Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Groh.
Hi Joseph, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was active For 35 years in the HVAC industry, both on the unitary as well as the applied commercial segments of the market.On Father’s Day 2008 I was rendered a quadriplegic following an aerobic bicycle accident.That meant I was completely paralyzed from the shoulders down, with no movement in my arms or legs. I knew that the future would be potentially very difficult and different for both myself and my family. As I awaited the arrival of the ambulance whose siren I could hear in the distance, I vowed to myself to never give up, never look back and remain positive.I became medically stable about 7 months later, and that is when I began to contemplate my future. I was only 53 years old and felt I still had a lot to give. I had always wanted to perform philanthropic work in my retirement, but the specific idea for the foundation came from a local charity in Grapevine, Texas where we lived. This charity provided assistance to people in Grapevine who had incurred spinal cord injuries. Our neighbor had deep ties in the local area as well as the physical therapy world, and he told this charity about us.Before I was even out of intensive care, the local charity contacted my wife Sue and began discussing home remodeling needs we would have. We didn’t really know at that time but relied on the expertise of the contractor to perform the work for them. He looked at our home and provided widened doorways, a swale concrete entrance to the front door instead of the steps and built a roll in shower when the tub had been– all at no charge! If it weren’t for this contractor I would have been discharged to a nursing home and not allowed to go back to my family home until such modifications have been made.That gave me an idea, so with friends and family I started the Joseph S Groh foundation. We provide financial assistance to those who have worked in the trades and who are now living with permanent, life altering disabilities.Starting up a 501(c)(3) is not an easy process. First, we put together a business plan, then started to find ways to expand awareness of our foundation through entities of the construction industry. We filed for and received our 501(c) status in July, 2009.We contacted manufacturers, distributors, contractors, trade press and manufacturers representatives to let them know about our foundation.We then scheduled a golf tournament for the following spring.We raised enough money for a grant, but we didn’t receive an application for several months. We continue the tradition of a Dallas-based golf tournament every spring, and the next one in 2027 will be at Heritage Ranch in Fairview, Texas. Over the years, we established a 2nd golf tournament in the Chicago area, and later on a 3rd tournament in Minneapolis. These are some of the areas that collectively we all had strong business ties with.Today, we are contemplating a 4th location.Meanwhile, a close friend and former business associate who I worked with at Lennox had built strong ties with the consulting business run by her and her husband John.They provided business consulting services to contractors through the auspices of Service Nation, who held several high-profile meetings throughout the year. Service Nation incorporated our foundation into many of their events which also help drive awareness.To date, we have been able to help 171 families in 41 states with $1.7 million from grants for wheelchair accessible vehicles, home and bath remodels, rehabilitation equipment and assistive technology. All items not paid for by government or insurance programs, but all items that will help these individuals become more productive, safer and more comfortable. I say families because when permanent, wife altering injury happens, it doesn’t just happen to you. It happens to your whole family! For more information about the Joseph Groh Foundation, I encourage you to visit https://www.josephgrohfoundation.org/.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
. It was a difficult road both medically and financially. My wife was still working as an insurance agent, and her company allowed her to work from home so she could care for me.That was extremely helpful. In addition, I had taken out both short and long-term disability insurance, payable to age 65. Since I was only 53 at the time of my injury, this was critical. Medically, I was unstable for about 7 months. Following that my days, weeks and months were like a box of chocolates – you never knew what you were going to get. It is still that way today, that is life as a quadriplegic.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I began life in the construction trades installing and servicing residential HVAC equipment. At age 22 I began working for Lennox Industries, a major HVAC manufacturer.I started working for them in inside sales, and later moved to outside sales where I worked for the next 10 years. During that time, I finished my Associates and Bachelors degrees, and began work on my MBA. Before I could finish it however I was recruited into a new program, one where I provided business consulting to Lennox dealers around the state of Illinois. We first received extensive information from industry experts and top contractors throughout the industry as part of a multi-week “Boot Camp” at Lennox. During the time I worked as a consultant I began traveling nationally and my wife and I had our 2nd child. 2 years after that I received a promotion to head up some marketing operations in our division office, which meant a move from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio. About 3 years later our division offices were consolidated into our corporate location, so I moved with my family to Dallas, Texas where I directed business consulting operations nationwide. 5 years later I was asked to move to Charlotte, North Carolina to start up a district office, and about 2 years later was asked to move back to Chicago to run the district office there. After about 22 years with Lennox, I decided to accept a marketing directorship for a Midwest based HVAC distributor in Chicago. I found it extremely interesting to see how operations differed between manufacturer and independent distributors. 2 years later we moved again to Dallas when I became product development director for a commercial HVAC manufacturer of air distribution equipment. An opportunity to become VP of sales and marketing for an air management company followed 6 years later, and I had been there for 2 years when my accident occurred. I am proud of the versatility I had the opportunity to be a part of, and this diverse experience is not often found within my chosen industry.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people who know me don’t know that I attended a Catholic high school seminary, whose path would lead 14 years later to becoming a Catholic priest. Obviously, I did not stay on that path, but left after graduating high school.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.josephgrohfoundation.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosephGrohFoundation
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/josephgrohfoundation/
