Georg Honkomp retires as Chairman of the Board of ZEG: The position of Chairman of the Board of ZEG is not one that changes hands very often; it is all the more remarkable that Georg Honkomp (64) is leaving his position at the turn of the year. He will be succeeded by Fred Schierenbeck (54) and Jens Stahlschmidt (52), who already form the Board of Directors together with Honkomp.
Georg Honkomp's position as chairman of the board of ZEG was a special one from the very beginning. In 1991, at the age of 30, he took over this responsible position from his sponsor Bernhard Lakämper (standing in the picture), which he now wishes to hand over after more than 33 years. Lakämper founded ZEG together with Hans Krämer in 1966 and headed it for 25 years.
In 1986, Honkomp moved from Derby-Cycle in Cloppenburg to ZEG in Cologne, where he was assistant to the board for five years before joining the board in 1991 at Lakämper's request.
The path that ZEG has taken since then is not only closely linked to Georg Honkomp, it is also remarkable from an economic point of view. In 1986, ZEG's turnover was around 100 million DM (51 million euros); in 2023, it was around 2,3 billion euros - around 4 billion euros after end consumer prices, which impressively illustrates the position of ZEG and its member companies.
Georg Honkomp came to an agreement with the ZEG supervisory board under the leadership of Hans-Peter Durach - the body of representatives of the cooperative members - to resign from his position at the turn of the year. In a letter that Velomotion has received, Honkomp informed the members of ZEG of this step and thanked them for the cooperation over the last three decades. Honkomp particularly bowed to Bernhard Lakämper († 2004) as a fatherly friend and supporter who had placed his trust in him at a young age and against some resistance, as well as to Helmut Stadler (founder of Zweirad Stadler), who died at the beginning of the year and who, as long-time chairman of the supervisory board, shared this trust with Lakämper.
In his letter, Honkomp did not fail to urge the large community of ZEG members to remain loyal to ZEG and the shared philosophy, even if times are currently difficult. Because this community is what has made ZEG so strong and independent for almost 60 years.
Anyone who knows Georg Honkomp, however, knows that retirement will of course not be an issue. He will remain with the ZEG Group in the management bodies of the subsidiaries FLYER, KETTLER, i:SY, and HERCULES and will continue to contribute his unparalleled expertise.