The Joseph Groh Foundation, Dallas, TX, recently added two new members to its Board of Directors. The first is Eric Groh, a recent marketing graduate of the University of North Texas. Eric is now employed by ADW Corporation of Dallas, a manufacturers representative for industry-leading commercial and industrial HVAC equipment.

The second is David Heimer, chief operating officer for the Service Roundtable. The Service Roundtable is a revolutionary organization founded by a collaboration of leading contractors to share information and help other contractors improve their sales, marketing, operations and profitability.

 "These two new members will help us pursue core mission objectives that our present staffing levels have not had time for. We welcome the enthusiasm and wealth of talent they bring to the board," says foundation President Vicki LaPlant.

Joe Groh in 2007, at a Dallas jobsite.

On Father's Day of 2008, following a day spent with family, Joe decided to go for an aerobic bike ride along the trails of Lake Grapevine. At one point the trail turned sharply left and the front tire of Joe's mountain bike slid on some sand and off the trail. Joe was thrown headfirst over the handlebars, breaking his neck and damaging his spinal cord at the C-4 vertebra. Knowing that life had suddenly and unalterably changed, Joe vowed to never look back, never give up and to remain positive.

Establishing this 501(c) 3 tax deductible foundation is Joe's way of working with the HVAC industry to help the handicapped. It has three main goals:

• Serve as a clearinghouse of information for those with spinal cord injuries
• Work with contractors to hire the disabled
• Financially assist those in the HVAC/construction industries or their family members who have suffered spinal cord or life altering injury.

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