Recognized by Twin Cities Business for nearly 50 years of family leadership, service, and impact.
Recognized by Twin Cities Business for nearly 50 years of family leadership, service, and impact.
GROEBNER is proud to be named a 2025 honoree of the Minnesota Family Business Awards, by Twin Cities Business. This award celebrates the contributions of family-owned businesses that help shape Minnesota’s economy and community, and for GROEBNER, this recognition is a meaningful reflection of the values we were built on.
In 1976, after two decades in the energy and manufacturing industries, Chuck Groebner founded GROEBNER with a simple goal: to provide the natural gas industry with a reliable, service-focused source for high-quality distribution products. He started small, operating out of the trunk of his car and earning commissions as a manufacturers’ representative. But as the needs of the industry grew, so did Chuck’s vision. He was soon asked to begin stocking inventory, a pivotal shift that marked the beginning of GROEBNER as a distributor.
This change brought Chuck’s son, Joe Groebner, into the business in 1980. Together, they shipped products out of an apartment and eventually opened the company’s first warehouse in Minnesota. Their combined leadership shaped GROEBNER’s customer-first philosophy of treating customers like family, solving problems with empathy, and delivering solutions built on trust. Those early years laid the foundation for the company’s continued growth and deep relationships across the natural gas industry.
Over the decades, GROEBNER has expanded from a single location to four warehouse facilities in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, and Texas, supported by a sales and service team that spans the country. In 2018, the third generation of family leadership joined the company when Carissa Skorczewski and Curt Groebner came on board. In 2021, Carissa was named President. One year later, both Carissa and Curt became owners of the company, continuing the legacy of family leadership and long-term vision.
“This recognition is meaningful because it honors not just our history, but how we’ve grown by staying true to who we are,” said Carissa Skorczewski, President and third-generation owner of GROEBNER. “Our success has always been rooted in strong relationships, a deep understanding of our customers, and a commitment to doing what’s right, not just what’s easy.”
Being family-owned shapes how we do business. Our values of integrity, service, and quality have been passed down through generations. That shows up in the way we support our customers, many of whom we’ve partnered with for decades. It’s reflected in our collaborative mindset, our investment in custom tools and innovative technologies, and our willingness to go beyond product supply to solve the challenges our customers face every day.
We’re honored by this recognition, and grateful to everyone who has been part of GROEBNER’s journey including our customers, our partners, our team, and our communities. We look forward to continuing to serve the natural gas industry with the same dedication and care that has guided us for nearly 50 years.
Read the full feature in the August/September issue of Twin Cities Business to learn more about GROEBNER and the other 2025 honorees.