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Reimagining Oktoberfest for a New Generation with Oktoberfest Ambassador, André Killingbeck · Behind the Business

• 0:01
  Ian McLean: Welcome to another episode of Behind the Business presented by Gore Mutual.
• 0:04
  Ian McLean: I'm your host, Ian McLean, President and CEO of the Greater Kitchen Waterdo Chamber of Commerce.
• 0:09
  Ian McLean: This podcast is recorded on the traditional territory of the neutral Anishinaabe and Hodenishone people.
• 0:15
  Ian McLean: Each week I sit down for candid conversations where we go beyond the boardroom and behind the business to uncover the real stories of Waterdoo regions and business and community.
• 0:25
  Ian McLean: Today we're joined by Andre Killingback, the 2025-2026 ambassador for Kitchener Waterdoo Oktoberfest, and the first male ambassador in the program's history.
• 0:44
  Ian McLean: At just 24 years old, Andre brings a unique blend of healthcare experience, community leadership, and cultural plot pride to this one-of-a-kind role.
• 0:53
  Ian McLean: By day he works as a care access coordinator at CBI Home Health.
• 0:57
  Ian McLean: By night, and often on weekends, he's representing one of the largest Bavarian festivals outside of Germany.
• 1:02
  Ian McLean: But this role is about much more than celebration.
• 1:05
  Ian McLean: The ambassador program is built on four pillars community, festival traditions, giving back, and personal passion.
• 1:12
  Ian McLean: Andre sees his role as balancing joy and responsibility, tradition and inclusion.
• 1:18
  Ian McLean: Today we're we'll talk about leadership at a young age, what it means to represent a region that both celebrates its heritage and looks out for one another, and how events like Oktoberfest shape not just our economy, but our sense of belonging.
• 1:30
  Ian McLean: Let's go behind the business with KW Oktoberfest Ambassador, Andre Kellingback.
• 1:35
  Ian McLean: Well, Andre, thank you so much for uh for spending some time with us today and welcome to the podcast.
• 1:41
  Ian McLean: Yeah, thank you for having me.
• 1:42
  Ian McLean: Now, you're 24 years old, uh turning to just turn 25.
• 1:48
  Ian McLean: Just turned 24.
• 1:48
  Ian McLean: Just turned 25.
• 1:49
  Ian McLean: You're working in healthcare, um, which is you know very people-centered, right?
• 1:55
  Ian McLean: It's about uh it's about service to others.
• 1:59
  Ian McLean: What shaped you into someone who raises their hand for service and community-oriented things?
• 2:06
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, um definitely I wasn't really a person that would have been like that really through my whole life.
• 2:13
  André Killingbeck: Um I was a really shy kid, honestly.
• 2:15
  André Killingbeck: Uh I struggled with mental health really bad.
• 2:17
  André Killingbeck: Um my parents got a divorce that made me go down.
• 2:20
  André Killingbeck: And as I got older, I just started realizing I don't want to, you know, shelter away and push my way, you know, back away from you know the world.
• 2:28
  André Killingbeck: And so I looked at people like my mom.
• 2:30
  André Killingbeck: My mom's a nurse, and she she you know is a big inspiration for me to like do that.
• 2:36
  André Killingbeck: So I looked at different jobs.
• 2:39
  André Killingbeck: Um, I needed a job at the time, and I got into um Paramed, which was the company I was working for before, doing this kind of the same thing I'm doing now.
• 2:46
  André Killingbeck: It was like more like intake flow, so like getting people you know on board with the company.
• 2:51
  André Killingbeck: Um at first it was kind of honestly, I'm not gonna lie to you, it was a little bit of a uh just a gig.
• 2:56
  André Killingbeck: I was working to for money, right?
• 2:58
  André Killingbeck: I was still young.
• 2:58
  André Killingbeck: I think I was like 18, straight out of high school.
• 3:00
  André Killingbeck: And then I started realizing, whoa, like I actually care about this stuff.
• 3:05
  André Killingbeck: I I care way more than I want.
