Gregory Gronbacher, Ph.D. Personal Bio and Background

Originally from New York City (Howard Beach), Gregory left in 1987 for Franciscan University in Ohio. After graduating in 1990, he then spent most of the 1990s in Europe, first working on his masters and doctorate, and then teaching at the university level in Ireland and the US.

He eventually settled down in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Gregory’s passion for bringing people together shapes his professional and personal activities – including his work in real estate sales, teaching, and writing.

He also remains engaged in scholarly projects focused on transformations in Western culture in in the post-modern, post-Christian, and post-secular age.

A committed minimalist, he is also a lover of all things Irish and English.

CAREER

REAL ESTATE SALES & EDUCATION – GREENRIDGE Grand Rapids, MI 2014 – Present

Licensed Agent advising clients in residential sales and investment throughout West Michigan.

State Certified Instructor for Real Estate Education & LIcensing at MiLicense.net – teaching the 40-hour pre-licensure class, broker training, and offering a variety of continuing education courses, including real estate legal education.

DIGITAL COPYWRITING – Grand Rapids, MI 1999 – Present

Innovative digital copywriter, editor, and content strategist with UI/UX and Human Centered Design certifications empowering businesses and individuals rise above the noise to get noticed!

Current & Previous Clients:

Steelcase, Meijer, Amway, Rent.com, Mercy Health, Bissell, Pfizer, Gordon Food Services, Hondros Learning Systems, RPM Media, Tests.com, PhotoUp, Kent County Animal Shelter, and multiple nonprofits and religious organizations.

AMWAY CORPORATION Ada, MI 2004 – 2014

Web editor and a lead member on Amway’s UI/UX core team engaged in all aspects of online marketing and sales for various multi-million dollar product lines and creating effective digital business tools for Amway Business Owners.

SUMMIT TRAINING SOURCE Grand Rapids, MI 1999 – 2004

Director of Strategic Communications engaged in the full range of marketing, public relations, and communications for environmental, health, and safety training for Fortune 500 companies. Leveraged instructional design skills creating effective training programs and taking the entire training library online.

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE Cresson, PA 1994 – 1996

Assistant Professor of philosophy teaching ethics, critical reasoning, and introduction to philosophy.

MILLTOWN INSTITUTE OF THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY Dublin, Ireland 1992 – 1999

University Lecturer in philosophy teaching ethics, philosophy of the person, and social philosophy.

EDUCATION

DEGREES

Milltown Institute of Theology & Philosophy, Dublin, Ireland
Ph.D. Philosophy – 1995

International Academy of Philosophy, Schaan, Liechtenstein
M.Phil. in Philosophy & Political Economy – 1992

Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio
BA in Politics, Theology, & Philosophy – 1990

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

Usability Analyst
Human Factors International – 2014

Digital Copywriter
Mediabistro, New York – 2013

Human Centered Design
Michigan State University – 2012

eMarketing
eMarketing Association – 2007

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Gregory has served as a teacher/mentor with the Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) a Grand Rapids community project shaped by the conviction that all people deserve safe, clean, affordable housing. He is also active in a variety of Fair Housing issues across West Michigan.

In the late 1990s, Gregory served on the board of directors of the Grand Rapids LGBT Network. In 2001 he co-founded Hinges, an LGBT professional and social association. In 2014-2015 he was active with Marriage for Michigan a state-wide coalition seeking same sex marriage rights.

A supporter of Mercy for Animals, an organization dedicated to improving the conditions of factory-farmed animals, he also volunteers at the Humane Society of West Michigan and the Kent County Animal Shelter.

CULTURAL INTERESTS

Deeply influenced by his Irish and English ancestry, as well as his years living in Dublin, Gregory actively studies Celtic and British culture and history.

He’s a member of the American Irish Historical Society, the Irish American Cultural Institute, the Celtic League,and the Cornwall Cultural Association.

A lover of poetry, he particularly appreciates Mary Oliver, W.H. Auden, Seamus Heaney, Paul Durcan, T.S. Elliot, and Cathal O’Sharkey. Gregory is a member of the W.H. Auden Society.

Gregory takes occasional courses with the University of Galway’s Irish Studies program.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

– Steve Jobs

616-710-0641
gregory@gregorygronbacher.com

PERSONAL

REAL ESTATE

WRITING

ACADEMIC