The Salzmann car dealership in Bad Hersfeld is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Owner and managing director Heike Salzmann turned 60 this year, has been with us for many years and has shared management with Mr. Daniel Pfeiffer since 2011.
First language, then cars
Before this constellation came about, both went through a number of stations. After graduating from high school in 1982, Heike Salzmann wanted to become an interpreter at the model school in Obersberg. So she moved to Würzburg. Two years later, her father took her to a golf show, where she first encountered automobiles and other dealerships.
As a result, her interest in the car dealership was awakened, the training as an interpreter was broken off and training in the wholesale and retail sector began. This was followed by several positions in Eschwege, Göttingen, Kassel and Augsburg in various Volkswagen car dealerships as well as further training in automotive business administration in Calw before she joined her parents’ business in 1988.
Daniel Pfeiffer grew up in his parents’ car business, an independent workshop with a gas station in Niederjossa. The passion for Volkswagen was awakened early on. After graduating from high school, he decided to do an apprenticeship as a car mechanic at the Salzmann car dealership. This commercial training was followed by commercial training as a car salesman and then further training as an accountant.
When the financial manager and good soul of the Salzmann car dealership, Peter Schienemeyer, retired in 2007, the transition was seamless. Then later the management successor training and in 2011 the appointment as managing director. Since then, the two have managed the car dealership together and, despite the increasing number of employees, try to continue to uphold the “family business” principle.
“Personal interaction with the employees, a good working atmosphere and dealing at eye level is very important to both of us. It is the people in the team who make the success. When you get along well, work and daily challenges are simply more fun,” says Heike Salzmann, who still has her father in mind, who at 83 still came to visit almost every day.
Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat
In addition to sales and service for all aspects of the Volkswagen brand and Volkswagen commercial vehicles, Autohaus Salzmann is also a service partner for the Skoda brand and, since the end of 2022, also for Seat and CUPRA. “Since more and more inquiries were coming in whether we couldn’t also ‘seat’, we decided to take this step,” says Heike Salzmann.
nature as a balance
Heike Salzmann likes to spend her free time on vacations on the Baltic Sea or in sunny Greece. She also enjoys cycling, photography and walking. She is married and has an adult daughter.
Daniel Pfeiffer finds his balance in nature while fishing and hunting. He also enjoys cooking and relaxing with a good book. He is also married and has two children.
