Peter Mörwald: SWV President supports local entrepreneurs!

Peter Mörwald: SWV President supports local entrepreneurs!

At the association conference of the Salzburg Business Association (SWV), Peter Mörwald was confirmed as president with full approval. He succeeds Wolfgang Reiter, who served in this position for nine years. Mörwald, who has been in this role since May 23, is particularly committed to the interests of one-person companies (EPUs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He emphasizes that these groups are often neglected in political discussions, even though they make up an important part of the economy. “We are bringing color into the chamber,” is the new president's motto for the next five years, as meinbezirk.at reports.

But what exactly is the SWV planning under Mörwald's leadership? A central concern is strengthening social security for entrepreneurs. In particular, the general entitlement to sick pay from the fourth day is required and a reduction or abolition of the deductible for social insurance is discussed. At a time when high energy costs and general inflation are putting many companies under pressure, the focus on fair framework conditions and reducing bureaucracy is of great importance, as is also mentioned on the website of the Salzburg Business Association.

Activities and networking

The SWV more than doubled its votes in the last Chamber of Commerce elections in March and is now represented by eight representatives in the Economic Parliament of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce. Mörwald would like to increase the involvement of young entrepreneurs and plans to create regional networks and organize events and training courses. Personal contact with entrepreneurs remains an important element of the association's work, as demonstrated by numerous successful network meetings.

Another important step is the newly founded SWV Academy, which will offer further training in the areas of digitalization, communication and sales development from 2026. This is seen as a crucial contribution to adapting to the changing requirements of the economy. Mörwald also thinks about the challenges of local transit traffic and criticizes the long renovation time of the Tauern and Katschberg tunnels, which not only puts a strain on the transport infrastructure but also on the local economy.

A strong team

When it comes to the board's statutes, Mörwald relies on a strong team: Andreas Gfrerer, Roland Meisl, Conny Ecker and Hannelore Schmidt were elected as deputies. Conny Ecker, the SME spokeswoman for the SPÖ parliamentary club, brings political experience to the board. In total, the SWV board consists of 20 members from various business sectors and districts. In addition, Hermann Wielandner was recently appointed as the new SWV regional manager to ensure continuity in leadership.

The SWV has around 650 members from over 100 professions and is active both in the Salzburg Economic Parliament and in specialist groups of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce. In a time of turbulent economic conditions, it is of great importance for the members of the SWV to have a strong representation at their side that brings their concerns into focus, says Mörwald.

If you would like to find out more about the activities and plans of the Salzburg Business Association, you can visit the SWV website inform or further information wirtschaftsbund.at find.