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Farewell, Wolfgang Wehner: A loss for Fulda and the region
Wolfgang Wehner, the influential entrepreneur from Fulda, died on May 25, 2025 at the age of 88 and leaves a great influence.
Farewell, Wolfgang Wehner: A loss for Fulda and the region
Wolfgang Wehner, senior boss of the Wehner GROMA wholesaler, died in Fulda on May 25, 2025 at the age of 88. His death caused sadness and consternation in the region. The local business community and many local politicians express their sympathy and recognize Wehner's significant influence on the city and the regional economy. This reports East Hesse News.
Dr. Heiko Wingenfeld, the mayor of Fulda (CDU), highlights Wehner's long-standing membership in the city council from 1977 to 1993 and describes him as a defining personality of the city. Under Wehner's commitment, numerous projects were initiated, including the Groma Cup and the Fulda Business Days, as well as measures for regional location marketing.
A life for business
Wolfgang Wehner was born on January 10, 1937 in Fulda and grew up in the corporate environment of his parents' home. After training as a wholesaler, he moved to Neuenberg with his family. He joined the company in 1958 and demonstrated his entrepreneurial skills early on by building up the A&O chain. In 1963 his family founded one of the region's first companies in Fulda.
A milestone in Wehner's career was the construction of the Famila market at the request of the then mayor Dr. Alfred Dregger in 1968, which is now known as Kaufland. Under his leadership, Groma grew continuously and also opened supermarkets in other locations, such as in the Aschenberg district as well as in Schweinfurt and Bad Neustadt. From 1990 to 1995, Wehner was also active in the food market sector in Thuringia.
Wehner was a passionate wine lover and was committed to the regional eating and drinking culture. Particularly noteworthy is the Groma Cup for trainees, a competition that has been held for over 45 years and aims to promote the training of young people.
Club and association work
An active member of the Fulda Lions Club since 1973, Wehner was president of the club from 1987 to 1988. He was also IHK Vice President for 26 years and a member of the IHK General Assembly for 34 years, where he established, among other things, the Fulda Business Days and the Business Ball. He was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 2002 for his services to society and the economy.
His companions appreciate Wehner's commitment to the region. Helmut Sorg, former IHK president and long-time friend, describes him as a committed entrepreneur. Bernd Woide, district administrator of the Fulda district, sees Wehner as a great entrepreneurial personality who combined tradition and innovation. Dr. Christian Gebhardt, President of the IHK Fulda, highlights his important contributions to Fulda as a business location and his award as an honorary member of the IHK General Assembly in 2009.
After Wehner's death, his youngest son Oliver took over the management of Groma, while his older sons Marc and Christopher worked in other areas. The city of Fulda and Mayor Wingenfeld pay respect to Wehner and continue to emphasize his significant influence on the city.