founding member
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founding member
A person who was involved in the founding of an organization, association, or company.
Als Gründungsmitglied des Sportvereins wurde sie für ihre langjährige Treue geehrt.
As a founding member of the sports club, she was honored for her many years of loyalty.
This word consists of three parts: 'Gründung' (founding, from 'gründen' (to found)), the linking -s, and 'Mitglied' (member). So it literally describes a member who was there at the founding.
Die Geschichte des Vereins ist eng mit seinen ersten Mitgliedern verbunden.
The history of the association is closely connected with its first members.
The word belongs to the family of 'gründen' (to bring something into existence / to found). Other related words are 'die Gründung' (the act of founding) and 'der Gründer' (the person who founds something).
Der Gründer des Unternehmens ist heute noch im Vorstand aktiv.
The founder of the company is still active on the board today.
To name the organization to which the founding member belongs, German usually uses the genitive or the preposition 'von' with the dative.
Er ist das letzte noch lebende Gründungsmitglied des Chors.
He is the last still-living founding member of the choir.
co-founder
Both words refer to a person from an organization's early history. A Mitbegründer took part in the actual founding, while Gründungsmitglied primarily emphasizes membership from the organization's beginning. Use Mitbegründer for the active founding role and Gründungsmitglied for the early membership status.
Sie ist seit der ersten Sitzung ein Gründungsmitglied des Vereins.
She has been a founding member of the association since its first meeting.
Als Mitbegründer entwickelte er gemeinsam mit anderen die ersten Ziele des Vereins.
As a co-founder, he developed the association's initial goals together with others.
