Father, brother, husband and an avid golfer; Jason Griffith moved to Gainesville 25 years ago with his wife Michele Griffith to settle down and start a family.
Growing up in Orangeburg, S.C., Jason learned to love golf. In 1984, he graduated from high school and went to Clemson University on a golf scholarship. While at Clemson, Griffith was a three time Academic All-American, led his team to two ACC Championships, and competed in four NCAA tournaments. In 1989, he graduated from Clemson and went on to play the sport he loves professionally for five years. As a professional, he traveled to play in many U.S. tours, as well as South African ones. In 1993, Griffith was a member of the Nike Golf Tour.
Jason joined the Norton Insurance Agency in January of 2010 and currently is the President of the Commercial Lines division. Jason and Michele are raising three boys who have each carried on the love of sports. His favorite thing to do is watch their boys play baseball. We thank Jason for his time meeting with us and sharing things about himself and Hall County.
Question: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Answer: “Necessity. I was getting out of the golf business and had two kids at home.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “It would have to be Eat At Thai, I love their chicken fried rice.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “It is a good community to raise a family.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Hall County?
A: “George Jones. He is a great business success story and has helped me a lot in my career.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “I would travel to the Virgin Islands because of the weather and relaxation that comes with it.”
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: “Vacation.”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “To get up every day and do your best.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “To skydive.”
Q: What is your favorite music/ three bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “My favorite music is country. I enjoy listening to Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum.”
Q: What former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “Cattlemans.”
Q: Choosing anyone (alive and a non-relative): with whom would you love to have lunch? And why? Where would you take them to lunch in Hall County?
A: “Donald Trump, so that I can see how authentic he is. We would go to Senior Fiesta.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “In 5 years I will be an empty nester, and in 10 years, I will still be living in Gainesville and be getting ready for retirement.”
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I would have loved to have been an orthodontist like my father.”
Interview by Abernathy Cochran Intern: Ashley Filson
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.
PROJECT PATRONS:
