In Memoriam: Former ACCG Executive Director Jerry R. Griffin (April 1944 – July 2024)
A bridge builder, visionary leader, promoter of harmony, local government afficionado. The list could very well go on and on when attempting to describe the remarkable career of former Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Executive Director Jerry Griffin. A native of Spalding County and a graduate of the University of Georgia, Griffin transitioned on Saturday, July 20, 2024. At the time of his passing, he called Clayton County home, a place where he and his family had resided for decades.
Though rooted in Spalding and Clayton, Jerry reserved a special place in his heart for all 159 Georgia counties, just as they reserve their own unique place in the fabric of our state’s ancient and modern histories. Griffin’s love for public service, and local government specifically, was pervasive. It would eventually lead him to serve at the helm of a state agency, serve on many boards, receive many accolades and recognitions, and ultimately land him at the state’s county association – ACCG. His love and admiration for public service was sparked at an early age and was attributed to an internship in the nation’s capital with former Georgia U.S. Sen. Richard Russell. Griffin would then matriculate to local government, landing a job as a city manager in Oak Ridge, Tenn., before returning to Georgia as the head lobbyist for the Georgia Municipal Association and, later, its assistant director.
Griffin’s love for public service was so pervasive that it led to him serving in leadership roles at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, now known as the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), where he was named the agency’s first-ever executive director by former Gov. Joe Frank Harris.
Griffin’s ability to forge and maintain relationships with state and local leaders, along with his vast knowledge regarding the inner workings of local government, were just a few hallmarks of his professional repertoire. When the ACCG Board of Managers sought a new executive director in 1986, his experience aligned with the Association’s needs and the Board of Managers’ vision for the next leader. Over the course of 24 years, Jerry Griffin would establish a firm foundation that ACCG is now known for today. His visionary leadership and business acumen brought to fruition a formalized commissioner’s training program that would become a national model for other state county associations; the expansion of member service offerings such as additional insurance programs, the creation of what is now ACCG Retirement Services, and various financial programs of which counties may take advantage today; a population-based dues structure; the year-round, member-driven policy development process that centers the voice of county officials through consensus building; the curation of a broadened professional association staff to serve the ever-changing and growing needs of counties; and the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation which was created to focus on the next generation of county leaders.
Griffin’s time at the helm of ACCG spanned decades but his impact will last a lifetime, touching future generations of county leaders. At the time of his retirement from ACCG in 2010, the Jerry R. Griffin Endowment for candidates pursuing a Master of Public Administration within the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs was established, and just one year later, ACCG created the Jerry R. Griffin Excellence in Public Service Award as part of its Leadership Awards program. The award recognizes an appointed county staff member or another individual who has had a lasting impact through county government public service and/or in his or her community.
Again, what ACCG is today is attributed in large measure to Griffin’s leadership, vision, and professional acumen. This not only pertains to the standard of excellence that underscores the services provided to county officials by the Association staff, but also to the internal culture and professional accountability standard that is shared among all who are part of the ACCG staff. May his legacy of service and leadership continue to both inspire and encourage Georgia’s community of local government public servants.
Click here to read Jerry Griffin’s obituary and to share your memories.
Click here to learn more about his legacy at ACCG.