Ben Grant YP Member Spotlight - Dec

Name: Ben Grant
Where do you work? Wagstaff LLP
What’s your job title/what do you do? Attorney
Where are you from? Pflugerville, Texas
If you’re not from Abilene, how long have you lived in the area and what brought you here? Off and on for 18 years. I first moved to Abilene in August 2000 to attend Abilene Christian University. I moved away in May 2005 to attend law school in Georgia before moving back to Abilene in 2009. My wife and I decided to come back to Abilene (she grew up here) after law school because a lot of our family is here and I wanted to practice law at Wagstaff LLP.
What is your favorite thing about living in the Big Country? Living, working, and raising a family here is wonderful. I believe Abilene has a very strong local culture which is evidenced by the numerous local restaurants, bars, shops, event venues, and other businesses that are so unique and successful. This strong local culture means there is plenty to do and life never gets boring. The current trend in downtown development is very exciting. Also, I love how easy it is to parent in Abilene. It is very family-friendly here and so easy to get around town not having to fight traffic to get from one activity to another!
What do you do in your free time? Spend time with my wonderful wife, Holly, our three children Allie, Ava, and Ashton, and other friends and family. I also enjoy running and lifting weights and working on home improvement projects.
What does being an Abilene Young Professional mean to you? One thing I love about Abilene is how easy it is for anyone to get plugged in that wants to be involved. I believe a lot of the opportunities and blessings I have experienced have been due to this fact. Abilene Young Professionals is yet another example of an easy and beneficial way someone can get plugged into our community. I love that AYP is building a strong community of young excited professionals, as I believe this means a brighter future for Abilene.
What organizations (non-profit) in town do you choose to support and why? Do you serve on any boards in the community or participate in any other groups? If so, what do you enjoy about your participation. Apart from support through my firm, my wife and I have chosen to support Abilene Hope Haven, Meals on Wheels Abilene, and Day Nursery of Abilene at various times over the years. Additionally, I have served on the board for Abilene Hope Haven for about seven years, including serving as the board chair for the last two years. I believe deeply in the work that takes place every day at Abilene Hope Haven. People that are experiencing homelessness are too often marginalized due to the problems associated with homelessness which leads to further barriers and obstacles to improving their situation. What we have learned at Abilene Hope Haven is that if you will just meet these people where they are, love them as neighbors and God’s children, get them housing and supportive services, that their chances of long term success are greatly enhanced. It is very rewarding!
Share a fun fact about yourself that other AYP Members might not know!
I enjoy working together with my brothers, Daniel and Jon Grant, to grow our real estate investment company.