PHOTO GALLERY: Dave Griggs has advocated for business incentives

By Missourian staff and archive photos

February 9, 2013 | 4:40 p.m. CST

REDI Chairman Dave Griggs has been involved in Columbia's civic life since the 1980s, when he pushed for construction of a new Boone County Jail.

Dave Griggs, owner of Griggs' Flooring America, walks in October toward large piles of carpet padding that will be sent to recycling. | Bridget Murphy

A Miscanthus giganteus plant stands Oct. 10 in Dave Griggs' empty field. The field should have been completely filled with 10-foot tall Miscanthus giganteus, but last year's drought caused the majority of the crop to not grow. It was Griggs' second attempt to grow the crop that has been used as a source of heat and electricity, and it has been converted into biofuel products such as ethanol. | Bridget Murphy

Dave Griggs stands in October in front of a field where he attempted to grow miscanthus giganteus. Griggs is a well-known businessman in the Columbia community who has an interest in sustainable energy. The miscanthus giganteus crop has been used to create ethanol. | Bridget Murphy

Carpet padding sits in the back room of Dave Griggs' Flooring America in October. Griggs said his company is one of the few local businesses that recycles the padding from carpet its take out of homes. Companies that recycle padding through Griggs receive "Dave's Dollars." These function as credit companies can use to pay for tools and other design equipment in Griggs' pro shop. | Bridget Murphy

In February 1989, Boone County Northern District Commissioner Dave Griggs points to a map of possible sites for a future Boone Conty Jail.
| WENDY LEVINE/Missourian file photo

Boone County Commission candidate Dave Griggs listens while holding a campaign pamphlet in this October 1988 file photo. Griggs was elected to the commission the following month. | Missourian file photo

In this January 1989 file photo, Boone County Commissioner Dave Griggs explains the costs of the proposed jail if it were to be built at the Armory site. | Sean F. Farrell/Missourian file photo

In this December 1990 file photo, Boone County Northern District Commissioner Dave Griggs looks out of a cell window during a tour of the new Boone County Jail, which was scheduled to be open Jan. 15, 1991. | Kurtis Matthews/Missourian file photo