Mr. James Jeffrey Griffin was born on May 28, 1971, at Baptist Hospital in Louisville, KY. He is the oldest of three children born to James Louis and Sherrill Anne Griffin. Jeff was raised with his sister, Allison Kaye, and brother, Michael Bradley, under the tender care and loving of two wonderful parents. He attributes his strong sense of family, commitment and work ethic to the values they taught him. Their support and personal sacrifices made many of his educational and professional accomplishments possible.

Growing up, Jeff’s first career choice was to be a University of Kentucky basketball player. After his mother and father carefully explained college basketball was not a career, he set his sights on following in his father’s footsteps as a civil engineer. While still maintaining his enthusiasm for basketball and the Wildcats, Jeff translated the work ethic his parents had taught him into academic success. He graduated from Trinity High School in 1989 as valedictorian of his class, four-year varsity letterman and National Merit Scholar. In the fall of that year, he enrolled at the University of Kentucky as a Singletary Scholar. With the invaluable experiences his father had given him at Evans/Griffin, Inc., he confidently joined the civil engineering program. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Chi Epsilon National Honor Society and Tau Beta Pi National Honor Society. Jeff graduated with his BSCE degree in May 1993 with High Distinction. Having higher goals in mind, he continued his schoolwork, graduating in May 1994 with a MSCE Degree and in August 1997 with a Doctor of Philosophy. 1994 proved to be a milestone year for the Griffen family as Jeff shared the graduation experience with his sister (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering) and his brother (high school).

More significant than the awards and accomplishments Jeff earned while at UK was his fortune in meeting his college sweetheart, Lorey. Soon after each graduated in 1993, they were married in Lexington. Jeff quickly realized what a special woman Lorey was as she patiently endured student life and learned more about concrete diaphragms in bridge construction than one person should ever know. Her love and support continues to teach him how to be a good person and a good husband.

In June 1997, Jeff accepted a position with LJB Inc. (then Lockwood, Jones and Beals), and moved with Lorey to Dayton, OH. For the past eight years, he has had the fortune to work with and be mentored by a very talented group of engineers and architects, many of whom he is able to call friends. He is a structural engineer and senior project manager in the CON/STEEL division – a national leader in tilt-up concrete design. Jeff has worked on a designbuild basis with a number of general contractors throughout the United States. Two of the projects he has managed have received national awards by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) – the Business Exchange Building in Lee’s Summit, MO, and the Orr Safety facility in Louisville, KY. The latter is a very special project to Jeff since his father served as the civil engineer on the project as well.

Jeff has found many opportunities at LJB, whether it be as a partner with a local elementary school in the Ohio Reads program, being honored to become an associate with the firm in May 2002, or assuming responsibilities as the operations manager of the CON/STEEL business team in November 2003. The potential he has demonstrated in his young career was recognized by the Dayton Business Journal, who awarded him the distinction of being among their top 40 professionals under the age of 40 for the year 2004. Jeff was also recently awarded an Engineering Achievement Award by TCA “in recognition of his commitment to pursuing design excellence and advancing the industry.”

Jeff is very proud of his entire family, and the memories they share, although some have been difficult. The love and support each gave made it possible for Lorey and Jeff to endure the loss of their first son, Jeffrey Laurence in July 1998. However, the Lord had a plan, and blessed them with the most adorable little girl in February 2002. In fact her name – Eliana – is testament to the power of prayer (“Eliana” is Hebrew for God has heard me). She has healed many hearts, and is the joy of Lorey and Jeff ‘s life.