GARY GRIMES RETIRES FROM STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY

Gary Grimes, Pres. Steinway Piano Gallery and Steinway Society, retires from piano business.

Gary Grimes, owner of Steinway Piano Gallery and President of the Steinway Society of Central Florida, has announced his retirement after about 70 years in the piano industry. He will remain President of the Steinway Society. Kathy Grimes, co-owner of the Steinway Piano Gallery, and Cory Ponder will take over management of the Gallery.

Mr. Grimes moved to Florida in 1987 where he founded Piano Expo and later opened the Steinway Piano Gallery at the encouragement of his friend, Henry Steinway, and formed the Steinway Society in 2006 with his wife Kathy. The Galleries is the major supplier of Steinway pianos in the area, including to schools, colleges, institutions and private individuals. The Steinway Society provides pianos in concert/giftings and lessons to underserved children. Since its founding, the Society has awarded over 350 pianos in 65 giftings and currently provides group lessons in 15 locations in Central Florida.

Mr. Grimes began studying piano at the age of five, and began teaching piano & accordion at Terre Haute Conservatory of Music at the age of 16. He formed the Gary Grimes Quartet, a 1950s rock band and performed through high school and college. After college, he joined the Wurlitzer Company as Manager-Music & Education, created the “Hobby Organ Course” included with organs sold nationally and rose through the company to be Vice President of Marketing. In 1976 he left that company to become Executive Vice President of Baldwin Piano. He began a decades-long friendship with Henry Steinway and served with him on the Executive Committee of the National Piano Manufacturing Association. In 1982 Mr. Grimes purchased Lowrey Organ Company (Story & Clark Pianos), becoming president. Five years later he sold Lowrey to Kawai, moving to Florida and founding Piano Expo. While he continues to work on behalf of the Steinway Society, he is also looking forward to more time in the mountains. He and Kathy have a home in North Carolina.