The president of a Farmington Hills commercial real estate firm needs a kidney, and the community where he works and volunteers could help him find one.

Andy Gutman, who leads The Farbman Group on a daily basis and undergoes dialysis three days a week, was diagnosed with renal kidney failure in February 2025. He has been on a kidney transplant list at Henry Ford Hospital for roughly 60 days, Oakland County Times reporter Lara Mossa reported Aug. 3.

"There's so much that I want to accomplish still in life," Gutman told the Oakland County Times. "I'm driven now more than I ever was."

Gutman, a Novi resident and father to 22-year-old daughter Rylee, has also undergone triple bypass surgery during his illness. He fights nausea, fatigue, cramps and pain between work, writing and treatment.

Local ties run deep

Farmington-area residents may know Gutman through his volunteer work at Beechview Elementary in Farmington Hills, part of Farmington Public Schools. There, he helped 12 students write and publish their own book titled "My First..." according to a Beechview Elementary social media post. He has also volunteered with Brilliant Detroit, a nonprofit that runs free literacy hubs for families with children ages 0 to 8. The Farbman Group is listed among Brilliant Detroit's 2025 supporters.

Beyond the office at Farbman Group's Farmington Hills headquarters, Gutman has published 11 children's books over the past decade, each paired with a song on major streaming services. He collaborates with a singer, instrumentalist, beat maker and graphic artist on every title.

His latest, "Business Raccoon," follows a go-getter raccoon who does people's taxes, wins everyone over and still sneaks to the garbage for a midnight snack. One of his personal favorites is "Even," written in 2018 for Rylee.

How to help

A kidney from a living donor lasts longer than one from a deceased-donor registry, according to Henry Ford Health. Anyone willing to be tested as a potential match can start the evaluation process at Henry Ford's living donor page.

Gutman's books are available at gutcheckbooks.com.