My best advice was to wear Muddy Boots. Go into the field and ask two questions.1. How are you/we doing ? 2. What could we do better ? Then be quiet and listen and act on the information. The people closest to the work generally know the most about the work. Find their pain and fix it.
Your will never need to be low price because you will always be low cost.
Muddy Boots has been in existence since May of 2013. I started writing to share my thought on Poverty, The Environment, and the values of Justice, Dignity, Community, and Impact through the lens of leading Episcopal Community Services and as Chair of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
I believe there are seven stakeholder in every business or organization. Employees & Alumni, Their Families, Suppliers, Vendors, Customers, The Community. Shareholders,
My philosophy can be simply stated as
"Grandchildren over Greed"
All Grandchildren.
I am a semi-retired individual with a passion to answer the call to service. As you can read below I have had a number of different work experiences and volunteer opportunities. All gave me experience and what I have come to call scar tissue. What I have learned is that scar tissue is often the best teacher. Experience counts, but so does curiosity and the knowledge that each day brings a new approach, a new technology, a new experience. The challenge is how we combine experience and be open to change. To learn that "to go fast go alone, but to go far go together."
And never sit on the side lines.
It is the man or woman in the Arena that counts.
Senior Advisor
Delaware Valley Family Business Center
215 840 8103 ©
Dave Griffith is an independent senior advisor working with The Delaware Valley Family Business Center.
He most recently served as the Executive Director and Head Coach of Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of PA. He currently serves as Executive Director Emeritus. www.ecsphilly.org
He is currently the Chairman of Modern Group Ltd of Bristol, PA. Chairman of Hoober Inc. of Intercourse, PA; Chairman of Verus LLC of Princeton, N.J.; and Vice Chair of Keim Inc. of Charm, Ohio, and lead director of Crazy Aarons Putty World of Norristown, PA. He is an advisor to IBM, Caliper, Journal of Social Innovation, DIEMlife, Fairmount Ventures, and DVFBC.
He also serves as the Board Chairman of the Academy of Natural Science of Drexel University and is a board member of Drexel University. He is also a director of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Ride to Work, World Café Live. He is a member of MHEDA, Material Handling Equipment Dealers Association, and past or current members of ARA (American Rental Assoc.), AED (Associated Equipment Dealers), NAW (,National Association of Wholesalers) YPO (Young Presidents Organization), WPO ( World Presidents Organization) , and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities.
Before ECS, he served as President and CEO of The Modern Group LTD. Before Modern, he was an executive with the IBM corporation and MCI. He is a former trustee and officer of The Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut, and a former director of the JJ Haines Company, Mountain Laurel Spirits LLC, Delaware Valley Floral Group, NAWIDE, Leadership Inc. Philadelphia, Victory Farms, and the Economy League. He is a past senior warden of Trinity Episcopal Church and a past president of MHEDA.
He is a nationally recognized speaker and author on the issues of Leadership, Governance, Poverty in America, Community Engagement, and Family Business. Dave is a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Non-Profit Leadership program and has spoken at Harvard, Temple, Kenyon, Drexel, Rutgers, and many trade associations and corporations. He is the author of the Muddy Boots Blog, www.themuddybootsblog.com, and a guest columnist at the Philadelphia Business Journal.
He is a graduate of Kenyon College ’76 and The Westminster School ‘72. At Kenyon, he received his B.A. with honors in Economics and History. While at Kenyon, he played DIII Soccer and Lacrosse, volunteered with the local Fire Department, served as an EMT and on the fire line, and worked as a resident advisor. He is also a member of the Lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He is a member of Lookaway Golf Club, Sea Oaks Beach and Tennis Club, Balsam Lake Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. He is a life member of Trout Unlimited.
He and his wife of forty-four years, Jacqui, have two married adult children, one grandson, one granddaughter, and one active Westie. Dave is an avid fly fisherman, fly tier and outdoorsman. All things being equal, he would rather be on the waters of the Beaverkill.
The Modern Group Ltd
2501 Durham Road
Bristol Pa 19007
