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We were deeply saddened by Griffin sudden and early passing. I was at HBS section A with him. Griffin was a very generous person who was wishing to help his fellow students, especially international ones. He also proudly show us the wonders of his beloved New England. We pray that God comforts the hearts of his parents, wife Sara and other family members. May his child know the great and generous person he was.
Jose Shintate and Sandra Rocha
Griffin will be missed!  He was an inspiration in how smart, effective and efficient he was!
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In lieu of flowers

Please consider a donation to Griffin H. James Memorial Trust.

I am incredibly sorry and saddened by Griffin’s passing. I had the privilege of working closely to him for over four years at Deloitte. As a junior practitioner, I could not think of a better role model than Griffin… he exemplified the highest qualities of a leader in our business, his dedication was impressive, attention to detail and focus on high standards and  excellence we’re outstanding, and his integrity and values were always evident; he was a tremendous steward to our clients and one of the sharpest consultants I have ever met. Although that made Griffin already special, he just wouldn’t settle for that; he always went above and beyond, he deeply care about the development of others, and was always approachable with a big smile despite any challenges of the the day. To me, he was a big supporter and mentor, he pushed me to pursue my Executive MBA and he staffed me on one of his projects during this time making sure I was well supported and was able to focus on school despite demanding client needs. He would frequently check on me to offer support and advice. 

As I reflect on Griffin’s impact on my personal journey and professional career, I cannot be thankful enough for the blessing of having known Griffin. There is no doubt his memory and example will live on the lives of many of us for years to come. 

Please accept my deepest condolences and may our memories of him help his loved ones during this difficult time. 

Sara - There are not enough words to express how sorry I am about Griffin’s tragic passing. I feel incredibly fortunate for the time I spent with him, talking to him, learning from him. He was incredibly bright, which I know you know. And kind. And he was generous most importantly with his time. When I think of him I will most remember his wry sense of humor and how happy he was to have met you and made a life with you and Clem and how excited he was for what lay ahead.  a.
Sara - I'm so sorry for your loss. I knew Griffin from the Deloitte Boston office. I may have met you at a Winter Celebration in the past but honestly can't recall. I didn't work with Griffin closely, but interacted with him a few times a year for a decade - all my interactions with him left me impressed. Particularly his candor and integrity. As a father with small children, I can't imagine what you are going through. My thoughts are with you, please reach out if there's something I could do to help.

Sincerely,

Jeff
With friends and colleagues..…
2018, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
With friends and colleagues..that was 2:00am in crazy Hyderabad at the peak of summers
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Dear Sara and family - 

Please accept my deepest sympathies and condolences for your loss. Having worked with Griffin over the course of 5 years, I always enjoyed catching up on our latest mountain adventures - regardless of the season. He was compassionate, kind, witty, and fun - exactly the type of person that anyone loves to be around. We will miss him greatly.

With compassion and kindness,

Jon

Dear Sara,

My heart goes out to you and your family. Griffin was such an amazing person and will be so dearly missed by me and our entire HBS section A family. Sending you lots of love and strength. - Crystal Halbmaier
To Griffin's family and friends, especially his wife and baby boy,

As a new colleague of Griffin's at J&J, I barely had the chance to know him. What I do know is that he was widely loved and deeply respected here, and that his loss has made a tremendous emotional impact on so many of his J&J friends.

May the love that Griffin inspired in his friends, colleagues and all who knew him be a comfort to you and a source of pride, inspiration and fond memories in the future.

With deepest sympathies,

Janet McCabe
I only knew Griffin through work, but given the work we did we all effectively lived as a traveling band of misfits, and Griffin was part of our misfits, but not in the way we all were. Griffin provided the rest of us misfits credibility because he was a professional, a man of character and integrity who was beyond question. One time a sleezy client tried to accuse me of something, what was funny was not that there was an issue, but before anything could happen a client lead asked Griffin what he thought and Griffin dismissed it. Note Griffin was several levels below me on the project org chart, but in terms of credibility, respect, and integrity he had no peers that I know of. Griffin, Heaven is better for having you, but we are worse for not. See you someday my friend!
Griffin was more than a colleague, he was a friend. He was a hard working, loyal and empathetic person that was always there for everyone. I will miss him and may he Rest In Peace. 

Like many others, it is difficult to express how important Griffin was to so many people. Working together at Deloitte, Griffin and I shared many client and project experiences, stories, and laughs. He was always thoughtful, reflective, sensitive to others, and professional. Griffin had an incredible ability to frame and re-frame a situation, usually from an interesting and intellectual perspective. Over the years, we became friends and relied on one another in the work context of serving the same clients – we were constantly backing up one another and covering for each other. You never had to worry about how Griffin would conduct himself or what he would say – his abilities were of the highest caliber and his integrity was unquestionable. I can truly say it was an honor to have been his friend and his colleague.

I can also say that Griffin was really excited for the future. He loved Sara, loved the adventure of their move to Champaign, loved their new home, adored his dog, and of course was thrilled to be a father. He loved his life, and I sensed Griffin was truly happy – something that is just too rare in our world.

If Heaven has a ski hill, Griffin is on it, carving his way through the runs until the rest of us can join him there. Until then, my friend… we will all miss you and somehow find a way to keep going – like you would want us to.

Sara & Griffins family, 

You know that Griffins qualities and personality were unique, and how we all loved working with him. As a person who only had the joy of getting to know Griffin during the past 1.5 years I can tell you that he not only brought expertise, knowledge and confidence to his clients - but also brought the same to his teams but most importantly was his smile and laugh/giggle on a zoom screen - he would just make some of the most difficult days better, and good days more joyous! 

Our hearts are more empty for his loss, and I know that words will not solve the huge void his tragic death has left for you - but know he was loved and respected at Deloitte.

Sincerely, Olive O'Rourke

Griffin was, and is, who I aspired to be as a leader. He was the only one who would walk into a workshop five minutes before it started, large Dunkin' Donuts latte in hand, and interrupt the scrambled last minute presentation review to talk about the latest Royal Family news and giggle when he saw the shock on his team's face - he is the only leader I have seen that has that level of wit, fun, and trust. Griffin had the ability to empower each team member and bring everyone along. More importantly, he was always a mentor and friend first - whether it be what MBA program to attend, what to do next, or just when to step away from chaos, Griffin was always happy to make time and share his advice - with a side of goofiness and the latest word on the street always making an appearance. While I cannot imagine the loss to his family, especially knowing how excited he was for the next phase of his life, Griffin's loss is that of a great human being and it's truly a loss to all the future mentees, colleagues, friends, and family who will not get a chance to see and be inspired with his zest for life.
I’ve been struggling to find the words to express how special Griffin was - and how special his memory continues to be.  He taught me (among other things) how not to be afraid of having a loud voice, how to be an effective leader, how to review a deck in under 10 minutes flat - and find all of the typos and extra spaces…and ultimately how to be successful in my work life.  I will miss so many things about him and our work together - his funny texts, random jokes and really just our day to day banter which has grown into a true friendship over the last 4 years of working together.   I am 100% positive that Griffin’s legacy with our team, with our clients and with the broader CRE Industry will endure for many years to come.  
I met Griffin during my first week at Brown.  He was bubbly, open, warm and genuine.  And seeing him over the years at reunions and with some career catch ups over LinkedIn--he was always the same. Humble, bright, thoughtful and just fing nice to everyone. This is a great loss and really sad news for everyone who knew him and I send my love and support to his family. Thank you for being such a positive human, Griffin, you will be missed. 

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