Among the five Cal State Fullerton alumni to receive the 2022 Vision & Visionaries awards this February – one of the highest recognitions bestowed by Cal State Fullerton – is Mike Groff ’78.

The retired CEO of Toyota Financial Services, Groff was instrumental in spearheading the Executive in Residence (EIR) program, which connects business students with Southern California professionals in related fields as mentors. Groff mentors current business students, has established a scholarship specifically for women studying business and serves on the Deans Advisory Board for the business school.

“I’m honored and flattered to be selected for the Vision and Visionaries Award. I would never have thought when I graduated in 1978 that I would be back at CSUF being recognized for my professional achievements, my community support and my efforts to help the students of CSUF. I’m happy I’m able to contribute to the great work being done by everyone at the university,” says Groff.

Himself a first-generation college student who struggled financially in his younger years, Groff would develop a rewarding career in automotive finance. During his 35-year tenure at Toyota, he oversaw more than $120 billion in assets and led the largest new vehicle finance and leasing company in the United States. During his tenure at Toyota, Groff oversaw organizational change, including digitization and automation and a corporate move from California to Texas.

“Mike Groff is another great success story about the impact the College of Business and Economics and university has had in the lives of our alumni. His passion to support business students through the EIR mentoring program is commendable, and I am most grateful for it,” says Dean Sri Sundaram.

Making an Impact as a Mentor

In 2019, the College of Business and Economics launched the EIR program with Groff’s support. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns, the program gave dozens of students the opportunity to connect individually with some of Orange County’s most successful business leaders, many of them Titan alumni.

“The Executive in Residence program is important because it helps bridge the academic view of business taught at CSUF with the real-world experiences of business people,” explains Groff.

“The impact comes from seasoned professionals helping the students to see beyond the functional skills required and to understand the importance of networking, building relationships, emotional Intelligence, the importance of diversity, résumé and interview preparations, communications, and other skills that will impact their job searches and careers. These can be particularly valuable to students who are the first in their families to go to college.”

Among the students Groff personally mentored was Javier Munoz ’20 (finance), who benefited from Groff’s expertise and wisdom during the tumultuous spring 2020 semester.

“I gained a friendship out of it and a real mentor who cares for my success. I know that even though I have finished the program, I still have a great mentor in my life and someone to look up to,” says Munoz.

For his part, Groff says seeing the personal development of mentees is the most rewarding aspect of the program.

“The most fulfilling part for me is developing a relationship with a student and then watching them grow over the course of the school year and hoping that by the end of the year they are looking at their future a little differently as a result. Nothing would make me prouder than to see these students doing great things in all different types of businesses and in their communities in the years to come. We are helping to build our future leaders.”

Considering his steadfast commitment to Titan students, his focus on networking with the Southern California business community to the betterment of the college, and his personal first-generation success story, Groff exemplifies the Titan spirit.

“As the founding member of the college’s Executive in Residence Mentoring program, Mike Groff’s dedication and enthusiasm has been essential to the program’s success,” says Jenny Zhang, associate dean of academic programs and student success. “Mike’s involvement has also attracted some of the most successful business leaders in Orange County to join the program. His work with his individual mentees has transformed their lives, providing them insightful lessons to help jumpstart their careers and serving as a role model of a positive community-minded executive.”

Connecting with the Business Titan Community

Mentoring students, serving on boards that determine the direction of the business college, sharing your experience and insights as a guest lecturer, and giving back financially are just some of the ways alumni and other Southern California business leaders can connect with the College of Business and Economics, while tapping into the college’s diverse student body and acclaimed faculty.

For more on how to get involved, reach out to Trish Reed, associate director of corporate and foundation relations, at [email protected].