Prof. Dr. Rolf Gminder

He   became   Managing   Director   of   Kolbenschmidt AG   in   1979,   moved   to   Heilbronn,   where   he   still   lives   today,   and remained   at   Kolbenschmidt   until   1995.   He   worked   for   Heckler   and   Koch   in   1995,   where   he   actively   pursued   the acceptance   by   the   German   military   of   the   H&K   P8   and   the   H&K   G36.   The   H&K   P8   became   the   3rd   official   pistol of   the   German   army,   after   the   P08   and   the   P38.   The   H&K   G36   became   the   3rd   standard   rifle   for   the   German army,   after   the   Gewehr   88/98   in   1898   and   the   G3   in   1955/56.   Besides   his   successful   business   career,   Rolf   also pursued a career in the German military reserves. He was promoted to G1, 1st General Staff Officer of the 1st Mountain Division. He currently holds the rank of Colonel. Dr.   Gminder   is   still   active   as   a   freelance   weapons   consultant   and   Chairman   of   the   Deutsche   Ökologische Vereinigung,     Stiftung     Gminder.     Furthermore     he     is     active     as     a     volunteer     for     the     Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung   in   Koblenz,   board   member   of   the   Schweizer   Group   and   the   Management   Partner   Group   and also   serves   as   an   officially   appointed   expert   witness   to   the   German   courts   as   a   specialist   on   small   arms, automatic weapons and their ammunition. His wife, Franziska Gminder became member of the German Parliament as of September 2017.