Ulrich Blank (engineer)

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Ulrich Blank in 2017

Ulrich Blank (born June 29, 1948 in Duisburg ) is an electrical engineer and holds a doctorate in industrial engineering in Essen . His scientific work deals with questions of logistics , his subsequent professional activity from 1980 also began in the field of logistics, later he exercised management functions in the areas of controlling and finance, from 1991 he was managing director of a GmbH and most recently chairman of the board of Heinrich Industrie AG . He was also a member of various supervisory boards and advisory boards of family businesses. He was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in September 2018 for his many years of voluntary work in the cultural sector, in particular for the Folkwang Museum .

Studies, doctorate and work in the cultural committee of the city of Aachen

After graduating from the Mercator-Gymnasium in Duisburg in 1967, Blank studied electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen University until his engineering diploma in 1973. He then completed a postgraduate course in economics there, which he completed in 1975 with a diploma in industrial engineering. He then worked as a research assistant at the Research Institute for Rationalization at RWTH Aachen University (headed by Rolf Hackstein ) until 1980, which earned him a doctorate in engineering with distinction in 1980. As a member of the FDP , he had already been involved in cultural policy during his studies , which is why the party appointed him to the cultural committee of the city of Aachen as a competent citizen after the local elections in 1975 . His work there until 1979 brought him together with the Aachen industrialist and patron Peter Ludwig , from whose donations to the city of Cologne at that time the Museum Ludwig emerged . Blank was then a member of the FDP for over 30 years.

Activity as a manager

After completing his doctorate, Blank became an employee of Rheinische Braunkohlenwerke AG in Cologne in 1980 in the purchasing / materials management department, and in 1981 he became the project manager of a management consultancy, also in Cologne. In 1983 he moved to the Diebels private brewery in Issum as Head of Controlling , where he became deputy managing director in 1988. From 1991 to 1994 he was managing director of HED Heinrich Electronic Distribution GmbH in Essen. From 1992 he was also a member of the board of directors of the parent company, Heinrich Industrie AG. In 1994 he was promoted to spokesman for the board and in 2002 to chairman. He kept this position until the takeover of the AG in 2006. Since then he has been active on the supervisory boards of family businesses.

Work for the Folkwang Museum

Blank has been a member of the Folkwang Museum Association since 1996 , where he first became a member of the board and treasurer in 2005, and then became chairman of the board in 2015 as successor to Achim Middelschulte . Since 2006, the museum has completed five major special exhibitions, the implementation of which was administratively planned and financially monitored by Ulrich Blank. In contrast to other museum associations, the Folkwang Museum Association, founded in 1922, is the owner of the Folkwang Museum's collections in equal parts due to a contract concluded in the same year with the city of Essen.

Further cultural engagement

As a co-initiator and supporter of the “Young Art in Essen” residency grant, he made it possible for not yet established artists to present their work to the public. Ulrich Blank has also been a member of the board of the Society of Friends and Patrons of the Folkwang University of the Arts eV since 2006 , for which he is a member of the jury at competitions, as a contact person for students and in various projects. As a member of the board of the Forum Kreuzeskirche eV (since 2007) he contributed to the renovation of the church organ and raised funding. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Evangelical Church Werden eV, where he is particularly committed to the church music program.

Private

Blank has been married since 1974 and has four grown children. He lives in the Bredeney district of Essen .

Publications by and about Ulrich Blank

  • Blank, Ulrich / Kunz, Dieter: How expensive can the delivery service be? Distribution: Logistics in the flow of goods and distribution, 3 and 4/1977
  • Roos, CA / Blank, Ulrich: The End of the Taylor Legend , REFA News 2/1978
  • Blank, Ulrich: Information Management and Personal Computing , Brauwelt , February 1989
  • Blank, Ulrich: On the logic of engineering work , VDI-Z , 23 / 24-1980
  • Blank, Ulrich / Kunz, Dieter / Rollmann, Michael: Save costs with> Phydis < , absatzwirtschaft / magazine for marketing , 3/1980
  • Blank, Ulrich: development of a method for segmentation of goods distribution systems , 151 S. (dissertation); Aachen, 1980
  • Hackstein, Rolf / Blank, Ulrich: Segmentation of goods distribution systems with the help of iterative simulation , magazine for logistics, 2/1980
  • Blank, Ulrich / Kunz, D./Rollmann, M .: Goods distribution structures and strategies in the twilight of rising logistics costs , VDI-Z, 22/1981
  • Interview with Ulrich Blank: Family business - popular as an employer ... but conflicts often smolder for too long , bku -Journal , 3/2007

Web links

Individual proof

  1. ↑ Martina Schürmann: Folkwang should maintain top position among German museums , WAZ of July 22, 2015


personal data
SURNAME Blank, Ulrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German engineer and manager
DATE OF BIRTH June 29, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Duisburg