About the Chamber

The Swedish American Chamber of Commerce – Seattle (SACC-Seattle)  is one of 20 local chambers across the United States, cooperating under the umbrella of SACC-USA.  SACC-USA was founded in 1906 in New York and is the oldest organization of its kind outside Sweden.

SACC-Seattle has grown into a thriving network of companies and individuals engaged in commercial and social exchange between Sweden and the Pacific Northwest. We are a non-profit business organization serving as a facilitator for companies and professionals.  We connect people and businesses.

Each year SACC-Seattle hosts a variety of events targeting different segments, with the common purpose of creating business opportunities for Swedish and American companies and strengthen Swedish-American relations.  We host networking opportunities, speaker events and educational functions throughout the year and bring valuable opportunities to our members and participants.  By leveraging our professional network, SACC-Seattle is well-positioned to facilitate connections in the Pacific Northwest.

Introducing our New SACC-Seattle Chapter Board Members!

Erik Pihl — President

Erik Gustav Pihl was born and raised in the Skagit Valley. Erik was exposed to Swedish culture from an early age thanks to his paternal grandparents who had emigrated from Luleå to Seattle. He maintains close ties with friends and family members in Sweden.

For the past twenty-five years, Erik has held senior leadership positions in mid- and large-size museums including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Science Center and most recently the National Nordic Museum. Today, Erik serves as Vice President of Institutional Advancement for America’s Automotive Trust which include the LeMay-America’s Car Museum in Tacoma and the RPM Foundation. Erik brings a wealth of contacts and relationships in the public and private sectors both in the US and in the Nordic region.

 

Alexander Heijer — Vice President

Born and raised in Seattle, Alex is a second-generation Swede and lifelong advocate of the Swedish Club. Alex went to the University of Washington and worked in finance in San Francisco before returning to Seattle in 2019 to join his father, Michael Heijer, working in real estate. Alex has been a member of the SACC board since 2020 including the time activities were paused due to covid.

 

Tor Jernudd — Treasurer

Tor is an active community volunteer having served in various capacities on the boards of community sports, school and Swedish associations in Seattle where he has lived since 2001, and has been part of SACC Seattle since 2013. In his day job he also serves the public working for the State of Washington. With part of his family in Sweden, he has returned “home” to Sweden at least once a year since immigrating to the US in 1976. 

 

Marna Abrams — Secretary

Marna is communications director at multidisciplinary design firm Mithun, recipient of the 2023 AIA Architecture Firm Award. A gifted storyteller with 23 years of marketing experience, Marna works closely with design teams, clients and partners to craft compelling stories about the shared vision, built environments, project innovations and vibrant communities that drive their work together. She is a second-generation Swede raising Pacific Northwest teenagers, and savors Nordic and Nordic American experiences part of an interwoven identity.

 

Martin Gannholm

Martin has held technical and leadership positions at large and small tech companies as well as startups, mostly in the Bay Area and Seattle. Originally from Sweden, Martin grew up in southern Africa and returned to Sweden to finish his schooling. He began his career in Sweden and subsequently moved to the US. He is married with 3 grown children who are proud to have Swedish passports as well as fluency in their father tongue.