Chief Grorud joined the Janesville Fire Department as a Firefighter in 1974. He was promoted to Firefighter/Paramedic in 1975, Deputy Chief in 1984 and Fire Chief in 1989. He holds a Fire Science Degree, is a 1988 graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program and received his Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation in 2003.

Chief Grorud has been very active with the International Association of Fire Chiefs since joining in 1987. He has been a member of the Constitution, By-laws and Resolutions Committee since 1989, serving as Committee Chair since 1992. He has also been a member of the Great Lakes Division Board of Directors since 1989. In 1994 he was elected to the position of Division Director, the position he currently holds on the IAFC Board of Directors. As a member of the International Board, he has served on the:

• Association Governance Task Force in 1995

• Fire Code Task Force in 1998

• Executive Committee, as Director at Large in 1998

• Constitution & By-laws Review Task Force in 2001

• Executive Committee, as Director at Large in 2002, 2003 & 2004

• Canadian Dues Task Force 2004

• Section Task Force 2005

• Executive Committee, as Director at Large in 2006

• IAFC Executive Director Search Committee in 2006

• Committee Reform Task Force in 2006

Chief Grorud is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Viet Nam Veterans, the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Moose Club and the Kiwanis Club. He has been married to his wife, Donna, since 1970, and they have four children.