A businessman by day and a musician at night, Stu Laermer of West Windsor began playing the guitar when he was 10 years old. Decades later he is still playing with an appearance at It’s a Grind in Plainsboro on Saturday, March 24.
Most of the performance is music he grew up with — sounds from the 1960s and ’70s. He listened to music and collected record albums, eight-tracks, cassettes, and CDs. “I still have a turntable,” he says. “I play songs I like, and people recognize the songs.”
A self-taught guitarist, Laermer became interested in the instrument when he was very young and thought the guitar looked like fun. “I’ve been playing ever since,” he says. Laermer also accompanies himself on the harmonica and vocals. He enjoys playing covers that people remember, including Neil Young and Paul Simon.
Born in Northern New Jersey, Laermer graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in chemistry. He also has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, and an MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
His wife, Caryn, is a consultant with the Avoca Group, a pharmaceutical company. A graduate of Tufts University, she also received her MBA in from NYU’s School of Business.
The family came to West Windsor in 1999 due to a business-related move. “It was good geographically for us and with three young children we wanted to take advantage of the good schools,” he says.
Their children include Courtney, 17, a junior at High School South. Emily, 22, graduated from South in 2007. She received a degree from Northwestern University and is a writer and producer for Crain’s New York business magazine. Matt, 25, graduated from South in 2004. A graduate of Tufts University, he is an analyst for AIG in Manhattan.
Laermer, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many years, is co-founder and chief business officer of ThromboGenics, a biotechnology company focused on products for eye disorders, vascular diseases, and cancer. The company is based in New York City and Belgium.
“I play at It’s a Grind three or four times a year; it’s a labor of love,” says Laermer. “It’s a great place and it’s wonderful to have a local business with entertainment.”
Stu Laermer, It’s a Grind Coffee House, 7 Schalks Crossing Road, Plainsboro. Saturday, March 24, 8 to 10 p.m. Acoustic pop. 609-275-2919. www.itsagrind.com.
