Hermann Gärtner, who founded the Porta group of companies together with Wilhelm Fahrenkamp in 1965, is celebrating his 90th birthday today. Together they created one of the largest German furniture retailers, which today has more than 7,000 employees, more than 1.1 billion euros in sales and almost 150 furniture stores in Germany, as well as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Photo: Porta.de
Gärtner is also known for his social commitment, including founding the Andreas Gärtner Foundation in 1993, which has supported people with intellectual disabilities and their relatives ever since. He was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 1993 for his services in the social sector.
Gärtner has long since withdrawn from operational business and handed the company over to a management team under the leadership of his daughter Birgit Gärtner and Wilhelm Fahrenkamp's son Achim, who have successfully further developed the Porta Group. However, he remains committed to the company.
Source: www.moebelmarkt.de