Grant Griffin Has Lasting Impact on Upholstery and Education

For more than four decades, Grant Griffin has stitched his life’s work into the fabric of technical education. A master upholsterer and dedicated educator, Griffin began teaching in 1979, joining Tulsa Tech officially in 2004. His journey, however, starts long before that—with a life defined by resilience, service and an unshakable passion for helping others build skills and self-sufficiency.

After serving in the military during the Vietnam War—where he earned a Purple Heart—Griffin returned home to Oklahoma and enrolled in college. But traditional academics didn’t hold his interest. He left school and took a job with Shell Oil in Tulsa, where he worked for over a decade until an industry downturn forced a new direction.

“I needed a new career,” Griffin said. “That’s when I enrolled in furniture upholstery classes at OSU-Okmulgee because I wanted to work for myself.” His curiosity and drive pushed him further, leading him to also complete training in automotive, boat and airplane upholstery.

As fate would have it, Griffin didn’t just learn a new trade—he discovered a calling. A surge in student enrollment prompted the school to ask him to help teach beginning students. “That got my foot in the door with teaching,” he recalled. Griffin later took over the program when his own instructor retired.

Griffin’s reputation as a skilled craftsman and approachable teacher grew quickly. Tulsa Community College, at the time called Tulsa Junior College tapped him to teach night classes in a new upholstery program. When the program outgrew its space, TJC turned to Tulsa Tech for help. Rather than simply offer space, Tulsa Tech took on the program entirely—and Griffin came along with it. He’s remained here ever since.

“I enjoy teaching at Tulsa Tech because the students who take the classes really want to learn,” he said. “If a student enjoys working with their hands, has some creativity to visualize what the finished product could be, then they will be successful in my class.”

Griffin’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. Some of his students have turned upholstery from a hobby into a thriving home-based business. His own journey from uncertainty to expert is a roadmap they can follow—and he is there to guide them every step of the way.

In 1983, Griffin was selected as one of six experts to represent Oklahoma State University on a project with Jordan’s Ministry of Education. He and his family spent over six months establishing an upholstery program at a technical school in Jordan. On weekends, they explored the region—from Syria to Egypt to Italy—giving his children a first-hand global education.

Back home in Okmulgee, where he still lives, Griffin remains deeply involved in his community. He volunteers regularly, serves on local boards, works with the Chamber of Commerce, contributes through the American Legion, and remains active in his church.

Griffin’s commitment to service and learning was recently recognized when he was named Tulsa Tech Adjunct Instructor of the Year in 2024.

“It was a total surprise,” he said. “But it is all due to my love for my students and the relationship we have. We have a mutual respect for one another. I try to pass along my years of fine-tuning my methods so they can learn. I see their potential and I know that I need to help them develop it. I’m still working on my learning as well—because you can never learn it all.”

With four children, 18 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, Griffin’s legacy is both personal and professional. Whether teaching upholstery, volunteering in his community or guiding a classroom of eager students, Griffin has spent a lifetime helping others build something that lasts.