New Dimensions 2011 - Rhomberg Bau

December 1984: Walter Rhomberg
Contractors receives official State award.
Successful together: Walter Rhomberg and Walter-Heinz Rhomberg, seen here during an
excursion on Lake Constance, on the occasion of the forty year celebrations in 1978.
Quality of life – focusing on what is important
Kommerzialrat Walter-Heinz Rhomberg looks ahead and reflects on the last 47 years
“I never wanted to be anything else but
a master builder” says Kommerzialrat
Walter-Heinz Rhomberg with a smile.
For him, there simply wasn’t a more
attractive profession. In 1892 his
grandfather, Cornelius, founded the
company and managed it very successfully
until his death in 1912. His father
Walter (b. 1911) re-established the
construction company in 1938. Walter-
Heinz Rhomberg joined the company in
the third generation in 1963. He has
now served for 47 active years.
There are many stories from his life in
the business: some are stories of
success and some of failure, with strife
and worry, as happens in every business.
As of 1 October 2010, Kommerzialrat
Walter-Heinz Rhomberg retired from
the management of Rhomberg Holding
GmbH and became Chairman of the
Advisory Board. At the same time, his
son Hubert Rhomberg together with
Ernst Thurnher stepped into the role of
Managing Director of Rhomberg
Holding.
Maintaining a balance
“For an independent entrepreneur, it is
not possible to separate business life
from private life”, explains Walter-Heinz
Rhomberg. The two have to be kept in
balance. The time demands of the job
require a steady private life with a lot of
understanding – especially from one’s
partner.
When he was young, Rhomberg heard
a lot at the dinner table and learnt to
concentrate on the positive aspects
and to assess risk. That was not
always easy, as the risks in a construction
company in particular are “greater
than you would normally expect”. But
on balance the positive always won
out, which is the only reason why the
company has developed so well.
It is not easy to say exactly which was
his first working day, explains Walter-
Heinz Rhomberg. During the summer
holidays he and his siblings had to
work in the business for three to four
weeks. “We also earned a little money”
adds Rhomberg and recounts that he
was ten years old when he first visited
a building site – where a single-family
dwelling was being built. These
experiences were his foundation and
very instructive. Then in 1963 he
officially joined the company as
Assistant Site Manager. At that time the
Walter Rhomberg construction company
employed a staff of about 200.
From 1973 he was Managing Director
of the Rhomberg companies together
with his father, Kommerzialrat Walter
Rhomberg. Then for many years he
filled this role as sole Managing
Director. Later on, his son Hubert and
other long-serving members of staff
joined in the responsibilities. “For me,
and I believe for all Rhomberg members
of staff, it is fortunate that Hubert,
as the fourth generation, has taken on
the management in an extremely
active and innovative, socially responsible
and competent fashion.”
Motivation and
entrepreneURIal spIRIT
Core elements for success as an
entrepreneur are a long-term perspective,
analysis and focus, explains
Rhomberg. In addition, there has to be a
strong ability to make things happen
without which nothing comes about, and
staff who are motivated and who tackle
their tasks with entrepreneurial spirit.
Naturally it also needs a solid capital
base to guarantee the company’s
independence and ability to act. For a
manager to be able to perform his or
her duties over the long-term, it is
important that they are very healthconscious
and engage in regular sports
activities. For me this was also a guiding
principle.
pLeasURe in creation
“Naturally there are things that could
have been done better, but these are
now in the past.” Now Walter-Heinz
Rhomberg enjoys the fact that his daily
schedule is no longer controlled by a
long list of appointments – and that he
has time for his new task as Chairman
of the Advisory Board. And of course he
also enjoys more spare time.
In 1963 the young entrepreneur
Walter-Heinz Rhomberg wanted to
prove that Rhomberg Bau was the
number 1 in Vorarlberg, and one of the
top companies in Austria. Both of these
objectives have been achieved.
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NEW DIMENSIONS | QUALITy of life