Desire Stadsbader has passed away
It is with great sadness and deep dejection that we report the sudden death of Desire Stadsbader at the age of 75. On Friday, 15 September, heart failure ended his life completely unexpectedly.
Desire Stadsbader junior, son of the eponymous founder of construction company Stadsbader, helped the company, then specialized only in road construction activities, to takes its place among the highest segment of the Belgian construction world thanks to his strong entrepreneurial spirit and human leadership.
From 1992, he introduced his stepson and current CEO Dominique Valcke to the firm, with whom he formed an ambitious and dynamic entrepreneurial duo, ensuring the continuity of the family business. His passion for the profession and the gift he had in communicating it to others, his exceptional financial acumen, insistence on long-term strategy and ability to build good human relationships typified his virtuous governance.
Since 2013, Desire no longer performed day-to-day duties, but remained hugely involved as chairman of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board. The acquisitions of Deckx AO and Deckx EM in Dessel (2009), Van Maercke Prefab in Kluisbergen (2014) and BAM Contractors (2022) resulted in a solid expansion of the areas of specialization and a strengthening of the market position of the Stadsbader company, which grew into a multidisciplinary construction group under Desire’s approving eye.
In addition to being a driven and wise entrepreneur, Desire Stadsbader was also an avid sports fan and a warm family man who kept the work-life balance sacred. The entire Stadsbader family is in deep mourning.
