David Austin Griffin

November 15, 1935 – April 8, 2012

Former Plano city manager David A. Griffin passed away on Easter Sunday after suffering a heart attack at his home in Prosper. Griffin served in Plano from 1971 through 1985, leading the city government through its most explosive formative years. He leaves behind his wife of 50 years Claudine Brackeen Griffin, two sons and their wives, Mark and Elaine Sena of McKinney, J and Laurie Sena of McKinney, and a daughter and her husband, Leanne and Dave R. Williams of Prosper. Additional survivors include 13 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends in Plano, Prosper, and the Lake Texoma area. David was born on November 15, 1935 in Paris, Texas to James and Leaffy Griffin and was graduated from Paris High School in 1954. He attended the University of Texas and later graduated from East Texas State University and did graduate studies at Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma. He joined the naval reserve in 1957 and was honorably discharged in 1962. After graduating from college he worked as a tax assessor-collector in Paris. After his marriage to Claudine in 1961, David taught in the public school system in Antlers, Oklahoma and returned to Paris three years later to re-enter city government. He later joined a tax consulting firm in Houston before joining the city of McKinney as finance director. In 1970, he was hired as finance director in Plano and 18 months later became city manager. During his tenure, the population of Plano swelled from 17,000 to over 100,000 and was transformed from a farming community to a sophisticated suburban city. The International City Managers Association cited Griffin in 1981 as its “Management Innovator of the Year” recognizing Griffin’s outstanding achievements in human resources, efficiency, and cooperation with the Plano Independent School District in facilities sharing arrangements which became the model for suburban communities across the country. In addition, Griffin was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and a Texas Road Hand by the Texas Department of Transportation. Griffin left the city managers position to aid in the creation of the North Texas Regional Mobility Coalition; a group formed to bring different jurisdictions together to work on road projects from a regional perspective. There he served as executive director. In 1996 David and Claudine retired to their Lake Texoma home. Five years ago, they moved to Prosper. He enjoyed classical music and was an admirer of Thomas Jefferson. He loved Mark Twain and debating politics, caring for his seven acres at the lake, and playing golf. He was known for his ready smile, quick wit, and intellect.David was especially proud of being one of the founding members of the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, an organization formed in 1991 in honor of his friend and retiring superintendent of schools Dr. H. Wayne Hendrick. At the time of his death he was a member of the emeritus board of directors.