1980: Overseas volunteer service with the German church organization Action Reconciliation in the United States. At first, social work in New Brunswick, NJ and Oakland, CA, then Lancaster Independent Press (see above). Lancaster, PA.
Professional Memberships
Skål International: the international association of professionals in tourism and travel. President of the Bielefeld section from January of 2007 to February of 2011. Vice President of the Berlin section.
Deutscher Journalisten Verband (djv): the German association of professional journalists.
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik & Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK): the scholarly German equivalent and subdivision to the World Communications Association. Member of their Journalism Research division.