Germany: Roland Mack Awarded With German Gründerpreis Award

Yesterday, on July 5^th, the German Gründerpreis Award 2016 (Eng. “German award for entrepreneurs”) has been conferred in Berlin to Dr.Ing.h.c. Roland Mack who was honored in the “lifetime achievement” category. The jury explained that the Europa-Park Owner is “a real example, as an entrepreneur as well as a person.”

Since its opening in 1975, the Europa-Park is almost overrun by visitors − since then, the park continues with its expansion without profiting from any subsidies until to date. More than 5.5 million guests make their way yearly to the Rust-based theme park. Besides his younger brother Jürgen (58), Roland Mack’s three children also bear the entrepreneurial responsibility – both brothers know that a generation-turnover cannot be managed from one day to another. “I want to transfer a company, which is well prepared for the future. Otherwise, I would have failed as an entrepreneur,” said Roland Mack. His sons Michael (37) and Thomas (35) have been appointed to the park’s Managing Directors only a short time ago (c.f. EAP news from May 9^th, 2016), his daughter Ann-Kathrin (27) works as a trainee. Jointly, the family aims to lead successfully the park’s largest investment in its history: In two years – if all goes according to the plan – the water adventure resort will open with state-of-the-art attractions.

The German Gründerpreis is the most significant award for outstanding entrepreneurs in Germany. “The German Gründerpreis confirms the importance that we have for the region’s attractiveness and indirectly for more than 10,000 work places,” said Roland Mack. “This is an important signal for decision-makers that an increase in value is not only generated by the manufacturing sector but as well by the service sector.” (eap)