About Grooms · Since 1977

Meet the people behind Grooms.

Veteran-owned and locally run, Grooms has helped Springfield businesses build better workplaces for nearly 50 years. Today it's led by Audrey and Jonathan Garard, and a team that treats every project like their own.

Grooms owners Audrey and Jonathan Garard with Manny, the office goldendoodle, in the Grooms showroom in Springfield, MO
Owners sinceJanuary 1, 2015
A letter from our owners

When we bought Grooms on January 1, 2015, we weren't strangers walking in the door.

Audrey had spent ten years here, starting on the sales team and working her way up to COO. We knew the people, we knew the clients, and we knew the standard Olin Grooms had set since 1977: do what you said you'd do, and be there after the install.

That's still our promise. You'll work with the same people from the first sketch to the final install, and we'll still be here when your team grows, shrinks or changes years later. Jonathan's 15 years in the Army taught him that a plan is only as good as the team carrying it out, and we've built a team we trust completely.

As we head toward our 50th year in 2027, we're grateful to every client who has trusted us with their workplace. Stop by the showroom anytime. We'd love to show you around.

Audrey & Jonathan GarardOwners, Grooms Office Environments
  • 1977Founded by Olin Grooms, USMC
  • 1982Became a Herman Miller dealer
  • 2004Grooms Office Systems becomes Grooms Office Environments
  • 2015Audrey & Jonathan Garard take ownership
  • 2025Opened our new South Ave showroom
  • 2027Celebrating 50 years
Then and now

We've come a long way since Grooms Office Systems.

The original Grooms Office Systems storefront in Springfield, MOThen
Grooms Office Systems. One of our early storefronts in Springfield, before our name changed in 2004.
The Grooms Office Environments showroom at 3861 South Ave in Springfield, MO, lit up at duskNow
Grooms Office Environments. Our working showroom at 3861 South Ave, opened in April 2025.
Get to know them

Two paths to the same company.

One came up through Grooms sales. The other spent 15 years in the U.S. Army. Together they have led Grooms since 2015.

Audrey Garard, owner and COO of Grooms Office Environments in Springfield, MO

Audrey Garard

Owner & Chief Operating Officer

Audrey joined Grooms as a sales rep and rose to COO, helping the company expand into new industries along the way. She invests in her team, paying for continuing education and design certifications, and serves on the boards of FosterAdopt Connect and the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools. Biz 417 named her a 2023 Woman Who Means Business.

"We treat our people so well that they don't want to leave."Audrey Garard, Biz 417
Jonathan Garard, owner of Grooms Office Environments and U.S. Army veteran, in the Grooms showroom

Jonathan Garard

Owner · U.S. Army veteran

Jonathan served 15 years in the U.S. Army as a Civil Affairs Specialist supporting Special Operations and conventional units, and is a combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient. He brings that discipline and planning to every project, sits on the board of The Warrior's Journey, and was named to Springfield Business Journal's 40 Under 40 in 2016.

"I think sometimes people paint a vision, and it's fun to get everyone on board and go after that vision."Jonathan Garard, Biz 417
Grooms founder Olin Grooms seated at his desk, with six smiling members of the early Grooms team standing behind him, two giving him bunny ears
Where it started · 1977Retired Marine Lt. Colonel Olin Grooms founded Grooms with two employees and led it for more than 37 years. Here he is (seated) with the Grooms team.
Veteran-owned, then and now

Founded by a Marine. Led by a soldier.

Military service has shaped Grooms from the start. It shows up in how we plan, how we communicate and how we finish the job.

Plan the mission

Every project starts with a clear plan, schedule and point of contact.

Own the outcome

Our own trucks and install team mean no hand-offs and no excuses.

Take care of people

Clients and teammates alike. Many of ours have been here for years.

Serve those who served

We proudly sponsor The Warrior's Journey, supporting warriors and their families.

Visit Olin's Corner

A tribute to the man who started it all.

Inside our new showroom, Olin's Corner honors founder Olin Grooms with photos, memorabilia and stories from his time in the military and his decades leading Grooms.

It's more than a display. It's a reminder of the integrity and service Olin built this company on, and the values that still guide every project and every relationship.

Thank you to Margaret Grooms for sharing many of these special items with us.

Olin's Corner in the Grooms showroom: a walnut-paneled lounge with a mid-century dresser displaying Olin Grooms' photos and Marine Corps cap, a white sectional and a blue patterned rug Vintage portraits of Olin Grooms in his Marine Corps uniform and as a pilot, displayed in Olin's Corner Olin Grooms' nameplate reading Grooms Office Environments, Est. 1977, with framed photos of Olin in uniform An open drawer in Olin's Corner holding a vintage photo of Olin Grooms in uniform and a Grooms logo watch
The full Grooms Office Environments team at the ribbon cutting for the new showroom on South Ave in Springfield, MO
Our team

People who stay, so you work with the same faces.

Designers, project managers, sales reps and our in-house install crew. We invest in continuing education and design certifications, and it shows in how long our people stay and how well they know our clients.

Some of our longest-serving teammates
Larry Hicks, Installer at Grooms Office Environments
29 yearsLarry HicksInstaller
Joe Barnes, Installer at Grooms Office Environments
28 yearsJoe BarnesInstaller
Lisa Gaunt, Design Director at Grooms Office Environments
26 yearsLisa GauntDesign Director
Audrey Garard, Owner at Grooms Office Environments
21 yearsAudrey GarardOwner
Meet the team
In the community

Invested in Springfield beyond the office.

"This is what God has given me, and I'm going to take care of it for the next person." Audrey Garard, Biz 417

The Warrior's Journey

The Warrior's Journey

Sponsor and board member, supporting military resilience.

FosterAdopt Connect

FosterAdopt Connect

Board service supporting foster and adoptive families.

Foundation for Springfield Public Schools

Foundation for Springfield Public Schools

Board service for local students and teachers.

Missouri State University

Missouri State University

Supporting a new design lab in Glass Hall for business students.

See how we give back →
Work with us

Join a team people don't want to leave.

Some of our teammates have been here for nearly 30 years. From design and sales to installation and logistics, we're always looking for people who take pride in doing the job right.

  • Company-paid health insurance premiums for full-time employees
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Paid holidays, vacation and sick days
  • Monthly team breakfasts and quarterly company events
The Grooms install team in Grooms shirts in front of the showroom beside a branded Grooms delivery truck

Come see the next 50 years take shape.

Visit our working showroom at 3861 South Ave in Springfield, open to the public Monday through Friday.