Ira Grinberg is originally from Columbus, Ohio in the United States. He studied at the City College of New York, from which he received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree. He also did graduate work at the Ohio State University. Prior to coming to live in Israel 1980, he worked at Battelle Columbus Laboratories. In Israel, Ira worked at Ormat Turbines Ltd. for one year, and then spent 16 years at the U.S. Israel Bi-national Research and Development Foundation (BIRD F), where he last served as Associate Director. A resident of Rehovot since aliyah, Ira keeps busy by planning and taking trips abroad primarily of Jewish interest with his wife Annice, roasting green coffee beans, and making a nuisance of himself to Annice. He has three children and eight grandchildren.