Murray Griffin on Building a Company Worth Believing In

When Murray Griffin and Richie Deason founded Atlantic Coast Consulting twenty years ago, they were not chasing a big corporate vision. They simply wanted to keep doing meaningful work with people they trusted. 

“I’d been with my old firm for twenty-six years,” Murray recalls. “When leadership changed, I decided it was time to take a small risk. My kids were grown, and Richie was ready to give it a go. If I’d known how much fun it would be, I’d have done it sooner.” 

From the start, ACC was built on relationships. Former clients followed, former teammates joined, and the new firm quickly earned a reputation for being true to its word. “Consulting is a people business,” Murray says. “You solve problems, you build friendships, and you keep your promises. If we made a mistake, we owned it and fixed it. That matters.” 

What Murray valued most, though, was coaching others. Inspired by his own mentor, he made sure ACC was a place where people felt cared for and had room to grow. “You can’t fake caring about people or their families,” he says. “When employees feel like they’re part of the success, they work harder and do better. That’s what builds a company.” 

Now retired, Murray still serves on ACC’s board and takes pride in seeing the next generation carry the firm forward. “We were lucky to have good people, and Richie and the team have kept that going,” he says. “They’ve adapted, diversified, and kept growing without losing who they are.” 

As ACC celebrates twenty years, Murray credits the company’s longevity to the same principles that shaped it from day one: trust, integrity, and people who take pride in their work. “This company has always been about the people,” he says. “Their hard work, their families, their commitment, that’s what made ACC what it is, and it’s what will carry it through the next twenty years.”