• 3:06
  André Killingbeck: And then I looked at like my mom and how much she spent her you know past 30 years being a nurse and how you know what that means.
• 3:13
  André Killingbeck: And then my my grandmother, my great grandmother moved in with us, and I got to see it firsthand at home, and I was like, holy smokes, like community is so important and like helping others.
• 3:24
  André Killingbeck: So that really like got me driven, and then I changed my like whole view on life and I got more out there, and now I'm like way more to raise my hand to community and help out for sure.
• 3:33
  Ian McLean: So uh for for listeners that may not know or you know follow Oktoberfest, um uh you know, except for the parade and the the festivities, um what does the ambassador role?
• 3:46
  Ian McLean: So this is the this is uh the the KW Oktoberfest ambassador role.
• 3:52
  Ian McLean: What do you do and what does that look behind the scenes?
• 3:54
  Ian McLean: What are what's your role within the festival?
• 3:57
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, so as like an ambassador for you know, if you Googled it, would be like the person representing a band uh brand, like the face of the the company, but I see it as more than that because it is more than that.
• 4:08
  André Killingbeck: You know, you're getting people engaged with the the community in the festival, you're you know advocating for for you know um diversity in in these settings.
• 4:20
  André Killingbeck: So in my role, I have to do a lot more than just you know show up to the to the festival and say, hey guys, I'm here, right?
• 4:27
  André Killingbeck: I have to talk to people and get them engaged and and you know listen to them and and hear what they want to say and what they think the festival should be.
• 4:34
  André Killingbeck: And we gotta do stuff all year round.
• 4:36
  André Killingbeck: Like people think that Oktoberfest in KW is like a three to four week event, but it's not.
• 4:41
  André Killingbeck: It's it's it's nonstop.
• 4:42
  André Killingbeck: We do it all through the all year round, yeah.
• 4:45
  André Killingbeck: So I do a I do a lot.
• 4:46
  André Killingbeck: Like I have an event tomorrow doing Oktoberfest and it's February.
• 4:50
  André Killingbeck: Like it's a lot.
• 4:51
  Ian McLean: So the program operates on you know, in four different pillars, if you will.
• 4:56
  Ian McLean: There's the there's the community aspect, there's festival traditions, which is more the you know, the fall portion of it.
• 5:02
  Ian McLean: There's the giving back, um, and we've got lots of partnerships, whether it's the food bank or others, but there's a giving back portion, and then there's the personal passion that they're trying to articulate.
• 5:12
  Ian McLean: What does Oktoberfest mean to each individual?
• 5:15
  Ian McLean: So, which of those four pillars, community, festival traditions, giving back, and personal passion uh resonates most with you right now and why?
• 5:26
  André Killingbeck: I think a little bit of each, you know, community, as I said before, is really important to me now.
• 5:31
  André Killingbeck: I I love KW and it's one of my favorite cities in in the world that I've been to.
• 5:36
  André Killingbeck: Yes.
• 5:37
  André Killingbeck: So community is really important, getting people involved.
• 5:40
  André Killingbeck: I think that giving back is super important because you have to give back to your community, especially if you can, right?
• 5:45
  André Killingbeck: Uh if you can give back, then you build so much unity.
• 5:48
  André Killingbeck: I think you know, personal passion is super important too.
• 5:51
  André Killingbeck: Like I grew up in the German clubs, uh, so this means a lot to me.
• 5:55
  André Killingbeck: You know, I have a drive to you know help people, and then also like my job, I'm helping people and getting people you know more involved in the community.
• 6:02
  André Killingbeck: So that's a personal passion.
• 6:04
  André Killingbeck: And then like the traditions again, like growing up in the in the German clubs is super, you know.
• 6:11
  André Killingbeck: I I gotta see it firsthand, and now I gotta you know pass it on to people that may not know, and it's they get to experience that throughout the years and come to the festival and you know be part of such a cool tradition, and they gotta see the stuff that we do for the community.
• 6:23
  Ian McLean: Um so and and so uh part of this is is the both the ambassador role, but Oktoberfest itself has evolved significantly over the last you know number of years, actually.
