Building for Future Generations

This book provides the history of the Grossman family journey in America from the start of the family business on the lower east side of New York City to becoming the largest independent fully integrated corrugated box company in the country. The story relates the growth of the family business, Southern Container Corporation, through six decades and several generations until the sale of the company in 2008.

Motivated by charitable family values, Steven Grossman, then CEO of SCC, founded the Grossman Family Foundation with the goal of supporting educational programming in under-resourced communities. It is the Founder’s hope that this book will inspire future generations to carry on the family’s legacy of giving back. 

Established in 1930 on Cape Cod at the southern edge of Falmouth, Massachusetts, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution trains the next generation to think sustainably. WHOI has carved out a unique position in the scientific community through its independence and commitment to innovation.

Unlike many research institutions, WHOI is not associated with a university, though it maintains a joint PhD program with MIT. This autonomy has fostered a culture of innovation and scientific courage, allowing researchers to pursue cutting-edge issues in ocean and climate research.

A major GFF gift stems from Steven’s passion for the ocean. A serious boating enthusiast since childhood, he began to fund WHOI in 2011. With input from his son Leslie, he continued to support its many research projects. In July 2024, WHOI announced that they had received a major gift from GFF through the Grossman Catalyst Fund to support scientists in the early concept development phase of research. The award of a Grossman Catalyst grant allows scientists to pursue new ideas. 

WHOI’s research spans many critical areas affecting our oceans and climate. As the institution’s president explains: “The ocean and climate are intimately linked. You cannot talk about one without talking about the other.”