Marv
Rohrs background and history
I was born and raised in Pekin, Illinois, a small town south of Peoria, and
from there I gradually worked my
way east - college in Indiana (Purdue University), first job in Ohio, then New Jersey, back to Illinois, and
finally ending up in Pennsylvania. My education at Purdue was interrupted by service in the Army toward
the end of World War 2. After discharge, I completed my education as a mechanical engineer and I've
never regretted my choice of profession.
While on my first job in Ohio, I met my wife Betty. I met her on a blind date and it was love at first sight.
I had been temporarily staying in Glenwood Landing (Long Island), New York, while construction of a
catalytic gas cracking plant for Long Island Lighting Company was finished, and I was preparing the plant
for startup. Interestingly, her family, along with other Glenwood Landing residents, had tried to block the
construction of the plant. We were married a year later, in 1952. She was the love of my life and we were
married for 67 wonderful years before she passed away in April 2019.
Until 1986, my engineering career revolved around the design and development of residential, commercial,
and industrial HVAC equipment, and the design of custom installations of boilers and pollution control
equipment for industry. I was licensed as a Professional Engineer in five states - initially by examination
and then by extension.
In 1975 we moved back to Illinois in response to an enticement to me to become vice president of
engineering for a manufacturer of large and small industrial fans - up to 8 feet high overall.
At age 61, fed up with the corporate rat race, we moved to Pennsylvania to be with our two daughters, and
I switched to independent consulting. I had made contact with a company that accepted cases from
insurance companies and legal firms involving losses that had questionable or contested causes and/or
responsibility. Over a time period of 20 years I accepted about 300 cases in all, did engineering
investigations and analyses of them, and reported on my findings. If a case progressed to actual trial, I
would become qualified as an expert witness and then testify in the appropriate Federal or State Court. It
was very interesting and gratifying work, so much so that I delayed my retirement until the age of 81.
I am blessed to have two wonderful daughters, four very special grandchildren, and two adorable great
grandsons, both of whom were born this year. With the exception of two of my grandchildren, we all live in
this area and get together fairly often.
Betty and I were one of the original owners at VAD and have never regretted it.