At the award ceremony on Wednesday, 23 October, Rector Prof. Dr Birgitta Wolff and former Rector Prof. Dr Lambert T. Koch paid tribute to Wölfges' extraordinary commitment in a joint laudatory speech. "I have come to know Gunther Wölfges as a creative and incredibly versatile person who has an excellent network in the region, which he shares with the university," said Wolff. He initiates dialogue and identifies opportunities. The close collaboration enables science and society in the region to develop together, said Koch: "In order for science and society to benefit from each other in all their forms, we need empathetic and energetic facilitators like Gunther Wölfges, who has always brought together and motivated the right people for the benefit of the region." Dr Josef Beutelmann, Chairman of the University Council, emphasised: "There is no doubt that Gunther Wölfges is an ideal honorary citizen of the University of Wuppertal."

Gunther Wölfges expressed his sincere thanks for the honour and emphasised: "It is very important to me to network science with society, culture and business in order to establish ways to improve conditions by gaining knowledge together." He came to Wuppertal in 2014 as the new Chairman of the Management Board of Stadtsparkasse and retired at the beginning of 2024, but continues to be active, including as a member of the Board of the Community Foundation, Managing Director of the Association for the Promotion of the Federal Garden Show 2031 and as Chairman of the von der Heydt Art and Museum Association. These roles have resulted in numerous joint projects, such as the Kunsthalle Barmen, which was opened last week by the school of art and design, and the university's participation in the Bundesgartenschau.

Gunther Wölfges is also a member of the board of the Schumpeter School Foundation, which supports the close cooperation between the Faculty of Business and Economics and the regional economy. As a trained banker with almost 44 years of professional experience at various savings banks, 22 years in top management positions, Wölfges maintains a close connection to the faculty in terms of content. One of his most significant achievements for the University of Wuppertal is the co-initiation of the Schumpeter Endowed Professorship, which will focus on strategic management in the digital age and strengthen the areas of expertise of innovation and sustainability. Another example of his great commitment is his collaboration on the "Regional Economic Barometer", which maps the economic situation and development in the Bergisch city-triangle on a quarterly basis and provides regional companies with a valuable basis for decision-making.

One of Gunther Wölfges' key concerns is the promotion of young talent. Under his leadership, Stadtsparkasse has expanded its targeted support for talented and responsible students through German scholarships and has supported more than 100 of them on their way to successful graduation. The Friends and Alumni Association of the University of Wuppertal (FABU) honours particularly excellent theses each year, while Stadtsparkasse donates the prizes for Bachelor's and Master's theses. It also finances other activities of FABU, which in turn supports the design of the campus, public scientific and cultural events as well as excursions and research projects - and thus enables projects that contribute significantly to the identity of the University of Wuppertal and its visibility. The Chairman of the Board, Dr Jens Schmidt, said at the ceremony: "Without such commitment and this particular focus on the common good, the work of FABU would not be possible. We are therefore delighted that Gunther Wölfges has been honoured with this well-deserved award."