• 6:35
  Ian McLean: How does this ambassador program help modernize the festival, but it's still but still at the same time reflecting the heritage, which is obviously the German heritage and the cultural part of Oktoberfest.
• 6:49
  Ian McLean: But the the ambassador program, how does that help modernize it?
• 6:53
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, the ambassador program gets, you know, it's it's a young, a young role.
• 6:57
  André Killingbeck: I'm pretty sure it's you have to be 19 to 28.
• 7:00
  André Killingbeck: I believe it can be 18, I'm pretty sure 19, uh, because there's alcohol involved in some of these festivals.
• 7:05
  André Killingbeck: And, you know, so you get a lot of these younger people to come see it, and we get to, you know, we're a bit more in touch with uh, you know, cell phones of uh and we had to show that, showcase that.
• 7:15
  André Killingbeck: So that's really big and important to like modernize that and show people.
• 7:18
  André Killingbeck: But I also think like talking to people, we get to go out and talk to people, and that's really important, you know, at these festivals and help bring that to light.
• 7:24
  André Killingbeck: And we have tons of ideas on how we can, you know, change with the times and make it more inclusive and still keep all these traditions that people love, like later hosen.
• 7:33
  André Killingbeck: Like, I'm wearing a pair of later hosen to this desk, you can't see it, but I am.
• 7:36
  André Killingbeck: But yeah.
• 7:38
  Ian McLean: Okay.
• 7:38
  Ian McLean: Um and you you said Oktoberfest is a place that everyone should feel like they belong.
• 7:46
  Ian McLean: And I think that's that's one of the things that I've observed, and I'm part of the community uh in um uh ambassadors program myself, or uh to help from business different different leaders around the community to help help the festival.
• 8:00
  Ian McLean: Um so everyone, you know, I think that's been a focus, is making sure everyone, whether it's different cultural groups, different ages, different, you know, um aspects of the community all feel like they there's a place for them and October for us.
• 8:12
  Ian McLean: How do you translate that into action in in terms of, you know, so it's not just saying the words, but but it it actually comes out in what the festival's doing?
• 8:23
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, I think for sure, you know, going out and talking to people is like the number one important thing.
• 8:28
  André Killingbeck: Because you have to you have to listen to people, you know, and see what they're see what they how they feel about the festival to be able to then grow the festival and show I want everyone to feel welcome, you know.
• 8:37
  André Killingbeck: That's why we have like the Wilcumplatz where it's free and everyone can go downtown and see it.
• 8:41
  André Killingbeck: And we have little sections that are like not in the main area where uh people that might be not so super comfortable with uh big crowds can go out and then they can explore, and then you just listen to them and you talk to them and you you shape Oktoberfest to be more inclusive, and how do we you know bring different cultures and different uh aspects to the festival to make it a community festival, not just with all the uh traditions, just that plus the community.
• 9:07
  André Killingbeck: I know they have like Pride Toberfest, and now we have Dog Toberfest and all these things.
• 9:11
  André Killingbeck: Like, how do we keep going with stuff like that that we can bring in that makes people feel you know loved by the community involved?
• 9:18
  Ian McLean: The Behind the Business Podcast is made possible through the support of our title sponsor, Gore Mutual.
• 9:23
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• 9:30
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• 9:31
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• 9:37
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• 9:43
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• 9:47
  Ian McLean: So uh you you're you're in healthcare.
• 9:51
  Ian McLean: So from a healthcare lens, do you think large-scale community events play a role in mental well-being and social connection?
• 9:59
  Ian McLean: Like, I mean, one of the things that and maybe partly owing to the pandemic, but I would say even before is even though we're kind of a growing community, in some ways there was less personal connection.
• 10:12
  Ian McLean: I think it certainly COVID and the period when we really couldn't be together made that worse.
• 10:18
  Ian McLean: So, how does this uh type of widespread community event help us uh with with mental well-being and and making those connections?
• 10:29
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, I think definitely uh a big, you know, a big setting like it is uh is can be daunting, but it's also really good when you get out there and you know you feel the love and people are talking to you and you're celebrating together and then you're as a community.
