Dennis D. Groth

Dennis D. Groth was born in 1942 in Sunnyvale, California. He was educated by the California Public School system and graduated from San Jose State College in 1966 with a B.S. degree in Finance and Accounting, as well as a minor in Economics. Upon graduation, he was hired by Arthur Young & Company as a staff accountant. He became a C.P.A. in 1968 and a Partner in 1977. During his first career at Arthur Young & Company, Dennis experienced the transformation of Santa Clara County from an agricultural community centered on cherries, prunes, and apricots into what would become Silicon Valley. Dennis’ two most significant clients were Atari, Inc., the video game company, and Apple Computer.

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In 1977, Dennis became the Chief Financial Officer of Atari, Inc. Warner Communications Inc. (WCI) had acquired Atari in 1976, and with the financing resources of WCI, Atari became the fastest growing company of its time. During the five years from 1977 to 1982, Atari doubled its revenue each year to achieve annual revenues of $2 billion. During his second career at Atari, Dennis served as CFO, Executive Vice President responsible for finance, administration, human resources, strategic planning, and emerging businesses. Atari hit the wall in the fourth quarter of 1982 when Nintendo introduced a superior product. WCI retreated and ended up selling the business in 1984.

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In 1982, Dennis, with the assistance of his wife Judy, incorporated Groth Vineyards and Winery. During the Arthur Young and Atari years, Dennis and Judy had become serious wine consumers. They decided to invest the cash benefits derived from Atari’s success in Napa Valley land. They literally “bought the farm” and then decided to produce wine. After 43 years in the wine business, Groth Vineyards and Winery is a successful, small, family-owned winery that has achieved critical acclaim. It was during his third career at Groth Vineyards and Winery that Dennis became most interested in taxes. Growing and financing a privately owned business requires attention to taxation.

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Dennis has been on the board of directors of the Tax Foundation for about 13 years and has been an avid supporter of its work for significantly longer. He has served as President of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, Chair of the California Wine Institute, President of the Oakville Winegrowers, and he is currently Chairman of Groth Vineyards and Winery.