Albany Tech Hosts the Lem Griffin
ROAST
On Friday evening, March 1, the Albany Technical College Foundation held its annual roast on campus. The College “roasted” co-owner, president and CEO of Flint River Services, Lem Grif n. A silent auction was held concurrently. Lem Grif n is a past chairman of the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Board. He now serves as chairman of the Phoebe Putney Health System Board of Directors. As a member of the board of the Boy Scouts of America, Grif n has dedicated countless hours and nancial resources to the Boy Scouts fund-raiser events for many years. He also serves as the Salvation Army Board chairman, as well as on the boards of Security Bank, Flint River Water Council, and the Albany Tech Foundation, Inc. He and his wife, Linda Merritt Grif n, have two children and four grandchildren. Roasters for the evening included Joel Wernick, CEO of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital; Dr. Laurence Crimmins, retired physician and member of the Phoebe Health System Board; Dr. John Culbreath, retired teacher, Assistant Principal and Superintendent of Dougherty County School System; W.F. Grif n, Lem’s brother, retired from MCLB; Carol Fullerton, State Representative, District 153; and Dr. Anthony O. Parker, President of Albany Tech. Wernick, who calls Lem Grif n “The Big G,” started out the evening of jokes and praise for Grif n. Purportedly quoting one of Grif n’s employees at the cold storage facility, he said, “‘That Mr. Lem, he can swallow a lump of coal and dump a diamond.’” And later, in a dubious quote from Lem’s wife, Linda, Wernick said when the couple rst started dating, Linda described him to a friend, saying, “‘Lem’s the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. When it’s dark out, he’s handsome.’” Dr. Laurence Crimmons shared stories of Grif n and himself going on hunting trips to South Dakota. Roasting Grif n on his lack of shooting skill, Crimmons said his friend lamented not having his own bird dog Jake along. Jake, as the story goes, would run all the birds into a gopher hole, sit on it and let them out one at a time for his master to shoot. “The guide’s hardest job,” according to Crimmons, “was toting all those boxes of shells to Lem.” Dr. John Culbreath was kinder to his friend, saying he could never say “no” to Lem when he asked for a favor with a non-pro t or cause, “because he gives so much of himself.” W.F. Grif n, Lem’s brother, said, “Lem was born on Dec. 1 and Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec.7. And I thought it was his fault.... Later I found out he wasn’t that old.” Carol Fullerton, with the help of her husband, Gregg, presented Grif n a “limb,” as a play on words. And Kenneth Cutts, representing Rep. Sanford Bishop, presented Grif n with a certi cate of special recognition. The Albany Tech Foundation Inc. holds two major fundraisers each year – a golf tournament in the fall and the roast in the spring. The funds raised through these events go towards foundation and other college programs and activities.
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Joel Wernick Above, attending the Roast were Lem Grif n’s brothers and sisters. Roasters included Joel Wernick, CEO of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital; Dr. Laurence Crimmins, retired physician and member of the Phoebe Health System Board; Dr. John Culbreath, retired teacher, Assistant Principal and Superintendent of Dougherty County School System; W.F. Grif n, Lem’s brother, retired from MCLB; Carol Fullerton, State Representative, District 153; and Dr. Anthony O. Parker, President of Albany Tech.
Dr. Laurence Crimmins
Dr. John Culbreath
Dr. Anthony O. Parker
Greg & Carol Fullerton
W.F. Griffin
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