Meet Joseph Groh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Groh.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Joseph. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My career in the HVAC industry began when I worked in my father’s contracting business during summers in high school. Following high school, I attended junior college, and two years later, went to work for a small plumbing and heating contractor. For the next 2 1/2 years, I installed furnaces and air conditioners for new construction and retrofit applications. Following that, I began a 21-year career with Lennox Industries. I started out in inside sales, and during the next two decades, I held the positions of territory manager, business consultant, division marketing manager, district manager and several positions as a corporate director. Along the way, I earned my Associates and bachelor’s degree and completed some postgraduate work.

In 1998, I left Lennox to become the director of marketing for a Midwest-based distributor of HVAC products, and in 2000 I went to work for Titus. They are a major manufacturer of commercial HVAC air distribution equipment. My career took our family from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio, then to Dallas, then to Charlotte, North Carolina, back to Chicago and back to Dallas again. In 2006, I became vice president of sales and marketing for PCI industries in Fort Worth, a major manufacturer of HVAC air control equipment. On June 15, 2008, (Father’s Day) I decided to go for an aerobic bicycle ride while my wife dropped our oldest son off at the airport, as he had flown in to spend the weekend with us. I was riding on a trail at nearby Lake Grapevine when my front tire slid off on some sand and into the rough. As a result, I was thrown headfirst over the handlebars, breaking my neck at the C4 vertebrae, causing me to be paralyzed below the shoulders.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wouldn’t say there were obstacles, merely the challenges of balancing family life with a demanding career. Early on, the challenge consisted of pursuing my degree at night while working during the day. Back then, there were no online courses, you had to be present in the classroom. After we began having children, (we have three; two boys and a girl) the challenge revolved around making sure our children were well connected and happy within their environment, even as we moved every few years. During this period of time, I was evolving through jobs of increasing responsibility, which ultimately involved more travel and time away from home.

Our 1st real obstacle was my bicycle accident, which challenged our family in a multitude of ways. When the accident happened, our oldest son had graduated college and was working in Arizona. Our middle son was a sophomore on a football scholarship at Abilene Christian University, and our daughter was a sophomore in high school. Our middle son left ACU in order to move back home and help take care of me while finishing his degree at the University of North Texas. My wife Sue became my full-time caregiver, even while continuing to work from home for an insurance agent. It was a time of great uncertainty and great change, but I believe in many ways it made us stronger as a family.

Joseph S Groh foundation – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from others?
About nine months after my accident when all the medical issues had finally subsided, I decided to start the Joseph Groh foundation. In the immediate aftermath of my accident, a neighbor connected us with a Grapevine 501(c)(3) who installed ramps in our home, widened doorways and installed a roll in shower. All of this happened while I was still in intensive care, and had they not done this, I would not have been able to return to our home. The impact of their kindness and generosity was something we had not experienced before, and given my background in the HVAC industry, was something I thought we could do for others. As I was not able to return to meaningful employment given that I was spending five days a week in bed, we joined with family members and industry friends to start the foundation.

Our mission is threefold; to serve as a clearinghouse of information for those suddenly facing life-altering disabilities, to advocate for pathways to affordable short and long-term disability insurance for small contracting businesses, and to provide financial assistance to those connected to the construction trades who are now living with life-altering disabilities. Our financial assistance comes in the form of wheelchair vans, home and bath remodels, rehabilitative equipment and assistive technology. We raise money through a variety of industry events as well as three golf tournaments, one each in Dallas, Chicago and Minneapolis. To date, we have provided over $560,000 in such assistance to individuals in 27 states. I serve as the director of operations for the foundation, and as far as we can tell, we are the only 501(c)(3) that has exclusively dedicated their philanthropy to the construction trades industry.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
There are those that say adversity builds character, but I disagree. I have found that true, life-altering adversity reveals character. Success is what happens when life is at its worst when the future is murky, and you are navigating uncharted waters. During these periods of time in our life, (and we will all encounter such times to some degree or other) we have a choice to make. Are we going to let life events dictate our attitude, or are we going to choose an attitude that helps us determine how our life will be going forward. The fall from my bicycle caused me to lose consciousness for a short period of time, and when I came to, I realized I was in serious trouble because I couldn’t move and I couldn’t shout. It was nearing the dinner hour on Father’s Day, it was around 100°F and I lay immobile on a trail by the lake. The thought entered my mind that I may not be found for quite a while, but I had to dismiss that thought and focus on what I could do, which was to methodically call out for help without panicking. Knowing that life had unalterably changed, I made a pledge to myself while lying on the trail that I would never look back, never give up, and remain positive. I knew that my attitude would be key for both myself and our family, and because of their love and support, I have been able to maintain that pledge for the past 11 years.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 2149989749
• Email: HOPE@JOSEPHGROHFOUNDATION.ORG
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosephGrohFoundation/?ref=sgm
• Other: http://www.josephgrohfoundation.org/

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