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After almost seven years at the head of the Fulda District Crafts Association, Gabriele Leipold has withdrawn from management. The delegate assembly elected Lukas Henke as her successor.
Fulda – The 65-year-old Gabriele Leipold had a significant influence on the Fulda district craftsmen's association (KH) and introduced numerous innovations – including this Major event “Handwerk.Lokal.Erleben”, which has already attracted thousands of visitors to Fulda city center twice. “The time has come to hand over the scepter to the younger generation, who will certainly do a lot of things differently with numerous ambitions,” explained Leipold.
New leader for crafts in Fulda: Leipold leaves, Henke takes over
District master craftsman Thorsten Krämer described Leipold as “a woman who burns and lives for the craft”. He is very grateful for the “very successful collaboration”. Krämer had become a district master craftsman herself around the same time that Leipold took office as managing director. “We worked side by side, always pulling together – you could always rely on them,” he said, praising their long-standing commitment. The Handwerk.Lokal.Erleben event was “her baby”.
Leipold was not only the face of the district craftsmen, but also “the face of local crafts” for many years. She has also shown great commitment at the regional interfaces of the KH, for example in cooperation with the city and district, municipalities or schools.
Born in Fulda, she graduated from the Marienschule in 1979 and completed her business administration studies at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences in 1985 with a degree in business administration. After working at a management consultancy and the butchers' association Hesse This was followed by a family break with three children. In 2010 she returned to working life as a business consultant at the Kassel Chamber of Crafts.
Lukas Henke wants to continue the successful work of his predecessor
In 2017, Leipold moved to the Fulda District Crafts Association, initially as deputy managing director. After the departure of her predecessor, Dr. Herbert Büttner took over the interim management of the district craftsmen's association in the summer of 2019. On December 4, 2019, the delegates officially elected her as managing director. Leipold cares about the Fulda region, craftsmanship and personal networking. For example, she campaigned for the acquisition of skilled workers and the recruitment of young talent with special campaigns.
The deputy district master craftsman Michael Wißler emphasized that Leipold came to the district craftsmen's association in a difficult situation and first had to sift through and sort out a lot of things in order to put the organization back on a solid footing. “She mastered it brilliantly.” She acts with passion and doesn't know a five-day week. The cooperation with the guild companies was always “very friendly and trusting”.
Leipold isn't saying goodbye yet: she will remain employed by the district craftsmen's association as senior coordinator for special management tasks until the end of the year. She also continues to manage the business of BBO Fulda Bildungszentrum Bau Osthessen gGmbH.
Her successor Lukas Henke (31) thanked the assembly of delegates for their trust and announced that he wanted to further expand on the successful work of his predecessor. The assembly elected the 31-year-old on Tuesday evening (April 14). He has been the new managing director of the Fulda District Crafts Association since April 15th. The father of the family, who lives in Bad Salzschlirf, previously worked in a dual role as branch manager of the state guild association of the stonemasonry and stone carving trade in Hesse and as a consultant for business administration and collective bargaining at the Federal Association of German Stonemasons in Frankfurt. Since January, Henke has been the deputy manager of the district craftsmen's association.
