Press Release

Germany’s DEKRA/North America Signs ‘Cooperation Agreement’ with Safe America

Partnership may make metro-area national center for driver, risk management training; bring jobs to region

Stuttgart, Germany, Sept 29, 2011 – The Marietta, Georgia-based Safe America Foundation and DEKRA North America, subsidiary of Germany’s DEKRA AG Group, signed a ‘Cooperation Agreement’ today in Germany.  This new agreement promises to spur greater interaction between the two organizations in the areas of driver education, traffic safety and risk awareness – potentially leading to the creation of new jobs in Georgia.

The signing of the agreement – announced today by Safe America CEO Len Pagano and DEKRA North America CEO Dr. Dietmar Bogk – comes during a visit to DEKRA’s World Headquarters by a Georgia business delegation.

“We’re pleased to announce this step – which can make Metro Atlanta a center for North American driver and risk management training,” noted Safe America CEO Len Pagano. “DEKRA’s global expertise – in transportation, training and education, and environmental impact and sustainability evaluation are known worldwide – and with this agreement, we’ll have access to their best-and-brightest minds as we seek to expand programming in metro Atlanta and Georgia.”

Pagano noted that DEKRA’s North American Headquarters is located in East Cobb – less than 5 miles from Safe America’s own U.S. Headquarters. The two organizations are looking at a ‘Transportation Academy’ to help metro Atlanta students receive quality driver education along with career mentoring in finding a job.

“We believe our cooperative agreement is a first step toward bringing DEKRA’s expertise that has been successful in Europe and blend it with Safe America’s history of innovation in driver training and its record of accomplishment,” said Dr. Dietmar Bogk, CEO of DEKRA America. “We are pleased to be forming this alliance and look forward to helping improve both driver training and risk management with specific initiatives in 2012.

The impact of the new collaboration may be an increase in training positions within Georgia. “As we grow training programs, we will not only improve our teen driving skills and create career opportunities for them, but also create more employment in the field of training,” Dr. Bogk observed. “This will be a positive for the local economy – and as national programs take shape, could become significant.”

About the Safe America Foundation

The Safe America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit licensed by the state of Georgia. Chartered in 1994, the Marietta, Georgia based foundation partners with corporate, governmental, public and private sector organizations, and other nonprofits to improve the safety awareness and preparedness of Americans nationwide. Among other projects, SAF operates a Marietta-based “Teen Driving Institute” and runs several driver training in the Metro-Atlanta region with the aim of raising awareness and attaining higher standards of traffic safety. It also operates an emergency preparedness training program.

About DEKRA America

 DEKRA America renders various services related to ensuring human safety in technical environments. Among its services are truck safety inspections, emission checks and related services. DEKRA Group is a world-wide provider of technical safety services and is also engaged in the training and education of drivers – in particular, professional truck drivers and other risk-related activities. DEKRA also has a division focused on environmental health and sustainability. It also operates training academies (or training schools) in Germany focused, among other things, on helping to re-train employees for new careers. Its European parent is a non-profit organization that has been dedicated to transportation safety for over 80 years.

For more information please contact Matthew Thome, ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), via cell 847.431.7825.

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