When the economy crashed in 2008, many business owners nearing the end of their careers were probably relieved to retire and escape before it got worse. But Ray Grimm, 67, decided not to ride off into the sunset — instead, he chose to retain his leadership role and rebrand his Illinois business.
“I planned on cutting back at 65, but I didn’t do it because I saw what could happen to the company,” he said. “I had very fine, high-quality people who’d been with me for over 20 years and were depending on me and the company for their livelihood. I didn’t want the business to deteriorate. I want to leave a legacy here and have the company carry on being one of the leaders in the HVAC industry.”