CIVD Board Members re-elected by a large majority

The new Board of the Caravaning Industrie Verband (CIVD) met for its constituent meeting at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf on Saturday. Due to the Corona Pandemic, the regular election of the Board did not take place as usual at the CIVD’s general meeting on the trade visitor day of the fair. Instead, the CIVD member companies voted by mail. President Hermann Pfaff (Hymer Business Development GmbH) was re-elected as well as Vice President Dr. Holger Siebert (Eura Mobil GmbH), Werner Vaterl (Knaus Tabbert GmbH) and Jürgen Vöhringer (Vöhringer GmbH & Co. KG). Martin Brandt (Erwin Hymer Group SE) and Bernd Löher (Hobby Wohnwagenwerk Ing. Harald Striewski GmbH) were newly elected by the CIVD members to the highest body of the association. They succeed the previous Finance Board Member Ulrich Schoppmann (LMC Caravan GmbH & Co. KG) and Board Member for Export Holger Schulz (Hobby Wohnwagenwerk Ing. Harald Striewski GmbH), who did not stand for re-election after nine and five years respectively of association work. The CIVD members also discharged the Board for the past fiscal year.

Strong mandate for Pfaff – Siebert remains vice president

Equipped with a strong mandate and full of drive, Pfaff is entering his third three-year term as CIVD President: “On behalf of all members of the Board, I would like to thank the CIVD members very much for the trust they have placed in us. We look forward to tackling the challenges that lie ahead of us and working for the interests of the industry”. At the constituent meeting, the Board Members decided on the distribution of responsibilities. Dr. Holger Siebert will continue to be responsible for public relations. Among other things, the department is responsible for the extensive marketing measures of the CIVD subsidiary CIG, which promotes caravanning with a multi-award-winning advertising campaign and has, thus, made a decisive contribution to the positive image change of the holiday form. Siebert was also confirmed as Vice President by the members of the Board. Werner Vaterl, who has been responsible for the Technology & Environment department since 2014, will continue to be in charge of this field. The suppliers will continue to be represented on the Board by Jürgen Vöhringer, who has held this position for nine years.

Hymer CEO Martin Brandt new Board Member for Export

The new Board Member for Export is Martin Brandt, CEO of the Erwin Hymer Group SE. The graduate industrial engineer joined the industry giant from Bad Waldsee five years ago. Prior to that, he worked in the management of various international companies, including a position in Hong Kong, and as a management consultant. “Due to my international professional experience, I feel that I am ideally equipped for the task in the export sector. I was also able to participate in the work of the association in my former industries and always found the exchange very stimulating,” says the 60-year-old looking forward to his new role.

Bernd Löher – 20 years in the industry and experienced in working with CIVD

Bernd Löher, since mid-February Managing Director of Hobby, is now responsible for the finance department. Thus, an old acquaintance with 20 years industry experience returns to the association. The 51-year-old family man has previously been involved in various committees of the association. In the service of supplier Dometic, Löher was involved in the “CI-BUS” working group, among others, which in 2011 developed a BUS system specially adapted to the requirements of the caravanning industry – a milestone for the association and the industry. “For me, successful association work is a fundamental factor in consistently developing the attractiveness of our industry. Only in this way can we meet the demands of future customers,” says the heavy metal fan, who also lives caravanning in his private life.

Pfaff thanks departing Board Members

The old and new highest industry representative Pfaff thanked his colleagues on the Board who had left at their own request for their services: “Ulrich Schoppmann and Holger Schulz have done excellent voluntary work in recent years and have made a decisive contribution to ensuring that the CIVD and the industry will continue to be in excellent shape in the crisis year 2020. I would like to thank them very much, also on behalf of my colleagues on the Board, for their extraordinary commitment and for their consistently constructive and trusting cooperation”. Schulz responded to the praise: “I have always enjoyed serving on CIVD’s Board and working for our industry is a matter close to my heart. Over the past five years, our group of experts has been able to create a sound information base regarding the export sector for our members – a result of which I am very proud. I very much appreciate the great trust that the members and my colleagues on the Board have placed in me”. Schoppmann also drew a very positive conclusion: “It is with pride and pleasure that I look back on my nine-year tenure on the CIVD Board. In consistently positive cooperation with the Board Members and the staff at the CIVD headquarter, we have significantly developed the Finance Department. The association is excellently positioned and well prepared for the future challenges of the industry. I am very grateful for the trust that CIVD members have placed in me. It was an honour to me”.