ward griffin,
owner and president

Griffin is owned and operated by Ward Griffin. Ward’s primary responsibility is identifying, analyzing and managing projects performed by the company. His past experience in brokerage, development, investment sales, lending and construction give him the needed insight to communicate with and effectively direct the company’s multiple trade partners operating in the field. Ward graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in Analytical Finance and Accounting and earned an MBA from UNC-Charlotte with a focus in Finance. Ward’s career began in Charlotte, NC with global commercial real estate and development company Trammell Crow Company. While at Trammell Crow, Ward gained invaluable experience in brokerage, construction management, land assembly, development, and investment sales. After 7 years in the Queen City, Ward moved back to his hometown and spent several years with a regional mortgage brokerage company. In 2005 Ward founded Grace, Inc., a licensed general contractor and real estate brokerage firm which performs single family, multifamily, commercial construction and renovations, development and brokerage. Ward has over 20 years of industry experience and involvement in over 400 projects. Through this experience, Ward has acquired the skills necessary to meet the needs and expectations of large institutional investors and small end users alike. He brings those skills and experiences to his leadership role at Griffin.

ross cook,
senior project manager

Ross formally began his construction career in 2007, cutting his teeth with a tenant finish contractor in Denver, CO., but grew up within the residential construction industry reading blueprints and visiting job sites throughout his childhood. This inherent knowledge allowed him to easily manage subcontractors while also focusing on the aspects of construction that he hadn’t previously been exposed to. He spent a number of years building on his background of accounting and operations management within the outdoor industry, with a goal of eventually bringing that knowledge and a new level of efficiency to the construction process. He started with Beverly-Grant’s project management team and quickly demonstrated this ability managing projects ranging from $56K to $17M, and keeping each of these projects within budget from preconstruction through completion.

Being a North Carolina native, Asheville was the only option that Ross considered when moving back to his home state. His roots brought him back to the Blue Ridge mountain range, and you can typically find him chasing his children through the woods or floating somewhere on the water.

caleb fieser,
senior project manager

Caleb is a 3rd generation carpenter and contractor that grew up on job sites pushing a broom for his father from a very young age. He went on to master his trade working at Historic Hudson Valley where he developed a passion for historical restoration. From there he went on to be a project manager for a general contractor in Woodstock, NY before eventually relocating to Western North Carolina. For seven years Caleb ran his own general contracting company before returning to the role of project manager where his day to day was spent on jobsites and interacting with customers. Caleb has a great rapport with clients and an attention to detail that only comes with being a master craftsman. Caleb lives in Weaverville where he also sits on the Board of Adjustments.

ashley bacot,
office manager

A native of the Baltimore area Ashley obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Upon moving to Asheville she spent 8 years in the financial services/brokerage industry. Starting in new accounts and compliance, she would grow into other roles as assistant to Financial Advisors and Assistant to the Branch Manager. She was eventually a member of the Operations Management team for her branch. After spending three years as a stay at home mom Ashley returned to the workplace as a preschool teacher at Central United Methodist Church where she taught for 7 years. It was here that she learned the patience she would need to deal with life in the construction industry. Ashley joined Griffin in 2014 and has grown to be an integral part of the business. She handles all things insurance, accounting, account payables and HR.

carolyn gandy,
project facilitator

Carolyn is a key member of the Griffin team helping keep communication flowing between all of our project team members, suppliers, subcontractors and customers. A task master and relationship professional, Carolyn brings a rich work history to her role at Griffin. She spent over five years handling office administration and corporate training for a regional pest control company where she helped increase profitability and streamline processes. She then moved on to being a sales coordinator for a regional building supplies company. Here she learned to interact with builders and subcontractor as well as customers. She learned the needs of each and how to meet their expectations. Carolyn brings more than a decade of customer service and construction industry experience to her important role on our team. Carolyn attended Buncombe Community School as well as South College in Asheville, NC.

melanie griffin,
office administration/hr

Melanie helps with a little bit of everything at Griffin. After earning a degree from Randolph Macon College she spent more than a decade in the staffing and HR industry. She brings a wealth of experience in recruiting, staffing and labor law to the team. Melanie works with Ashley and Carolyn keeping the machine running smoothly. She also handles most all of the basic HR functions for the company. Whether it is helping with accounting, posting for a new position or helping a customer pick out light fixtures, Melanie helps keep everything moving in the right direction.

tom hooten,
senior construction manager

Tom grew up in a construction family and is now a 25 year veteran of the construction industry. He has progressed from a carpenter’s helper to superintendent with on some of the largest hotel and multifamily projects in the region. He is experienced in a wide variety of construction types including post-tensioned concrete, precast concrete, tilt-up construction and steel framed structures. A competent manager that knows how to deal with and get the most out of subcontractors. He understands how to deal with the Owner and the architect to discuss and resolve problems. Tom has a very keen eye to detail and commitment to the highest level of quality.

ben stewart,
construction manager

Ben came later in life to the construction industry but his jumped in with both feet and not looked back. After graduating from UNCA, he took a stab at law school to later decide working outside with his hands was a better fit for him. Ben started off as a carpenter and then quickly began asking for more and more responsibility on his job sites. Ben now runs residential and commercial renovation jobs of varying scales. Known to be spotted after hours tidying up and checking the days work, Ben has an unmatched work ethic. Ben has a passion for making his customers happy and is an amazing communicator.

chance hannah,
construction manager

Chance grew up in a construction family as the son of a local contractor in and around Asheville. He then received a degree in Construction Management from Western Carolina University. Upon graduating Chance worked for a local utility contractor. He was later hired on by a regional apartment developer where he helped supervise the renovation and new construction of apartments all across North and South Carolina. Chance brings a great skill set from his degree and experience to Griffin and has become a key member of our construction management team.

justin allen,
construction manager

Justin grew up in Black Mountain in a construction family. Justin’s dad ran a successful HVAC contractor and raised his boys to work hard and always make sure the job is done right. Justin brings that attitude to his role with Griffin. Justin started off as a carpenter and has worked his way up to running residential and commercial projects well in excess of $1M. Justin brings a pleasant nature and a calm to demeanor to his projects. Our customers always appreciate the expectations for quality and work ethic that Justin brings to his projects.