• 10:42
  André Killingbeck: And like I said on the last uh question was you asked me was like we have the smaller events like dog Toberfest.
• 10:48
  André Killingbeck: So maybe there's people that are you know not comfortable with a lot of people, but can go to the smaller down the street, dog uh, you know, Toberfest, and then hang out with the dogs and get a smaller interaction, whether we'll warm them up to get to the bigger interaction, which really helps, you know.
• 11:01
  André Killingbeck: Staying inside, especially you know, the pandemic was a scary time for a lot of people because a lot of people at first thought, yeah, I gotta stay home, and then you know, after three months, everyone's like, holy my mentals, you know, had an all-time low.
• 11:13
  André Killingbeck: And I think once you get outside, you have to you realize, like, wow, this sense of community is like way better for my mental health and gets better.
• 11:20
  André Killingbeck: But I think the smaller steps leading into the big festival really helps that to for people that are still a bit unsure, you know, they could have warm up a little bit and then get to the big one and realize how fun it is.
• 11:30
  Ian McLean: So, so for young professionals that may be listening or watching and andor you know, a business owner who's got young staff people, what are the skills that an experience like being the Octoberfest ambassador, how does that experience accelerate some new skills for you?
• 11:50
  Ian McLean: Like what are what are the things you're taking away from this role?
• 11:53
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, I'm definitely taking away like talking.
• 11:56
  André Killingbeck: My talking's definitely improved, I would say, from you know, before also getting out there and you know being myself, being more creative.
• 12:05
  André Killingbeck: I gotta do a lot more stuff on the creative side that maybe I would have pushed down when I was like, you know, not it.
• 12:10
  André Killingbeck: I would uh I get to now do a bunch of like social media stuff that's really cool and being active with that, and then just seeing like you know, all these traditional stuff that's really cool that you get that skill of like uh learning culture without you know going to another country is really cool.
• 12:26
  Ian McLean: Okay, so if you're fast forward, you're part you know partway through your your term as ambassador, and it comes to the you're you end at the end of Octoberfest, 2026, right?
• 12:38
  Ian McLean: And then there's a new new ambassador.
• 12:40
  Ian McLean: Is that the way that okay?
• 12:41
  Ian McLean: So you're so roughly halfway through your your term.
• 12:45
  Ian McLean: As you if you think, if you cast your eyes forward and say, what what do you would you like the legacy of your time as ambassador um to be?
• 12:55
  Ian McLean: Like how would you uh when your year concludes, how would you like to be remembered in terms of the what you did as ambassador?
• 13:03
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, so I'm the first male ever.
• 13:05
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, it's true.
• 13:06
  André Killingbeck: Which is crazy, but I don't want to be known just for that, obviously, because that's a big that's a big deal, but I want to be known on, yeah, I might be the first male, but this is a really good step in a change that's gonna help, you know, bring diversity and want people to look back and be like, you know, Andre made this festival ten times what it was.
• 13:24
  André Killingbeck: It's way more inclusive, way more, you know, friendly, way more about the community.
• 13:29
  André Killingbeck: And they look back and they're like, yeah, Andre did, you know, an insanely good job, and that's something that like now we can strive towards with the continuous years, and we get new ambassadors, you know, they come along and keep going.
• 13:40
  André Killingbeck: And for younger generations, I wanted them to look at me, look up to me and be like, yeah, I can be the ambassador one day.
• 13:45
  André Killingbeck: I think this year we had four, four people running to be ambassador.
• 13:50
  André Killingbeck: I want next year to be 14.
• 13:51
  André Killingbeck: You know, I want people to want it and be like, this is something I want.
• 13:54
  André Killingbeck: I want to be involved in the community.
• 13:56
  André Killingbeck: So that's what I, you know, my legacy wants to be for a moment.
• 13:59
  Ian McLean: And i i if if you look ahead, um not necessarily from the ambassador, but what's next for you?
• 14:06
  Ian McLean: I mean, w where where are you most focused on making an impact and taking this experience to the next level?
