jerry grundhofer eisenhower

Operative Words

Jerry and Kathleen Grundhofer give to impact ‘the lives of many.’

Janice Kleinschmidt Current PSL, Health & Wellness

jerry grundhofer eisenhower

Jerry and Kathleen Grundhofer
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY EISENHOWER HEALTH

Looking out at Utah’s snowy Wasatch mountain range this past winter, Jerry and Kathleen Grundhofer surely hoped that construction in California’s Rancho Mirage desert was going as slickly as the ski runs near their Deer Valley home. The couple, who also own a home at Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, made a substantial donation toward the $20 million renovation of the Dolores Hope Outpatient Care Center on the Eisenhower Health campus.

What makes the contribution noteworthy, in addition to its size, is that neither Jerry nor Kathleen has had occasion to benefit from care as a patient at Eisenhower. They learned about the hospital campus from Jerry’s brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Patti Grundhofer, for whom the physical therapy and rehabilitation services component of Eisenhower Desert Orthopedic Center is named. Sadly, Jack died in January, two months shy of the completion of the center’s expansion.

“The cornerstone of any community is healthcare, and the Coachella Valley is fortunate to have Eisenhower.”

Born and raised in Glendale, Jerry left California in the early 1990s, subsequently living in the Midwest states of Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. He notes that Eisenhower’s expansion of outpatient surgery facilities and the purchase of a da Vinci robotic-surgery system matched the criteria of the Jerry A. and Kathleen A. Grundhofer Family Foundation.

“[The expansion] will affect and improve the lives of many people, not just a select few,” Jerry Grundhofer says, clearly embracing the big-picture view. “The cornerstone of any community is healthcare, and the Coachella Valley is fortunate to have Eisenhower.

“You look at how to help people, especially in today’s troubling times,” he continues. “The unfortunate situation of the pandemic has really brought healthcare to the forefront. People are more aware of what great healthcare is — how important it is. We are glad to help.”

• READ NEXT: Donors Help Eisenhower Meet $90 Million in Expansion and Renovation.