Kjell Bergh came to America in 1965
as a free lance journalist for two Norwegian publications.
Thirteen months later he was back in Norway and entered the
University of Oslo; in 1967 he returned to the United States and
became a sales representative at Borton Volvo in Minneapolis
while attending Macalester College on a Readers Digest
Scholarship. He holds an M.A. ('04) in International Relations
from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA.
He attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN in 1998. Coursework:
Kiswahili. No degree. He also has a B.A. in International Relations, minor in
Journalism from Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN 1970.
In 1970, Kjell became General Manager and purchased Borton
Volvo, then started Borton Leasing (-72), Borton Overseas
(-74), Borton Pontiac/SAAB/Volvo in Rochester, MN (-74) and
formed Bergh International Holdings, Inc. (-74). He
started Borton Limousine (-83) and acquired Borton
Travel (-85); became a major shareholder in Serengeti
Select Safaris, Ltd. and Tarangire Safari Lodge in
Tanzania, East Africa (-86) and opened Borton
Volvo-Volkswagen in Delray Beach, Florida (-88). In 1999, he
opened Borton Volvo in Golden Valley, MN. Kjell is one of
the largest Volvo Retailers in the United States.
KJELL BERGH HAS SERVED THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS AS
CHAIRMAN
Vinland National Center (5 years)
Gillette Children's Hospital (2 years)
Sons of Norway Foundation (2 years)
Minnesota Holmenkollen Foundation Honorary Board (1 year)
Volvo National Dealer Advisory Board (1 year)
Volvo 20 Group (1 year)
AIADA Services, Inc. (1 year)
American International Automobile Dealers Association (1 year)
Delray Beach / Moshi, Tanzania Sister Cities Committee (1 year)
ADDITIONAL PRESENT OR PAST DIRECTORSHIPS
Academic
Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN, Trustee, Executive
Committee, Chair, Audit Committee.
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, Regent Emeritus.
Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN, Business Advisory
Group.
World Press Institute, Saint Paul, MN. Board Member.
Nobel Peace Prize Forum, Minneapolis, MN. Board Member,
Executive Committee.
Medical
University Childrens Foundation, Medical Education and Research
Foundation, Camp for Children with Epilepsy, Ski for Light,
Minnesota International Health Volunteers, International Heart
Relief, Selian Hospital (Tanzania), Heart to Heart Foundation
(Kenya), Center for Victims of Torture.
Business
Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce, Swedish American Chamber
of Commerce, National Auto Dealers Association (IR Committee),
Greater Metropolitan Auto Dealers Association, Volvo Executive
Committee, North American Window Companies and Shamrock Villas
(Montserrat, West Indies).
Other
Environment Northern Seas Foundation (Norway), Norsemens
Foundation, Leif Erikson Millenium Foundation and Norwegian
American Foundation.
Life member
Sons of Norway Foundation, Norwegian American Historical
Association, Vesterheim Museum, American Swedish Institute and
Ski for Light.
Kjell Bergh hosted weekly Scandinavian radio shows in the Twin
Cities for seven years (WLOL-FM and KTWN-FM) and has been a
motivational speaker for Dayton-Hudson, Toro, Volvo and several
International conferences. He was a master of ceremonies and
interpreter for Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich's 1985 trade
delegation to four Norwegian cities, led an automotive trade
delegation to Japan in 1995 to avert US sanctions against
Japanese autos and one automotive trade delegation to Germany,
also in 1995. In 1996, he was part of Minnesota Governor Arne
Carlson's three-person trade delegation to Sweden. In 1999 and
2001, he led sister cities delegations to Moshi, Tanzania.
In 1995 he hosted the Royal family of Norway on safari in
Tanzania, East Africa. He also organized and participated in an
official visit by His Majesty King Harald and Her Majesty Queen
Sonja to Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa.
Mr. Bergh has planned and provided surface and air
transportation for official U.S. visits of the Royal families of
Norway, Sweden and Denmark, President Finnbogadottir of Iceland,
Chancellor Schmidt of Germany and numerous other Heads of State,
starting in 1968.
He has had private audiences with H.M. King Olav, H.M. King
Harald, H.M. Queen Sonja, H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon, H.R.H.
Princess Martha Louise and H.R.H. Princess Astrid of Norway,
H.R.H. Prince Bertil and H.R.H.Princess Lillian of Sweden,
H.R.H. Prince Charles of England, President Vigdis
Finnbogadottir of Iceland, President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania
and President Ratu Mara of Fiji.
ROYAL DECORATIONS
Saint Olav Medal by H. M. King Olav of Norway (1983)
Gold Medal, Royal Order of the Polar Star by H. M. King
Carl Gustaf of Sweden (1988)
Knight First Class, Royal Order of Merit by H. M. King
Harald of Norway (1996), all for promoting intercultural ties
between the United States and Scandinavia.
PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT
Appointed Honorary Consul by H. E. President Benjamin
Mkapa of the United Republic of Tanzania (2000). He is a member
of the Consular Corps of Miami.
OTHER AWARDS
Kjell has won the coveted Volvo Dealer of Excellence Award
eleven times, The Sports Illustrated Dealer of
Distinction Award (1986) and The Sports Illustrated All-Star
Dealer Award (1994). He was one of 10 U. S. finalists for
the TIME Magazine Quality Dealer Award (1996). He was the
Automotive News Dealer of the Year (1996) and the
only dealer in America named to the Automotive News All-Star
Dream Team (1996). Mr Bergh is listed in the Automotive
Hall of Fame (1996) and was inducted into the Scandinavian
American Hall of Fame (1997). In 2001, he was given the AIADA
Lifetime Achievement Award.
He received the first Favorite Norwegian of the Year Award from
the Swedish American Community (1981) and also received the WCCO
(CBS) Radio Good Neighbor Award. He received the Vinland
National Center Award (1985) and jointly with his wife
Maria, the Center of the American Experiment Award (1995).
In addition, his companies have also won the following major
awards: Hotel operator of the year in Tanzania (Tarangire
Safari Lodge, 1987). Tour operator of the year in Norway
(Borton Overseas, 1992). Business of the year in Delray
Beach, Florida (Borton Motors, 2000).
He is listed in Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in U. S.
Executives and Who's Who of American Business Leaders.
He has written articles for the StarTribune (Minneapolis
MN), the Milford Chronicle (Milford DE), Automotive
News (Detroit MI), International Auto Dealer Magazine (Alexandria
VA), the Tusculum Bulletin (Greenville TN), Akers Avis
(Oslo, Norway) and Vi Menn Magazine (Oslo, Norway).
Television appearances include: CNN, ABC, CNBC, Bloomberg,
NRK (Norway), TV2 (Norway) and the TOKYO
television networks, as well as numerous local TV & radio
stations. Kjell has been featured in the Wall Street Journal,
Washington Post, Newsweek International, Automotive News,
International Auto Dealer, StarTribune (Minneapolis),
Aftenposten (Oslo) Dagbladet (Oslo), Verdens Gang (Oslo), Daily
News (Dar es Salaam), The Guardian (Dar es Salaam) and
numerous other national and international publications.
Updated by Webmaster, 03-Dec-2007
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