I thought it would be good for father and son to be apart with six hours of time change. 'A family business can also be very emotional. 'With father and son there is always a relationship that is highly sensitive,' said Georg, who admits he did not have a warm relationship with his own father. His father also believed that having an ocean between them would be beneficial for their relationship. 'He wanted me to experience the business, learn on my own and prep for my future duties.' 'My father wanted to create a distance between us,' Max explained.

to serve as Executive Vice President of Riedel Crystal of North America. It was all part of a master plan his father had devised for him to gain perspective and insight in all aspects of the family business.īut Max really earned his spurs when, at age 23, he was sent to the U.S. (one of Riedel's largest retailers), a winery, and time at the company's French importer. Max's apprenticeship at the family company also included stints at Tiffany & Co. So I decided to continue with school.'Īfter graduating from high school, Max attended a local college so he could split his time between classes and a role in sales and administration at the Riedel Crystal Factory in Kufstein, Austria. 'It didn't take me long before I realized that school was more fun. 'I had to wake up at 5:00 am every day to go to work,' he recalled. A poor student, his father made the 12-year-old Max work in a Riedel factory as a glassmaker for two weeks during his summer vacation, learning to appreciate the work performed by the company's craftsmen. There was no sign, originally, Max would rise so quickly. to create some of the family firm's best selling products and by quadrupling sales in North America. The younger Riedel, who prefers to be called 'Max', might seem young for the job, but he earned his elevation by using his stint in the U.S. 'There is no regret on my behalf and how it will work out. 'I am very happy and proud as a father to say I have somebody who is extremely talented, is the right age, and is willing to join the family business,' the urbane 64-year old said. Riedel's father, Georg, the majority owner of the company that has been family-owned and operated since it was founded in the 18th century, proudly watched his son move from client to client. Riedel's father, Georg, made the announcement in the Frankfurt fair that as of July his son will be the 11 generation to serve at the helm of the family business. It was also a stage for the 35-year-old heir apparent. The Austrian firm's crystal costs up to $160 a stem if you don't have some in your butler's pantry already, it's likely you have unwittingly sipped from a Riedel product, either at an oenophile's house or while at your favorite Michelin-starred restaurant.īut this year the Frankfurt showroom wasn't just a stage for Riedel's products, or for the glassware of its subsidiaries, Nachtmann and Spiegelau. ( TIF), Macy's ( M) and Williams-Sonoma ( WSM). In America, Riedel products are sold in the likes of Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany and co wine glasses