Entrepreneur Heinz Gries died after illness

Created: 2022-12-28Updated: 2022-12-28 12:23 p.m

The former longtime boss of the pastry manufacturer Griesson-de Beukelaer, Heinz Gries.

© Griesson-de Beukelaer/dpa/archive image

The former longtime boss of the pastry manufacturer Griesson-de Beukelaer, Heinz Gries, is dead. He died last Saturday after a long, serious illness at the age of 87 surrounded by his family, as his son Peter Gries said on Wednesday in Polch (district Mayen- Koblenz) reported.

Heinz Gries took over his parents' business in 1966 and ran the family business for decades.

Polch - At the turn of the year 2008/2009 he left the operative business as managing director after 41 years.

“Heinz Gries was a formative entrepreneurial personality in our family business.

With him, we are losing one of the outstanding entrepreneurs of post-war German history,” said Andreas Land, shareholder of Griesson-de Beukelaer (GdB).

The GdB range includes well-known brands such as Griesson, DeBeukelaer, Prinzen Rolle, Leicht & Cross and Wurzener.

Gries had been a bearer of the Federal Cross of Merit since 2004, and in 2009 the industry honored him with the Golden Sugar Loaf, an important award, for his life's work.

In 2011 he was honored as Family Entrepreneur of the Year, he was the recipient of the Business Medal of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and was an honorary citizen of the city of Polch.

In 2014 he transferred his majority stake in GdB to the Gottlieb Anton Foundation, which he had founded.

In doing so, he has secured the successor for the company's holding, according to a company statement.

With the family foundation, the close connection between the company and the family was strengthened and the independence of GdB with its headquarters in Polch was secured.

dpa