The economist Kathy Beys-Baldin (1949-1995) descended from a business family (Martini-Sommer) domiciled in Aachen since 1869. She was an active member of the family business (home textiles retailer), since 1978 in cooperation with her husband B. Stephan Baldin as managing partner.

Kathy Beys-Baldin died of cancer at the age of 45. She was early engaged in animal and nature protection. She was a socially responsible person and thus, in 1988, set up the foundation for "mankind and nature"? promoting nature conservation projects and later general ecological projects. After her death the foundation was equipped with a large capital stock by testation and renamed in "Aachener Stiftung Kathy Beys"?.