• 14:13
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, I want to stay involved with Oktoberfest as much as I can.
• 14:16
  André Killingbeck: And if uh if you know some I can't for whatever reason, I'd like to get involved with the community more and and and do it outside of you know KW and all that.
• 14:25
  André Killingbeck: I'd love to travel a bit and see the world, but that's like I think everyone wants to do that when they're young.
• 14:29
  André Killingbeck: But yeah, I definitely want to get more involved with the community and try to you know stick around and and you know, you know, make people known they're like, yeah, Honor is that guy that you know we can count on in the community to step up and be a good leader.
• 14:40
  Ian McLean: That's always a good legacy to be the go-to guy.
• 14:44
  Ian McLean: Listen, before we wrap up, and and this podcast is a little bit about talking to community leaders and across whether it's a business or a not-for-profits, uh, folks that are that are leaders in all kinds of ways, but it is about um their stories, but also about leadership.
• 14:59
  Ian McLean: And so we always ask the same set of questions, um, and it's so it's basically our rapid fire questions.
• 15:05
  Ian McLean: So are you ready?
• 15:06
  Ian McLean: I've got uh I've got a series of uh quick hitters here.
• 15:08
  Ian McLean: Okay.
• 15:09
  Ian McLean: If you could go back in time, uh although you're still pretty young, but uh but I would say if you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?
• 15:17
  André Killingbeck: I would tell myself that you are the only person you're guaranteed to live with for the rest of your life, so make sure you're in good company and work on yourself because then you can you know help others.
• 15:29
  Ian McLean: That's actually very good.
• 15:30
  Ian McLean: That's a good answer.
• 15:32
  Ian McLean: Um who or what inspires you to, you know, in your in your journey of life?
• 15:37
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, so my my mom, and she she definitely inspires me, and she doesn't get the enough recognition she deserves.
• 15:44
  André Killingbeck: I mean, you know, kids are crazy.
• 15:45
  André Killingbeck: My sister and I, you know, don't you know always show up for everything we need to and tell her, but my mom has worked very hard in her her life to get us to where we are and and shape us, and it hasn't been, you know, we haven't made it easy, my sister and I.
• 15:57
  André Killingbeck: So she definitely is a huge inspiration for me.
• 15:59
  André Killingbeck: People say it was the greats, but I think your family is always people to look up to if you have you know a good family.
• 16:05
  Ian McLean: There's mothers all over the place watching this who are saying, good boy for mentioning your mom.
• 16:11
  Ian McLean: So good for you.
• 16:11
  Ian McLean: My mom, my mom will be one of them.
• 16:13
  Ian McLean: Mom was fucking to cry when she says that.
• 16:15
  Ian McLean: If you weren't in your current career, so you know, in sort of that healthcare field, what would you be doing instead?
• 16:22
  André Killingbeck: That's uh that's a hard question.
• 16:24
  André Killingbeck: I always wanted to go back to school.
• 16:25
  André Killingbeck: Uh after high school, I worked right away.
• 16:27
  André Killingbeck: I'd love to go back and do something maybe um still helping.
• 16:30
  André Killingbeck: I thought about kinesiology, because that's you know, still helping people and and moving around, and I like some sports, so like sports injuries.
• 16:37
  André Killingbeck: I also thought about like biology.
• 16:39
  André Killingbeck: So maybe going back to school would be definitely if I wasn't in my career, I'd go back to school, I think, and then decide what I want to do.
• 16:45
  Ian McLean: You're still so young, that's not off the table for you.
• 16:47
  Ian McLean: Uh so it it it's it's uh it's an open door for you.
• 16:51
  Ian McLean: Um are you reading a book?
• 16:53
  Ian McLean: Do you read or um uh watch podcasts?
• 16:57
  Ian McLean: What what's your go-to to kind of either for thinking or for kind of relaxing?
• 17:03
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, I like to uh read books sometimes, uh for sure.
• 17:06
  André Killingbeck: I have a few books like I like you know the business ones like Think and Grow Rich.
