PEOPLE

Goodbye, Stephan!

Words by: WE-EF

On 4 September 2020, a leaving party was held at the WE-EF head office in Bispingen to officially bid farewell to WE-EF Managing Director Stephan Fritzsche. From 1986 to 2020 the son of the company founder Wolfgang Fritzsche steered the company’s fortunes, and together with his brother, Thomas Fritzsche, pursued the common goal of making WE-EF an internationally respected lighting technology brand. This objective and much more was achieved.

The company grew worldwide and the founding spirit was maintained: “Alongside the work ethic and sense of duty there was always time for a chat, a joke, and a relaxed attitude was sometimes taken when necessary,” says Stephan Fritzsche.

The WE-EF staff came up with a number of ideas to express their appreciation of the life’s work of their boss and to mark his departure. In the evening, a projection on the façade of the company premises sent a clear message. During the day, a food truck on site in Bispingen provided culinary highlights for breaks and an opportunity for personal conversations. Prior to this, on 14 August 2020, a small farewell event was held at the WE-EF Plant II in Fürstenwalde, where a very special “THANK YOU” picture of the entire workforce was presented.

The worldwide WE-EF team surprised Stephan Fritzsche with a video sending lots of best wishes, and the sales team presented him with an award on his final day of work. Last but not least, Stephan Fritzsche received the new WE-EF main catalogue fresh off the press, with a personal cover specially designed for him.

“I was very lucky to be able to do everything the way I wanted, right to the end”, Stephan Fritzsche said in his emotional leaving speech thanking all his employees for their dedication and their loyalty: “I never liked being addressed as ‘boss’ … but I am happy to admit that I was very, very proud to be the boss of this company – thank you all and goodbye!”

Mario Dreismann, WE-EF’s new CEO, took over seamlessly with the words: “I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that we are all very proud of you, of the company you built up with the support of your family…Thank you for being a businessman and a boss with your heart in the right place…for keeping us together as a family in your role as a family business entrepreneur. We will miss you – at least most of the time”, he said with a wink. “We wish you all the very best!”