THALL10326
The Champ
Everyone in the biz at one time or another wondered what would ever happen if Peter Stihl stepped down from the company. Many said it would be the end of a era, some said thats when Stihl would join others and go net and box store. Even that fear was real back in 1985, some 25 years ago, when Stihl had to re-assure everyone that under his control that would not happen and to date it hasn't. At age 80 he's decided to hand over the controls of the company his father founded and passed down to him. Like his father before him he nows hands over the controls to his son. Look like Stihl is gonna remain Stihl for many years to come.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG, founding company of STIHL Inc. and a leading worldwide manufacturer of handheld outdoor power equipment, announced that Dr. Nikolas Stihl will succeed his father, Hans Peter Stihl, as the chairman of the advisory board of STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG effective June 30, 2012. The elder Mr. Stihl, who succeeded his father and company founder Andreas Stihl, has served the company for the past half century. He made it clear that the change was part of the company’s succession planning, “This will ensure that STIHL remains a family-owned company and will retain its character as a medium-sized enterprise in the future, too.”
Fred J. Whyte, president of STIHL Inc. based in Virginia Beach, Va., said the STIHL Group has been extremely fortunate to have had Hans Peter Stihl at the helm for so many years. “Under his guidance, the company has grown dramatically and continues to pursue a strategy of technological innovation, product quality, and dedication to a unique, disciplined, distribution model,” said Whyte. Citing that the company was following business as usual, Whyte added, “Succession planning is vital to the health of any successful business, so it comes as no surprise that a plan has been in place for family-owned business continuity at STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG.”
Dr. Nikolas Stihl, an engineer like his father, is well-positioned and prepared for his new role as chairman of the advisory board. Since 1993, he has been managing director of the Austrian garden tool manufacturer VIKING, a STIHL subsidiary and one of the leading companies in the garden power tool industry in the European market. He will resign as managing director on March 31, 2011 in order to prepare himself for the new position.
Hans Peter Stihl, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in April of 2012, joined his father’s business as assistant to the board in 1960 and, soon after, assumed responsibility for manufacturing and design. In 1966, he became a member of the board of management and was responsible for development, manufacturing and purchasing. He became general partner alongside his father in 1971. Following the death of his father, he took over management of the family company in 1973 and, together with his sister Eva Mayr-Stihl and, from 1978, his brother Dr. Rüdiger Stihl, expanded it into a group of companies with an international structure. Since 1995, the group has operated under a holding company, whose general partner is and will remain Hans Peter Stihl.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG, founding company of STIHL Inc. and a leading worldwide manufacturer of handheld outdoor power equipment, announced that Dr. Nikolas Stihl will succeed his father, Hans Peter Stihl, as the chairman of the advisory board of STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG effective June 30, 2012. The elder Mr. Stihl, who succeeded his father and company founder Andreas Stihl, has served the company for the past half century. He made it clear that the change was part of the company’s succession planning, “This will ensure that STIHL remains a family-owned company and will retain its character as a medium-sized enterprise in the future, too.”
Fred J. Whyte, president of STIHL Inc. based in Virginia Beach, Va., said the STIHL Group has been extremely fortunate to have had Hans Peter Stihl at the helm for so many years. “Under his guidance, the company has grown dramatically and continues to pursue a strategy of technological innovation, product quality, and dedication to a unique, disciplined, distribution model,” said Whyte. Citing that the company was following business as usual, Whyte added, “Succession planning is vital to the health of any successful business, so it comes as no surprise that a plan has been in place for family-owned business continuity at STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG.”
Dr. Nikolas Stihl, an engineer like his father, is well-positioned and prepared for his new role as chairman of the advisory board. Since 1993, he has been managing director of the Austrian garden tool manufacturer VIKING, a STIHL subsidiary and one of the leading companies in the garden power tool industry in the European market. He will resign as managing director on March 31, 2011 in order to prepare himself for the new position.
Hans Peter Stihl, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in April of 2012, joined his father’s business as assistant to the board in 1960 and, soon after, assumed responsibility for manufacturing and design. In 1966, he became a member of the board of management and was responsible for development, manufacturing and purchasing. He became general partner alongside his father in 1971. Following the death of his father, he took over management of the family company in 1973 and, together with his sister Eva Mayr-Stihl and, from 1978, his brother Dr. Rüdiger Stihl, expanded it into a group of companies with an international structure. Since 1995, the group has operated under a holding company, whose general partner is and will remain Hans Peter Stihl.
