As a pioneer of the 'Regio' idea, Georg H Endress worked on cross-border projects right from the beginning. The founder of the Endress+Hauser Group has now been posthumously recognized for his achievements in tri-national training and cooperation. In the presence of Lothar Späth, former State Premier of Baden-Württemberg, and Swiss entrepreneur Moritz Suter, the 'Prix Bartholdi' Upper Rhine university prize was awarded to him on Friday.
With his apprentice and engineer training in foreign languages and intercultural competencies at the Endress+Hauser sites of Maulburg in Germany, Cernay in France and Reinach in Switzerland, Georg H Endress (1924-2008) embarked on new paths as early as the middle of the 1980s. Later he launched the Biovalley Initiative, a Swiss-German-French life sciences network and worked in the German 'Regiogesellschaft', an association coordinating cross-border activities in the Black Forest and Upper Rhine region.
During his lifetime, Georg H Endress received many awards: in 1984 he got the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 1990 he became an Honorary Doctor of the University of Basel, in 1994 an Honorary Senator of the University of Freiburg and in 2000, he received the Insignia of a Knight of the French National Legion of Honor.
In front of 240 guests at the Endress+Hauser Group headquarters in Reinach, Lothar Späth emphasized the significance of these efforts for research and business in the Upper Rhine region. Moritz Suter recognized the pioneering spirit of Georg H Endress in his eulogy. He stated that he had propagated the idea of a cross-border region all of his life and had realized early on that the future and competitive capability of a company depended on the availability of highly qualified and well-trained junior staff.
Responsibility for the company and society
"The Upper Rhine region as a cross-border university location can assume a pioneering role in the development of future-oriented forms of education and training," was the conviction of Georg H Endress. He always perceived his entrepreneurial success as a commitment to assume social responsibility.
Born in Freiburg, Germany, in 1924, 'GHE' - as he was called by the employees - founded Endress+Hauser in Lörrach, Germany, together with Ludwig Hauser in 1953. The move across the border followed soon: in 1960, a Swiss sales company was opened in Reinach and in 1962 a French office in Saint Louis. Today, Endress+Hauser employs more than 9,000 people in more than 70 countries - about half of the these work in the Basel region.
The 'Prix Bartholdi', named after the Colmar sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, was always well supported by Georg H Endress. Established in 2001, the award aims to strengthen the attractiveness and competitive capability of the Upper Rhine region as a business location via targeted junior staff development.
While Georg H Endress' honorary award does not carry any financial benefit, a tri-national jury recognizes three prospective economists for their achievements. This year's awards go to Fabian Zegowitz, Freiburg, Germany (4,000 euros), Guillaume Fritz, Strasbourg, France (3,000 euros) as well as Michel Eggli, Basel, Switzerland (2,000 euros). An additional three prizes of 1,000 euros were also awarded. The tri-national studies in International Business Management offered in Colmar, France (Université de Haute-Alsace), Lörrach, Germany (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg) and Basel, Switzerland (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz) were also recognized.
With his apprentice and engineer training in foreign languages and intercultural competencies at the Endress+Hauser sites of Maulburg in Germany, Cernay in France and Reinach in Switzerland, Georg H Endress (1924-2008) embarked on new paths as early as the middle of the 1980s. Later he launched the Biovalley Initiative, a Swiss-German-French life sciences network and worked in the German 'Regiogesellschaft', an association coordinating cross-border activities in the Black Forest and Upper Rhine region.
During his lifetime, Georg H Endress received many awards: in 1984 he got the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 1990 he became an Honorary Doctor of the University of Basel, in 1994 an Honorary Senator of the University of Freiburg and in 2000, he received the Insignia of a Knight of the French National Legion of Honor.
In front of 240 guests at the Endress+Hauser Group headquarters in Reinach, Lothar Späth emphasized the significance of these efforts for research and business in the Upper Rhine region. Moritz Suter recognized the pioneering spirit of Georg H Endress in his eulogy. He stated that he had propagated the idea of a cross-border region all of his life and had realized early on that the future and competitive capability of a company depended on the availability of highly qualified and well-trained junior staff.
Responsibility for the company and society
"The Upper Rhine region as a cross-border university location can assume a pioneering role in the development of future-oriented forms of education and training," was the conviction of Georg H Endress. He always perceived his entrepreneurial success as a commitment to assume social responsibility.
Born in Freiburg, Germany, in 1924, 'GHE' - as he was called by the employees - founded Endress+Hauser in Lörrach, Germany, together with Ludwig Hauser in 1953. The move across the border followed soon: in 1960, a Swiss sales company was opened in Reinach and in 1962 a French office in Saint Louis. Today, Endress+Hauser employs more than 9,000 people in more than 70 countries - about half of the these work in the Basel region.
The 'Prix Bartholdi', named after the Colmar sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, was always well supported by Georg H Endress. Established in 2001, the award aims to strengthen the attractiveness and competitive capability of the Upper Rhine region as a business location via targeted junior staff development.
While Georg H Endress' honorary award does not carry any financial benefit, a tri-national jury recognizes three prospective economists for their achievements. This year's awards go to Fabian Zegowitz, Freiburg, Germany (4,000 euros), Guillaume Fritz, Strasbourg, France (3,000 euros) as well as Michel Eggli, Basel, Switzerland (2,000 euros). An additional three prizes of 1,000 euros were also awarded. The tri-national studies in International Business Management offered in Colmar, France (Université de Haute-Alsace), Lörrach, Germany (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg) and Basel, Switzerland (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz) were also recognized.
