California Alumnus with a Zest for Life and Caring of People

alking with Thomas Grigsby today, you would never guess that he was a shy introvert during high school. Maybe the warm Southern California sun brought him out of his shell or maybe it was his career in security management. In any case, Thomas Grigsby is enjoying life while managing his career, community service activities and fatherhood. He grew-up on Mansfield Street in the Klondike Community of North Memphis.

As construction began on Northside High School in the mid sixties, middle school students like Thomas Grigsby, observed through the windows of neighboring Klondike Elementary and Middle School. “I was graduating from Klondike when Northside was being built,” says Grigsby. After attending Humes Junior High School, Grigsby started high school at Northside as it opened its doors for the first time in 1967.

High School Years

Northside opened during the height of the civil rights movement. Its students formed organizations like the Afro American Club to focus on the rights of African Americans and family values. Although Grigsby was somewhat of an introvert, it didn't keep him from getting involved in this organization. In 1968, Grigsby along with other Afro-American Club members marched in an unauthorized Civil Rights March. “When Martin Luther King died, we marched from Northside to downtown Memphis”, Grigsby proudly states, “We had a big rally right in front of the school.” Other than participating in a few marches, Grigsby was usually inconspicuous during high school.

Grigsby's academic interest was in electronics. When he wasn't studying Electronics, Grigsby spent time with fellow classmates Stanley Green, Randy Puckett and Jimmie Harrison. Harrison was one of the few white students that attended Northside. “We use to call Jimmie ‘Termite'”, explains Grigsby, “I sort of took him under my wing because he felt a little isolated being one of the few white student in a school of approximately 1,500 African American students ”. Grigsby used the support of his friends to deal with changes that were going on at home.

Family Changes

During Grigsby's senior year in high school, his mother told him of her plans to get married and move to California after he graduated from Northside. “My mother worked as a housekeeper and wanted a better life for herself”, says Grigsby. His mother gave him a choice to move to California with her or stay in Memphis and live with his aunt. “I was born and raised in Memphis and didn't want to leave. I opted to stay in Memphis with my aunt.”

A couple of months after graduation, he enrolled in a two year program at the Institute of Electronic Technology in Patoka, Kentucky. “The school and its curriculum was not what I thought it would be”, says Grigsby. He attended the school for one year before deciding to withdraw and returned to Memphis. “I continued to live in Klondike, however, my life wasn't really going anywhere”, says Grigsby. He made the decision to join his mother in California. “She sent me an airplane ticket to L.A. and I've been here ever since”, says Grigsby.

After relocating to L.A., Grigsby enrolled at San Bernardino Valley College majoring in liberal arts. “I've always been interested in social studies and interpersonal relationships between different races and cultures. I think that's why I found the need to take ‘Termite' under my wing during high school.”

Working for the State of California

After a year at San Bernardino Valley College, he began working for one of California's State hospitals as a teacher for the severely developmental disable. “The job was interesting and unique some young adults participated in self-mutilation and were aggressive.” Although the patients were controlled by medication or leather restraints, Grigsby and other staff members always keep a watchful eye on the patients to avoid being injured. “These were high functioning individuals that had a click in their brain that made them aggressive toward other individuals”, says Grigsby. Despite constant tension on the job, he enjoyed the work. Working for the State of California allowed him to participate in the 20/20 educational incentive programs. The program allowed state employees to attend school full-time and work 20 hours a week while earning a forty hour a week salary.

In 1979, Grigsby decided to take advantage of the Psychiatric Technician program at San Bernardino Valley College. Since the program started immediately, Grigsby had to take prerequisite classes in Anatomy and Psychology along with his core classes. “I was going to school full time during the day, taking my prerequisites during the evenings, and working my 20 hours per week”, explains Grigsby. The program was so intense that Grigsby soon dropped his prerequisite classes and took them at the end of the program. Grigsby completed the program and took the State Board Exam to receive his license. “My pay increased 150 percent”, says Grigsby. When the State of California decided to phase out the Developmental Disable Program into the community, Grigsby started to look at other career opportunities. “The state mental hospital became exclusively for the criminally insane”, says Grigsby.

Job Opportunity in Security Management

The new career change helped him go from an introvert to an extrovert personality. In 1987, a gentleman approached Grigsby with an opportunity to work for a security company. “He liked the type of work that I did and my people skills”, said Grigsby. Grigsby was a little apprehensive about the job because he thought that it would be a step backwards. Since he was being offered an Operations Manager position, he decided to give it a try. “Since I had never been in management, I was sent to management classes in the northern region and enjoyed the opportunity to travel.” When Grigsby's employer started to have financial difficulties and defaulted, he was able to secure a Manager of Security Personnel at another security company. He continued to work in security management until 2000 when he decided to take a position as a Field Agent.

Investigator Job Opportunity

Grigsby worked as a field agent for a major supermarket in the Southern California area. “We basically go all over Southern and Central California to supermarkets that are deemed to be high in product losses”, says Grigsby, “We setup operation in the store to catch shoplifters”. Grigsby continued to work as a field agent until he was injured on the job last year while trying to catch a shoplifter.

Leisure Time

Grigsby's injury has temporarily slowed him down from competing in Southern California's amateur tennis competitions. “I also like to mountain climb and hike from some of our local mountain”, says Grigsby. He loves sports and regularly attends the Lakers and L.A. Kings' games. Jazz is his music of choice. “I love going to the Garden of Eden in downtown Hollywood to see musicians like Will Downy and Dave Kose”, says Grigsby. He also frequents the Casinos in California. “My game of choice is bingo and not the slot machine”, says Grigsby, “its high stakes bingo that starts at $1,000 a game”.

Community Service Interest and Family

Grigsby is not just interested in sports and the local jazz scene. He is a community volunteer for the Westside Action Group. The organization helps to instill confidence in youths and lead them down the right path. It's a mentoring program to keep kids out of trouble, assist them with their homework and keep them away from drugs. The group is designed to work with families to keep children out of gangs. Grigsby is a mentor for two of the young men in the program. He gets involved with the boys by encouraging them and going over their homework. “Although I don't have a wife and kids at home, I can still give them some idea where their life should be headed”, says Grigsby.

In February 2004, the Westside Action Group had their Black History parade in which Shaquille O'Neal was the grand marshal. Grigsby worked on the parade committee and as instrumental in getting the essential contact information for O'Neal's agent. “We had fifty thousand people downtown. Shaquille was overwhelmed and body guards were everywhere.”

Although he spends time mentoring youths, Grigsby also makes time for his own two sons, Thomas Jr. and Conan. Twenty-two year old Conan attends Texas A & M and Twenty-five year old T. J. plans to attend college in Michigan soon. They have a love for athletics and both play college football. “I've always stress to my sons the value of a good education”, says Grigsby, “you can't play football forever”.

Grigsby is looking forward to the challenges of his ever changing career. His community service work and hobbies keeps him on the go. Despite his injury, nothing seems to slow down this gregarious Northside alumnus.