Former city manager dies: Griffin leaves legacy of moving Plano forward in growth

Former Plano City Manager David Griffin died Easter Sunday of a heart attack at his home in Proper. He was 76.

Griffin served as city manager from 1972 to 1985 and was remembered by many colleagues and friends for setting the course for one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation and helping Plano become a model for other cities.

A memorial service for Griffin was held on Saturday at Grace Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Claudine, two sons, one daughter, 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Griffin took the lead in laying out visionary partnerships with Plano ISD and the Texas Department of Transportation. Taxpayers were saved millions of dollars through the establishment of joint-use facilities, which enabled municipal services and infrastructure to keep pace with Plano's exponential growth through the early and mid-1980s.

"We are better off in Plano, Texas because David Griffin lived here and cared about our community," said Mayor Phil Dyer in a release. "He impacted not only the people he served as Plano's city manager, but also the thousands of residents who have chosen to make Plano their hometown because of his vision of what Plano could be, and what it has indeed become."

Griffin is credited with being one of the first municipal leaders in Texas to approach the state about acquiring matching funds for road work. As a result, Plano's transportation system today continues to expand to serve the needs of its residents thanks to the strong base of state/local partnering through matching grant funding that he established, said an official statement from the city.

In addition to establishing adjacent school and park sites, many of Plano's early recreation centers were housed in established school facilities, something current City Manager Bruce Glasscock said continues to this day.

"Under David's management and vision, Plano set the bar in unchartered areas for the provision of excellent municipal services and outstanding facilities," Glasscock said. "He is credited with building the groundbreaking partnership that exists to this day between the Plano Independent School District and the city in the mutual acquisition of school and adjacent park sites and the joint use of certain facilities, such as the Rowlinson Natatorium and the Aquatic Center at Plano Senior High School."

Don Wendell was the recreation services manager during Griffin's tenure and retired as the city's parks and recreation director in 2009. He said Griffin's vision -- combined with that of former school superintendent Wayne Hendrick and former parks and recreation director Bob Woodruff -- helped move Plano forward as a city by strengthening its schools and green space.

"He was a very visionary leader and he had a picture in his mind of what Plano should look like," Wendell said. "The three of them had a vision of future success, and they were able to take that vision and translate it into reality with their leadership."

One of Wendell's fondest memories of Griffin is the feeling of welcome he and other city employees felt when they came into his office. His supportive nature toward his employees, combined with his ability to plan and execute, helped create the standard for future city managers.

"He was very efficient in working with people, politicians, city staff and the citizens," Wendell said. "He was the right person for Plano at the time because its growth had just begun in the late 1970s. He got Plano started on the right track."

State Sen. Florence Shapiro entered politics after being elected to the Plano City Council, where she served six terms from 1979 to 1990 and later served as mayor from 1990 to 1992. Having started her political career with the council, Shapiro said much of the knowledge she gained in local politics is rooted in the guidance she received from Griffin during the years she worked with him.

"He was a dear friend, and looking back through those formative years when I first started, I was a novice, I was pretty green. I didn't know very much about the position," Shapiro said. "He was an amazing mentor, and I believe much of what I have become started with those years I spent under his tutelage."

Some of the lessons Shapiro remembers most fondly from Griffin's tenure were learning how to keep a cool head under difficult circumstances, as well as the importance of sharing ideas with others and giving them the credit owed for helping make them a reality.

"What I'm most sad about is that more people in Plano didn't get to know David Griffin," she said. "To know him really enriched your life."

Friends and family joined city, county and state dignitaries to pay tribute to Griffin in October 2007 at the dedication of David A. Griffin Park, adjacent to Ridgeview Ranch Golf Club. During the ceremony, Griffin said, "The 13 years that I spent working as an employee of the city of Plano were the happiest, most rewarding years of my life. I had excellent officials and a tremendous staff, and we made sure that current residents didn't have to pay a price for our growth or give up services or infrastructure needs. We stayed ahead of the curve."

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