|
| Cincinnati Enquirer Article |
|
 |
Last Updated: 11:21 am | Sunday, December 23, 2007
Company aims to help disabled
Brother's injury inspires company to hire disabled
By Val Prevish | Enquirer Contributor
BLUE ASH - Businesses aren't often started with a goal of helping others regardless of the costs to the bottom line.
But one such venture began here with the exclusive goal of helping victims of brain-injury accidents achieve more
fulfilling lives, even if profits were slow in coming.
Rob Groeschen, 42, founder of InReturn, was inspired to start this small manufacturer of industrial absorbent
products that soak up fluids that leak onto factory floors by his brother Tom, 44, who suffered a traumatic brain injury
more than 20 years ago from a car accident.
Growing up in Fort Thomas, Rob and Tom were two years apart, the youngest of six children. Rob said he idolized
his big brother, who was a star running back for Highland High School's 1981 state championship football team.
Tom's 1983 car accident, when he was 20 years old, changed him dramatically and forced him to relearn basic skills
such as talking and walking. He lived with his mother, La Vern Groeschen, for years, and was only able to find work
cleaning restrooms at a truck stop.
Rob, in the meantime, had gone on to college and become experienced in the recycling business. He eventually
became a successful entrepreneur with the industrial recycling company he founded in 2000, Resource One, based
in Blue Ash.
But his brother was never far from his thoughts, and he knew he wanted to help him find a more fulfilling life.
Groeschen said he eventually realized that the only way to help Tom find a more rewarding lifestyle was to make it
happen himself.
"All along I thought there's got to be something out there for him, not just for monetary reasons but to have friends
outside the family," said Groeschen. "But I just found roadblock after roadblock. I just decided I was going to have to
do it on my own."
Because of his years working with Tom, he knew that people disabled with brain injuries need structure and routine,
and his experience with his own company gave him an understanding of how absorbent products are made. With the
combined knowledge, he felt he could start a company that could offer employment to those with disabilities such as
Tom's.
With few models for how to establish such a company, Groeschen said he did what he thought was best to provide a
safe and rewarding environment for his brother and the other handicapped individuals who work at InReturn.
With 10 employees, the staff at InReturn work for 50 minutes at a time filling "socks" - tube-shaped mesh bags - with
absorbent materials to be used to pick up fluids that leak from machinery.
Employees also work at other tasks, such as emptying defective shock absorbers of oil, which is then resold, said
Groeschen.
Just this fall, InReturn started a greeting card manufacturing segment that offers holiday and general greeting cards
over the Internet. Employees make the greeting cards with donated paper, said Groeschen.
The workers take a 10-minute break every hour for social time and relaxing, a routine that is recommended for
brain-injury victims, said Groeschen.
In addition, the workers spend a significant amount of time in social and enrichment activities, such as book groups
and writing workshops, that are included in the workday to enrich their experiences and develop their social and
cognitive skills, said Groeschen.
"Most of these individuals don't have rewards in their lives," said Groeschen. "They need more stimulation and a
chance to practice their social skills."
Families of those who work at the company have told Groeschen they have seen amazing changes in their
personalities since working at InReturn.
"You talk to the families and they say, 'My son or daughter's never been better,' " he said.
While hearing the praises from families and friends of InReturn employees is enough to make Groeschen feel he's
doing the right thing, he said he would like to see InReturn, which receives a nonprofit tax advantage, become
self-sustaining.
While there are about 10 local customers for the absorbent products, Groeschen said he would like to find more
customers so the company does not have to rely on donations or fundraising to keep going.
He said he has taken great steps to ensure InReturn's absorbents are competitive because he knows they will only
sell if they work.
Dave McSwain, president of Meta Manufacturing in Sycamore Township, said he has used InReturn's absorbents for
about two years and they work better than other products he has tried.
"They have a long absorbency life," said McSwain. "They are probably the best we've ever used, and it supports a
good cause."
As soon as InReturn increases its sales volume, Groeschen said, he has a list of many more families who would like
to see their loved ones working there.
"Our future is so bright," said Groeschen. "I see how we can enhance these guys' lives, but financially we need to get
there."
|
|
|
|
