COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Jim Grayshaw is a member of the Zion Episcopal Church in Douglaston and has been its treasurer for several years. As a participant of the Ridgewood Democratic Club since 1982 and now its president, Grayshaw calls political clubs and community groups “important forums” where people can discuss and learn about issues significant to them. He is also part of Douglaston’s American Legion Post 103, and is active with helping the homeless in the winter with food and clothes, in addition to placing flags on the graves of veterans every Memorial Day in Zion Cemetery. Through its Civil Court committee, Grayshaw is a member of the Queens Bar Association and since the 1980s has been part of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32, the only chapter now in Queens.
PERSONAL: Grayshaw, 62, graduated from Long Island University in 1970 with a BA in English and a JD in 1975 from Brooklyn Law School. He also served in the U.S Army 1t Infantry Division from 1970-72. Grayshaw has been married to his wife, Susan, for over 30 years and they have a 29-year-old son named John.
JOB: Until 2007, Grayshaw was a judge of New York City Housing Court.
Now he is a lawyer at a private practice and works at an adjunct at City University of New York (CUNY) Baruch College.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Being a Housing Court judge was extremely challenging for Grayshaw because “it was very difficult to make anyone happy.” Now he said his biggest challenge is teaching business students at Baruch College about ethical reasoning and corporate social responsibility. According to Grayshaw, as the leaders of tomorrow, the students need to learn to take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions.
FAVORITE MEMORY: In the delivery room, watching his son’s birth is one of Grayshaw’s great memories, as well as being sworn in as a judge.
INSPIRATION: As a child, Grayshaw grew up when President John F. Kennedy was in office, during the era the media called “Camelot,” referring to a time of hope and optimism in the U.S. It became a real inspiration to him. As an adult, Grayshaw is inspired by the integrity of his wife, whom he calls “my rock.”
-Shiryn Ghermezian
