The Tarrant County College District administration welcomes Frank Griffis as its new Director of Public Relations and Marketing. Griffis brings a variety of strengths to the position, including extensive management, student recruitment/admissions, public relations and marketing experience from both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.
A product of the Texas two-year college system, Griffis earned his associate of arts degree from Howard County Junior College in Big Spring before graduating with a baccalaureate degree in journalism from Texas A&M University. He also earned the master’s degree in marketing/public relations from Vermont College of Norwich University.
Griffis’ news media experience includes stints as city editor for the Bryan Daily Eagle and as capitol reporter and news editor for United Press International in Austin and Dallas. He opened the Dallas office of Carl Byoir & Associates, an international public relations firm headquartered in New York City, and served clients such as Honeywell, Eastman Kodak, Burlington North Railway, Johnson Wax, and McDonnell-Douglas.
He managed his own Austin-based public relations/marketing firm, Frank Griffis & Associates, Inc., and was managing partner of Grassroots Texas, Inc., an innovative public affairs firm that integrated public relations and marketing strategies and techniques for passage of key legislation, including Blue Law repeal, mandatory seat belts, and increased funding for small businesses and higher education.
Griffis held a variety of positions at Norwich University in Northfield, VT, the nation’s only private military college. These included director of public relations, dean of admissions and executive director of marketing, during which he planned and executed public relations campaigns that resulted in national publicity for the university, including The Today Show, A Current Affair, Washington Times, New York Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and a documentary produced for the Public Broadcasting System.
He also has served as vice president of enrollment services/marketing for Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic in Spartanburg, S.C., as director of marketing and marketing services for LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, and as director of communications for the Texas A&M University System, which includes 11 universities, seven state agencies and a health science center.
Griffis is a strong advocate of strategic integrated marketing, including social media, and his teams have won regional and national awards for public relations campaigns and print, electronic and internet marketing. He believes that recognition for creativity and innovation is fine, but “the ultimate goal is to deliver your message through the clutter of the marketplace and have it stick in the hearts and minds of our audience.”
Please take the time to give Griffis a warm TCC welcome!