{"id":2674,"date":"2025-09-02T13:00:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T11:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/an-evening-full-of-inspiration-fireside-chat-with-horst-saalbach\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T12:26:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T10:26:38","slug":"an-evening-full-of-inspiration-fireside-chat-with-horst-saalbach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/an-evening-full-of-inspiration-fireside-chat-with-horst-saalbach\/","title":{"rendered":"An Evening Full of Inspiration \u2013 Fireside Chat with Horst Saalbach"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Being a successful entrepreneur today means more than simply focusing on your core business. It\u2019s about building networks, taking responsibility, and creating momentum that reaches beyond your own industry. The best ideas rarely emerge in isolation\u2014they are born in dialogue, in encounters with others. Those who choose to get involved in their communities, diversify their professional engagements, and foster meaningful connections are investing not only in their own growth, but in the future of their city, their university, and the next generation. <\/span><\/p>

Xenia Bauer-Stelzel, CEO of Avedomum, embodies this philosophy. As Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board at the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK Leipzig), she has been actively involved for over a year. Her commitment stems not only from personal conviction, but also from a deep belief in collective progress: building an alumni network that stands the test of time. The vision? To become the most attractive alumni network in Central Germany\u2014a place where alumni, business, and politics work hand in hand. The foundation for this was laid on the last Monday in August. <\/span><\/p>

A cornerstone of this initiative: the Fireside Chats<\/strong>. But what exactly does that mean? <\/span><\/p>

A fireside chat is an intimate discussion in a cozy setting. The fireplace\u2014whether real or symbolic\u2014stands for warmth, closeness, and open exchange. The format draws inspiration from the famous \u201cFireside Chats\u201d of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who gave millions of Americans hope and reassurance during the Great Depression and World War II. Today, the alumni network is reviving this concept: honest conversations in a personal atmosphere, built on mutual respect. <\/span><\/p>

That\u2019s exactly what unfolded on this special evening.
When the virtual fireplace flickered to life on the screen (despite outside temperatures reaching 28\u00b0C), the room erupted in laughter\u2014a perfect icebreaker for an evening filled with both lightness and depth. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The entire Avedomum team played a vital role in making the evening a success. Bauer-Stelzel shined as both event organizer and host. With charm and empathy, she guided the evening\u2019s program and created an atmosphere in which every guest felt welcome and involved. <\/span><\/p>

One of the evening\u2019s absolute highlights: the invitation of a true legend \u2013 <\/span>Horst Saalbach<\/b>. Born in Leipzig, he emigrated to the U.S. as a young adult and went on to become a remarkable entrepreneur. With an international career and as a bridge-builder between Leipzig and the U.S., he captivated the audience with inspiring stories from his eventful and often non-linear life. Guests listened intently, \u201changing on his every word\u201d\u2014a testament to how one individual can spark inspiration across generations. <\/span><\/p>

In recognition of his outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur, innovator, and mentor\u2014and for his long-standing support of HTWK Leipzig and its students\u2014Mr. Saalbach was honored by the HTWK WiWi Alumni Network e.V. with a Certificate of Distinction.<\/span><\/p>

The award recognized not only his professional legacy, but also his personal dedication to supporting individuals through pivotal moments in their lives. As a lasting memento, the network had something truly unique in store: Instead of the traditional lapel pin, Mr. Saalbach was presented with a custom-made ring\u2014crafted from tungsten, featuring an elegant koa wood inlay and turquoise stone, all designed in line with the association\u2019s corporate branding. The inside of the ring bears a personal engraving from the network. <\/span><\/p>

Clearly touched\u2014but humble as ever\u2014Mr. Saalbach accepted the honor. His modesty is as remarkable as his drive\u2014traits that define his character and make him genuinely likeable. His wife Elfriede, his steadfast partner of 66 years, was also recognized with a beautiful bouquet\u2014a tribute to her strength, endurance, and loyalty. As one guest put it so aptly:
\u201cBehind every strong man stands an even stronger woman.\u201d <\/span><\/p>

Another highlight of the evening soon followed: celebrated Leipzig-based artist <\/span>Michael Fischer-Art<\/b> made a special appearance and\u2014in a whirlwind of creativity\u2014produced two striking artworks in a matter of minutes. One was gifted personally to Horst Saalbach, while the second was presented to the alumni association as a richly detailed symbol of creativity, community, and appreciation. <\/span>Prof. Dr. Markus Krabbes<\/b>a long-time companion of Saalbach\u2019s and now Rector of Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, also joined the evening and offered a heartfelt tribute. His remarks underscored just how vital this kind of engagement is\u2014especially in the context of higher education. <\/span><\/p>

Among the guests were numerous other high-profile figures from business, academia, the arts, and civic life\u2014a testament to the growing influence of this network <\/span>(see photo gallery).<\/span><\/i><\/p>

But the evening didn\u2019t end there: Over wine and cheese, stimulating conversations unfolded, connections were made, and new relationships began to take root.
That\u2019s the true value of these Fireside Chats: not mass events, but intimate moments rich with quality, depth, and lasting impact. <\/span><\/p>

This is not just any network: it brings together established entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and inspiring individuals who take responsibility and consistently turn vision into success. The goal is clear: to ensure Leipzig\u2019s vast potential doesn\u2019t go untapped. The city boasts excellent talent\u2014but too often, that talent leaves for other regions due to a lack of opportunity or the right connections. If we succeed in anchoring this knowledge and human capital here, Leipzig\u2019s potential in culture, music, business, education, and politics can flourish even more powerfully. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Fireside Chats provide the ideal setting for this:
They strengthen the ties between HTWK Leipzig and the business community, foster innovation and progress, and create a space for inspiring dialogue, authentic connections, and shared visions of the future.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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More info: <\/span><\/p>

Alumni Network: <\/span>https:\/\/wirtschaftsalumni.de\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>

Event Details: <\/span>https:\/\/wirtschaftsalumni.de\/exklusiver-abend-horst-saalbach<\/span><\/a><\/p>

Horst Saalbach: <\/span>https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Horst_Saalbach<\/span><\/a><\/p>

Interested parties, alumni, and sponsors are warmly invited to <\/span> get in touch<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Photos from the evening can be found in our gallery.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Being a successful entrepreneur today means more than simply focusing on your core business. It\u2019s about building networks, taking responsibility, and creating momentum that reaches beyond your own industry. The best ideas rarely emerge in isolation\u2014they are born in dialogue, in encounters with others. Those who choose to get involved in their communities, diversify their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2674"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2674\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2681,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2674\/revisions\/2681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/avedomum.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}