WTV-Focus brings reports about enterprising West Flemish people and their American dream (part I)

ROESELARE – For the second season in a row, the regional TV WTV-Focus will present a report series from November 3 about West Flemish people who are trying to realize their entrepreneurial dream in the country of Uncle Sam. At home in America is about fellow provincials who have built a new life in the US. The creator of the series of portraits is Bruno Lambert, creative thinker of B-Concepts. Today we introduce you to the three first guests: Pieter Jan Baert, Maxime Brulein and Jana Cornelis Jones. The three other eye-catchers will follow tomorrow.

Pieter Jan Baert comes from Kortrijk and grew up in Ardooie. He has lived in Mount Juliette (Tennessee) since 2018. He works as a financial officer for Umicore.

Before moving to the US, he already worked as an expat from India. He now considers the US his permanent home. In his spare time he likes to work on vintage cars in his garage. He is now also a local representative of Flemings in the World (VIW).

Child at home in Hollywood

Maxime Brulein comes from Menen and has lived in Los Angeles since 1998. He works as a film director in Hollywood and runs a successful production company there with his husband Mark.

Maxime, who attended film school in the US, says that the film world has inspired him since he was twelve years old. He already works for Disney or for The Emmys. Today he also works in his spare time as a guide for tourist groups.

Dreaming of beer

Jana Cornelis lives with her husband Clint (who has been a two-time Olympic ski jumping athlete) and their 1-year-old daughter for over 7 years in Heber City (Park City), Utah and near Salt Lake City. They are both avid skiers, and have been teaching each other
at the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010. Clint has always had a dream: to open a brewery and get married after his skiing career.

In 2019, their brewery opened in Heber City with some Belgian-inspired beers. Jana is a high school French teacher in Herbert City and helps with the brewery’s bookkeeping. Before moving to America, she first lived in Bruges and then in Bredene and De Haan where she worked for Think Pink, the National Breast Cancer Campaign and the Zeepreventorium. Her sister still lives in Dudzele with her fiancé.