Jeff is a native of New York, growing up in Monroe, which is in the southern end of the Catskills. In school, he played football and track. It was football, where he selected as all state after winning the NY State championship in 1974, that attracted the attention of coaches from West Point. Jeff attended and graduated from West Point in 1979. Upon graduation, he married the love of his life, Cindy Repetti Grindrod, and served in the Army, both in the US and in Germany. Jeff was an Air Defense officer and his last assignment was as a commander of a Nike Hercules unit in Germany. Even though they loved the service, after their oldest daughter was born in Germany they decided to move on. Upon leaving the service they relocated to Ohio and Jeff worked at Procter & Gamble where he started his marketing and business career. He moved back to NY in 1987 and worked at Nestle Foods, before moving to Avon in 1992 for a jump to Heublein. When Heublein left the Hartford area, Jeff built a marketing services company in Avon which he ran for 20 years before retiring to enjoy his family, friends, and his love of the outdoors. Jeff and his wife Cindy also spend a bit of time with their four grandchildren located in Boston and DC.
Jeff has also been a highly active member of the community. He started coaching as soon as he left the academy, and while in Avon, he coached basketball and soccer through Avon Recreation Department and local CYO for 13 years. He was the President of the Avon High School Booster Club and was active in the Chamber of Commerce as a Vice President and then member of the Board of Directors. Most recently he became an officer of the Avon Land Trust, where he has been active in building and maintaining trails, leading numerous hikes, and enhancing the Trusts marketing program…Currently he is working with the Trust in expanding their children’s nature appreciation and educational programs.