Fritz and Phyllis Grupe

FRITZ GRUPE

Greenlaw “Fritz” Grupe, Jr. founded Grupe in 1966. Mr. Grupe is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. He is a Past President of the Urban Land Institute; Past Regent for the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California; serves as Founding Chair on the University of California, Merced, Foundation Board of Trustees; and is a past member of the Board of Directors for the California Chamber of Commerce. He is also the Chairman & Founder of the San Joaquin County Business Council; the former Chapter Chairman and National University Chairman for the Young Presidents’ Organization; Past Chairperson for the United Way in San Joaquin County; and Past President of the following organizations: The Golden Gate and Northern California Chapters of Young Presidents’ Organization, the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, the Stockton Board of Realtors, and the Builders Hall of Fame. Mr. Grupe currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at U.C. Berkeley.

PHYLLIS GRUPE

Born and raised in California, Phyllis Grupe is truly a “woman of many hats”. Her occupations on any given day range from homemaker, to philanthropist, to interior decorator, to renowned horsewoman.

Mrs. Grupe is currently Chairperson of the Community Partnership for Families of San Joaquin (CPFSJ), the agency she and many other stakeholders helped found in 1998. CPFSJ provides policies and programs that enable all groups – neighborhood groups, the faith community, schools, the public and private health sector, social services, criminal justice agencies, city and county government, and the business community – to work together in a systematic manner to build strong and resourceful families and communities in San Joaquin County.

Mrs. Grupe is also a member of the Urban Land Institute, and has helped organize 3-5 day programs for members and spouses with an emphasis on personal development, local culture, cuisine, history and art. Additionally, Mrs. Grupe is a member of the World Presidents Organization and was one of the founding team members of San Joaquin A+, which is working to eliminate illiteracy in San Joaquin County.
Mrs. Grupe was named “Woman of the Year” by the California State Assembly in 2005. She secured recognition as Girl Scout “Role Model of the Year” in 1992 and was a co-recipient (with her husband Fritz) of the following awards: 1993 STAR Award given by the Stockton Arts Commission, 2002 Stocktonian of the Year, 2006 Goodwill Helping Hands, 2007 Bravo Awards for Community Partners, and the 2012 Athena Leadership Award

She and husband Fritz have been involved in supporting public education over the past 40 years, hosting the biannual Country Fair at their Shady Oaks property, raising millions of dollars for public education. Mrs. Grupe has also served as a Board Member of the Children’s Home of Stockton; The Equine Research Laboratory at UC Davis; The Bank of America California Livestock Symposium, and San Joaquin Delta College, Department of Equine Management.

Mrs. Grupe and husband Fritz have been married for over 50 years. Together, they are the parents of four children and grandparents of nineteen “Amazing Grupe” grandchildren.