2021 is a very special year in the history of the GSB - the Gutenberg School of Business Mainz. It was 20 years ago that the first Executive MBA class was launched at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and to date nearly 500 students have successfully acquired their MBA degrees here. Since the coronavirus pandemic has prevented any larger GSB events from taking place for over a year now, the management was all the more pleased to be able to welcome GSB members to the summer anniversary celebration at Gauls in Mainz-Laubenheim on Friday, August 27.
Professor Euler, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Management and Economics at JGU, welcomed the approximately 200 guests including alumni, active and future EMBA students, and lecturers from the program. As cornerstones for the success of the Mainz Executive MBA program, he emphasized the continuous development, the entire business school’s prestigious reputation and the close collaboration between all members that has generated an atmosphere of trust. He was followed by Professor Franz Rothlauf, one of the academic directors, who took the floor on behalf of the GSB and once again spoke of how impressed he was by the special “Spirit of Mainz”. It was the remarkable interaction at the GSB that had been the greatest incentive for him back in 2013 to take the place of Professor Hentschel in heading up the Executive MBA degree program. In his keynote speech, Fedor Ruhose, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Transformation and Digitalization of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, referred in particular to the central importance of practice-based continuing education for executives as an indispensable element of responsible, targeted management and for the implementation of far-reaching transformation processes.
Fortunately, the imposition of strict coronavirus-related measures at the event did not detract from the festive and light-hearted atmosphere of the anniversary celebration. Alumni and current program participants were delighted to be finally able to greet each other again while the summery barbecue buffet, the local wines and the spacious festival tent made for a wonderful overall ambience. Thanks to the children’s program, even the younger guests certainly had a good time.