The Baden-Württemberg Minister President Winfried Kretschmann has awarded Eva Mayr-Stihl the Grand Staufer Medal in Gold for her entrepreneurial work and many years of honorary involvement. The Staufer Medal is the Minister President's special, personal award for services rendered to the state of Baden-Württemberg and its people. "Mrs Mayr-Stihl's commitment demonstrates to us all that the principles of responsible entrepreneurship do not end at the factory gates", said Minister President Kretschmann. The award was presented to Eva Mayr-Stihl by the Minister President at a ceremony in Villa Reitzenstein, the official residence of the head of government in Stuttgart, on May 2, 2016.
"Considering her professional success story, but especially her many years of honorary involvement, Eva Mayr-Stihl has truly earned the Grand Staufer Medal in Gold", said Minister President Kretschmann. "As a business economist she has contributed her know-how to the Federation of the Baden-Württemberg Metal Industry, the Federation of German Employers' Associations in the Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries and the National Federation of German Employer Associations." Furthermore, she has put her abundant business experience at the service of the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Industry and Commerce and was appointed by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology to the auditors' supervisory commission of the certified accountants chamber. Minister President Kretschmann explained: "Today, Eva Mayr-Stihl‘s main field of activity is her work in the foundation named after her and investment management. The list of organisations which the foundation supports financially is long. Apart from sponsoring social and civic projects and supporting scientific research in forestry, protection of the environment, nature and biodiversity at home and abroad as well as sponsoring art and culture have a special place in her foundation work."
Eva Mayr-Stihl expressed her gratitude for the high honour and pointed out: "I have always done my work with great pleasure and dedication – in the meantime, however, the emphasis is mainly on advisory board work and responsibility for the STIHL Group's investment management. The establishment of my non-profit-making foundation came about because I have always taken very seriously the Basic Law which states that "ownership entails responsibilities"." Together with her brother she has ensured that the principles laid down by her father Andreas Stihl are observed and brought into line with the company's growth. Worth special mention are social benefits such as merit bonus for employees, occupational pension and employee partipation in the company's capital. "In addition, our father's resolve to use earnings for the company's future growth has been maintained."
Today, Eva Mayr-Stihl is deputy chairman of the advisory board of STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG in Waiblingen, a member of the supervisory board of STIHL AG and chairman of the EVA MAYR-STIHL STIFTUNG (foundation). Among other distinctions, she is holder of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and honorary citizen of Waiblingen. Together with her brother, Hans Peter Stihl, she received the Social Market Economy Prize of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in 2009.
The Staufer Medal is normally awarded in silver, but also in gold in rare cases. It is presented in recognition of services performed for the common good, which have gone beyond actual professional duties in the course of a generally honorary, social or civic involvement and have been rendered over a period of many years.