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The story of how our company got its name is rather touching, and a big part of the reason I came to work here. And it all began with a young man who wanted to start his own company:
The founder and CEO of The Grant Company, Mack Hull, has three grown children. His two younger sons have a genetic disorder called Fragile X Syndrome. Fragile X Syndrome has many physical and developmental characteristics including autism and intellectual delays. Because of these delays, Mack Hull’s family was a strong advocate for the education of their sons and paved the way for many individuals with special needs being included in the typical classroom today. When these young men were growing up, their early school days were spent in small rooms, such as the furnace room or a room with no windows, away from the typical classrooms and children. When they graduated from school, or became old enough that they were no longer eligible to go to school, society had no good “fit” for their wants and desires, causing heightened anxiety for parent and child. Like any other adult, adults with special needs have the same basic instincts and desire for independence and responsibility.
However, Mack’s youngest son admired his father and often said that one day he would have his own company, just like his dad. When asked what he would call this company, he contemplated on the name and said, “The Grant Company.” If you haven’t guessed by now, his name is Grant.
When Mack realized that the personality assessment he had created to help him in his own business could be shared with others, it seemed only fitting that the company’s name should be the one his son had chosen years before.
I mentioned earlier that the company’s name was one of the reasons I wanted to work here. That’s because I, too, have a child with special needs. My youngest daughter has Down syndrome and is just now beginning her journey of education and school life. One that has been made easier thanks to families like the Hulls who refused to allow their children to be shoved in a corner and forgotten. In raising a child with special needs I have learned that they have a natural ability to assess a person’s personality and bring out the best in them. So, although we may not write grants, Grant, and others like him are a fitting example of what our company helps businesses and schools do on a daily basis: putting the right people together for a happier and more efficient work environment.
Today, Grant works at Heartstrings, a foundation started by his mother to give adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity live meaningful, independent, and productive lives through interactions within the community. But he continues to be a reminder to us of who we are and what we are here to do.
