Kevin Roger Kehoe

Founder, Author and Philanthropist Kevin R. Kehoe leaves the world ‘A Better Place’

Founder, author, philanthropist, warrior, and risk-taking maverick Kevin R. Kehoe died peacefully at home in Scottsdale, Arizona, on September 30, 2022, after bravely battling Stage 4 colorectal cancer for over 8 years. He was 67.

Born on Long Island, New York, Kevin was the grandson of Irish immigrants and the oldest of six children in a big Catholic family. A continuous learner, he graduated from SUNY at Stony Brook (BA), Southern Methodist University (MBA) and the Thunderbird School of Management at Arizona State University (Masters).

Kevin and his beloved wife, Lorraine, were married on June 21, 2002. She was his soul mate, life partner and best friend. Kevin said, “she is my rock, she is the reason I am in the (cancer) fight.” Their relationship was based on love and support and the shared values of humility and mutual respect. Kevin often said he wanted them to grow old together, and his spirit and legacy will always be a tie that binds them.

Kevin was a dedicated father to his daughter and only child, Julia (engaged to Chad Sheby). He was her mentor and biggest supporter in all things, from softball to her professional life. Julia worked with Kevin at his company, Aspire and went on to build a career in technology, seeking Kevin’s advice and experiential knowledge along the way.

From his early days in Catholic school, where he was a soprano soloist in a boys’ choir appearing on stage in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall with maestros such as Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa, all the way to his battle with cancer, Kevin was always taking chances.

As longtime friend, Keith Kelly, reminisced, “Kevin and I rode tens of thousands of miles together on motorcycle road trips - through the back roads and scenic byways of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana. We considered every day on our bikes to be a new adventure into the unknown. ‘Maps, we don't need no stinkin' maps’, Kevin would say, as we blasted across the landscape. When we came to forks in the road, Kevin would arbitrarily choose either left or right, saying, ‘Let's see where this one goes; there are no wrong turns when you're exploring.’”

As a small business consultant for over thirty years, Kehoe traveled the globe, working in Japan, South America, Australia, and the United States. He co-founded Aspire Software in 2013, which was sold in 2021 to ServiceTitan.

After selling his company, Kevin established the Kehoe Family Foundation (kehoefamilyfoundation.org) for multi-generational giving benefiting four areas: cancer research, entrepreneurism, education, and veteran charities. Kehoe emphasized, “I was fortunate enough to make some money, and I thought, what am I going to do with this? I’m not going to spend it on myself, so why not create something where you…get others involved?”

The Kehoe Family Foundation recently donated to Stony Brook Athletics where he played on the original club football team at Stony Brook University. Along with this non-profit, The Kehoe Family Foundation’s current beneficiaries include the Mayo Clinic, Hillsdale College, Tunnel to Towers, Luke Air Force Base, Turning Point USA, and the National Association of Landscape Contractors.

Kehoe recently wrote a memoir, “One Hit Wonder: The Real-Life Adventures of an Average Guy and the Lessons He Learned Along the Way” (2021). His book is based on his inspiring journey with business and life lessons written in an entertaining storytelling format. His personal mission for his book was to “leave the earth a better place than I entered it.” His work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Fast Company, Publisher’s Weekly, Real Leaders and School For Startups.

At the recent 2022 National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) Elevate conference, Kehoe was honored with NALP's Lifetime Leadership Award. NALP described Kehoe as “trustworthy, courageous, disciplined and anything but an ‘ordinary’ guy.”

“I have known him for 30 years and don’t believe that there is a smarter, sharper mind in our industry or has had an impact on the industry as much as Kevin Kehoe,” says Bob Grover, LIC, president of Pacific Landscape Management.

The family will hold a private memorial service in California. Donations can be made in Kevin’s name to Colorectal Cancer Alliance (ccalliance.org) and Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org).

In addition to his wife and daughter, Kehoe is survived by his mother Helen Kehoe; his brothers Brian, Michael, Timothy and Jeremy Kehoe and their spouses and children; and his sister, Deirdre Chanis and her husband and children.