Dr. DENITRA D. GRIFFIN, Ed.D.
Dr. Denitra D. Griffin is co-owner & President for of AGB Investigative Services, the largest black-owned security company in the country, and serves as the CEO of its charitable arm, the AGB Foundation.
AGB Investigative Services is missioned to eliminate economic inequities by delivering training and smart security services that protect people, property, and data. AGB employs over 1,100 full and part-time security professionals, particularly minorities in underserved areas in 17 states and D.C. across the country. Their armed, unarmed, and cyber security professionals have extensive experience handling complex and sensitive security, investigative and cyber security projects for government agencies and Fortune 100 companies. Its non-profit, the AGB (Always Giving Back) Foundation is dedicated to disrupting the cycle of poverty through workforce development, financial wellness, and philanthropy. The Foundation’s programming provides inspiration, access, and life changing opportunities to Chicago’s minority youth in underserved communities.
Dr. Griffin’s 20-year commitment to business strategy, leadership development, and social responsibility has led the business to aggregate revenues of over $100M within the last three years with steady growth margins over the national average. For these reasons, AGB was awarded the 2015 Inner City 100 Award for the Fastest Growing Companies in America’s Inner Cities. AGB was recognized as the Outstanding Business of the Year by the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce. AGB was named “Crain’s Fast 50”, one of the fastest growing businesses in Chicago & one of Inc. 5000’s Fastest Growing businesses in the United States (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021).
Dr. Griffin currently sits on the Always Giving Back Foundation Board, Loyola University Baumhart Center of Social Enterprise and Responsibility Leadership Council, African American Legacy Board of Chicago Community Trust, Business Leadership Council, and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Chi Omega Chapter.
She has received several acknowledgements and rewards for her leadership and commitment to service. She was recognized as the first person in Chicago to host a Feed My Starving Children event that packed over 100,000 meals for children in Haiti. She founded the annual Thanksgiving Day of Service at Chicago’s Reavis Elementary School in the North Kenwood area, which has donated food to over 1,300 local families. She was honored in 2016 by Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence, in 2018 as Regional Runner-up Alpha Kappa Alpha Leadership Award, was a 2019 Malcolm X College Kwanzaa Principle Ujamaa (cooperative economics) honoree, and recipient of the 2020 National Council of Negro Women Business/Entrepreneurship Award. In 2021 she was selected as a Business Leader of Color by Chicago United and Women of Influence by Chicago Business Journal. She has awarded over $65,000 in college scholarships and spearheaded over 8,800 hours of workforce development mentoring and coaching for minority youth.
Dr. Griffin has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Loyola University, a master’s in early childhood education – Roosevelt University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership – DePaul University. She and John Griffin, Jr. have been married for 30 years. Together they have four children: John III, Nia, Najia and Jibril.
