Building Reliable Structures, Growing Bright Futures
Words by Meredith Wash
For Huntington Beach local, Michael Grant, the common thread that runs through his life is a deep-rooted desire to help others build a life they love—both literally and figuratively. Grant is a husband, father and entrepreneur who sits as the President of the Board of Directors at Golden West College all while operating a successful construction business, Michael Grant Construction.
Hailing from Glendale, California, Grant grew up with two loving parents who moved their family to Huntington Beach in 1964. Grant’s passion for helping others began early on in life as he worked as a social worker for an organization called The Alternative, where he met his wife.
After settling down at the age of 30, Grant received a phone call from his wife, who told him he’d received a letter in the mail from his birth mother, telling him he was adopted and that she wanted a relationship with him.
“I remember the phone call from my wife telling me about that letter she had just received,” recalls Grant. “It was actually a very cool moment.” Grant still has a loving relationship with his mother to this day and it is evident that family plays a major role in his life.
In 1992, Michael Grant Construction was born and continues to service Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and most of Southern California. Grant built his business from the ground up and has assembled an impressive team of construction tradesmen and women with extensive backgrounds from accounting, design, and all phases of construction.
Michael Grant Construction’s services include structural repairs, fire and water loss repairs and replacement, wood rot repairs and replacement, additions, remodeling, project management, brand-new construction, maintenance, and HOA services.
One client, Julie, from Costa Mesa raves about her experience with Grant’s services. “Michael did exactly what we wanted… and now we have a beautiful home.”
– Julie, Costa Mesa
While Grant serves Los Angeles and Orange County locals far and wide, his client base extends even farther to a more high-profile clientele, including famed American race car driver, Carroll Shelby. Building a custom home for Shelby is one of Grant’s most prized projects to date.
When he’s not busy producing happy clients, Grant can be found serving the students and faculty of Golden West College as the President of the Board. And while he has overseen several construction projects that have developed the picturesque Orange County campus, his efforts have also impacted the lives of countless students who have walked through their doors.
Michael’s affinity for this institution sprouted long before taking his seat as President of the Board. “I love Golden West College,” he explains. “I watched the college being built so to be on the Board of Directors now is pretty neat. I remember these hallways and swimming in the pool during the summer and riding our bikes back and forth, playing baseball out on the fields in my 20s.”
When asked what his favorite part about leading the Board at Golden West was, Grant responded instantaneously that it was watching students go on to succeed after graduating.
“I love getting to see the fruits of my labor,” says Grant. “Every now and again you hear of a student who has come through Golden West and by the time you’ve spun around they’re in charge of some capital project for Boeing and are responsible for thousands of employees. And to play a small role in that person’s success is what keeps me going.”
For many students, a degree from Golden West is the gateway to an opportunity that they couldn’t otherwise obtain. One of the many areas of the impact Mr. Grant has as the President of the Board is the opportunity to see inner-city and underprivileged kids break the glass ceiling of their circumstances by helping them achieve their associate degree — sometimes before they even graduate high school. A degree from Golden West positions students to be accepted by a four-year university and then go on to pursue their dream career. Creating opportunities for students is what it’s all about for Grant.
Anyone who speaks with Grant, even for just a few minutes, will find that he is deeply passionate about his work. Whether building and beautifying structures at Michael Grant Construction or impacting the lives of students at Golden West, the goal in mind for Grant is always seeing those around him flourish.
To request service from Michael Grant Construction, call (800) 891-9443 or email michael.grant@michaelgrantconstruction.com. And to keep up with the latest and greatest at Golden West College, visit www.goldenwestcollege.edu.
