“This renewed pioneering spirit, which touched everybody, was and will remain my strongest impression.”
What was your role at SAD?
In 2000, I was a member of the foundation board. In 2001, Fridolin Kissling, one of the two founders, asked me to be vice president, and to occasionally act as president. But because of his illness, which returned in 2001, he asked me to take responsibility almost overnight. I had to have an emergency operation in 2006, so although I didn’t want to give up, I handed over the presidency to Thomas Wernly, who was vice president, as an interim measure, and then permanently to Hans-Peter Fagagnini.
What is the best memory you have from your time at SAD?
In 2001, a turnaround was necessary in terms of content, staff and finances. Marco Dolphini and Rolf Schwery – who was chosen as the first executive director – joined the office, to save SAD. Hans-Peter Fagagnini, who is related to Fridolin Kissling by marriage, was already helping with good deeds and contacts. On the foundation board, Peter Graber from Sursee, who had been there since the beginning, and economic journalist Rosmarie Waldner from Zurich, were pillars of support. Hans Stöckli, who is now a member of the Council of States and who was mayor of Biel then, really helped me and Rolf. These people, and the rest of the foundation board, saved SAD.
This renewed pioneering spirit, which touched everybody, was and will remain my strongest impression. Rolf and I had a few major arguments, but they were always about ensuring SAD’s success. We still have a good, untroubled relationship, even though we don’t see each other anything like enough.
Where do you work now and what do you do?
Professionally, I was already corporate secretary of Georg Fischer Ltd, a company based in Schaffhausen and active internationally, with almost 15,000 employees. I still do that now. And as I made an excellent recovery from my heart operation back then, I can do intensive, fun things outside of work too. Currently, I’m very involved with the memorial year ‘600 years of Niklaus von Flüe’ and as president of the Zurich branch of the union of Christian businesspeople (VCU). I enjoy following SAD’s developments from afar, and wish the fourth generation of management all the best and well-deserved success.