• 17:11
  André Killingbeck: Uh I like those things, but I also like just you know the outdoors and just going out and relaxing and just you know being with nature.
• 17:18
  André Killingbeck: I love nature, and that's you know, really it helps me to unwind after like stress.
• 17:23
  Ian McLean: That's great.
• 17:23
  Ian McLean: Okay, and and uh always asked this, and it doesn't have to be a restaurant, but what's your favorite go-to local business?
• 17:29
  Ian McLean: Is it a coffee shop?
• 17:31
  Ian McLean: Is it a restaurant?
• 17:31
  Ian McLean: Is it a uh bookstore?
• 17:33
  Ian McLean: What's what's your go-to?
• 17:35
  André Killingbeck: I have a go-to restaurant.
• 17:36
  André Killingbeck: I was uh I I used to gatekeep it a little bit because it was like my hidden gem.
• 17:41
  André Killingbeck: But I won't gatekeep it.
• 17:42
  André Killingbeck: I could be mispronouncing it, it's like called Dagoo Hot Pot.
• 17:46
  André Killingbeck: It's this little corner hot pot place in upload uptown Waterloo.
• 17:50
  André Killingbeck: And everyone can go there that's listening now.
• 17:52
  André Killingbeck: Uh but it's I love it because it's you go in, the staff is so friendly, you sit around with your friends or family, eat hot pot together.
• 18:00
  André Killingbeck: The the meal itself is so like community engaging, you know, and so connecting with.
• 18:06
  Ian McLean: Who is it in Uptown?
• 18:07
  André Killingbeck: So do you know where Mongolian Grill used to be?
• 18:09
  André Killingbeck: Yeah, yeah.
• 18:10
  André Killingbeck: Okay, so in that same plaza, yeah, there's a rest, there's a dessert place called D Spot.
• 18:15
  André Killingbeck: Yeah.
• 18:15
  André Killingbeck: Right beside D Spot in that little corner, knucked away, is this place called Dagu uh Hot Pot.
• 18:21
  Ian McLean: I have to check it out, it's not far from my place.
• 18:23
  André Killingbeck: I would go there.
• 18:24
  André Killingbeck: Okay.
• 18:25
  Ian McLean: If someone wants to catch up with you and learn more about the ambassador program or or you know get to know you personally, where can listeners go to connect with you?
• 18:34
  André Killingbeck: So there's three places.
• 18:36
  André Killingbeck: Four, actually.
• 18:36
  André Killingbeck: So there's obviously KW Oktoberfest, Instagram, uh, Facebook, everywhere.
• 18:41
  André Killingbeck: There's the KW Oktoberfest Ambassador, that's the page that you know for me.
• 18:46
  André Killingbeck: And then there's my personal social, uh, Andre Killingbeck, just my name.
• 18:50
  André Killingbeck: Uh you see a bunch of pictures of my cars because I like my car.
• 18:52
  André Killingbeck: And then, you know, I'm I live in the city.
• 18:55
  André Killingbeck: If you see me around, like I tell people all the time, like festivals, events, anything, come up to me.
• 18:59
  André Killingbeck: I would love to talk to everyone.
• 19:00
  André Killingbeck: Like, just come talk to me.
• 19:02
  Ian McLean: Well, you've you're doing a great job.
• 19:04
  Ian McLean: I've heard nothing but good things.
• 19:06
  Ian McLean: I appreciate you coming in and and and talking to us or me and and our listeners about uh uh about the new the ambassador program and and your your your role in doing that this year.
• 19:18
  Ian McLean: Really appreciate you coming in today.
• 19:20
  Ian McLean: I appreciate you for having me.
• 19:21
  Ian McLean: Thank you.
• 19:22
  Ian McLean: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Behind the Business, proudly presented by Gore Mutual, insurance that does good.
• 19:28
  Ian McLean: New episodes drop every Thursday, so be sure to tune in next week.
• 19:32
  Ian McLean: You can also visit greater kw chamber.com to catch up on past episodes at any time.
• 19:38
  Ian McLean: We'll see you next time as we continue to go behind the business.