Günther Fielmann
Encyclopedia
Günther Fielmann is the founder, major shareholder and chief executive officer
of Fielmann AG
.
2002 Günther Fielmann bought Plön Castle
from the state of Schleswig-Holstein
and had it renovated extensively. Since 2003 he trains his optometrists in the castle. From 2005/2006 onwards Bachelor and Master degrees in optometry are being offered in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Lübeck
.
Fielmann is divorced and has two children.
and minister president Peter Harry Carstensen
.
Günther Fielmann is also a passionate organic farmer. He owns the roughly 1,600 hectares large manor Schierensee
, the 470 hectares large manor Marutendorf in Achterwehr
, the 180 hectares large farm Möglin in Krummwisch
and a farm in Lütjensee
. The organic products of his farms he sells under the brand Hof Lütjensee.
. Two years later (2002) the state also bestowed the title of a professor (honoris causis) upon him. In 2003 he received the renowned "Deutscher Gründerpreis" (Prize for German Founders). The agricultural and nutrition sciences department of the University of Kiel
awarded him an honorary doctorate in December 2004. In 2011 Fielmann was accepted into the Hall of Fame of the manager magazin.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Fielmann AG
Fielmann
Fielmann is a German optics company focussing on eyewear retail. With 655 subsidiaries in 2010, Fielmann gained a sales quantity share of 48% and a turnover market share of 22% in Germany...
.
Life
1972 the state-approved optometrist opened his first shop in Cuxhaven. In 1981 he revolutionised the German spectacle market by offering 90 fashionable frames for the allowance of the statutory health insurance funds (initial tariff). Because previously only 6 models were available in exchange for the insurance allowance, Fielmann thus removed the social stigma of having to wear glasses. This liberalisation, favourable media coverage ("Robin Hood of spectacle wearers") and aggressive marketing allowed his business to grow rapidly. In 1982 a new shop was opened in Kiel offering more than 7,000 frames to choose from. In 1994 the Fielmann KG was transformed into Fielmann AG and went public.2002 Günther Fielmann bought Plön Castle
Plön Castle
Plön Castle in Plön is one of the largest castles in the north German state of Schleswig-Holstein and the only one located on a hill. The former Residenz of the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Plön was built in the 17th century during the Thirty Years War and has had a colourful history in which it...
from the state of Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
and had it renovated extensively. Since 2003 he trains his optometrists in the castle. From 2005/2006 onwards Bachelor and Master degrees in optometry are being offered in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Lübeck
Fachhochschule Lübeck
The Fachhochschule Lübeck is a university in the city of Lübeck in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The name of the institution translates as "Lübeck University of Applied Sciences Lübeck" in English, but in conversations and prose it is generally called by its German name or by the acronym...
.
Fielmann is divorced and has two children.
Other activities
For each of his employees Fielmann plants a tree every year. In May 2009 he planted the one-millionth tree with chancellor Angela MerkelAngela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
and minister president Peter Harry Carstensen
Peter Harry Carstensen
Peter Harry Carstensen is a German politician, in the Christian Democratic Union party.Since 2005 he has been Minister President of the state of Schleswig-Holstein, serving as President of the Bundesrat in 2005/06....
.
Günther Fielmann is also a passionate organic farmer. He owns the roughly 1,600 hectares large manor Schierensee
Schierensee
Schierensee is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
, the 470 hectares large manor Marutendorf in Achterwehr
Achterwehr
Achterwehr is a municipality, located in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde in the German Bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein.Achterwehr is situated 12 km west of Kiel and about 5 km south of the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal...
, the 180 hectares large farm Möglin in Krummwisch
Krummwisch
Krummwisch is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.The location of Krummwisch is south of the municipality of Lindau or Schinkel, but north of Bredenbek or Felde, and east of Bovenau....
and a farm in Lütjensee
Lütjensee
Lütjensee is a municipality in the district of Stormarn, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
. The organic products of his farms he sells under the brand Hof Lütjensee.
Awards
In 2000 Fielmann received the Federal Cross of Merit First Class from the state of Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
. Two years later (2002) the state also bestowed the title of a professor (honoris causis) upon him. In 2003 he received the renowned "Deutscher Gründerpreis" (Prize for German Founders). The agricultural and nutrition sciences department of the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
awarded him an honorary doctorate in December 2004. In 2011 Fielmann was accepted into the Hall of Fame of the manager magazin.