J. D. and Cereice Grinder started Grinder Excavating in 1961. Our first backhoe was a Minneapolis Molene Tractor with a backhoe attachment. The second was a Ford tractor with a backhoe attachment. J.D. purchased both machines from Mr. Bill Robinson at Hawkins Equipment, who later started Rebel Equipment that continues operations under his son, Cliff, here in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1963, J.D. standardized his fleet with International® backhoes. In 1968 to ’69, he changed to John Deere®. Finally, in 1969, J.D. went completely with Case and we still proudly use the 580 Cases to this day.
J.D. worked tirelessly with a crew of good men to establish the now oldest backhoe service in the city of Memphis. When J.D. retired in the autumn of 1991 after dealing with some health issues following a stroke, his then nineteen-year-old grandson, Shane Grinder, purchased the company. Twenty-five years later, we now celebrate the 55th anniversary of Grinder Excavating.
Most of our original hands have passed on, including J.D. and Cereice, though we are pleased to have Tracy Humble as the company vice president and general superintendent, who has been with the company for forty-two years. We are also very pleased to have Carla Poindexter, our corporate secretary and office manager, and Tony Price, our shop manager and field supervisor, both of twenty-five years of exemplary service.
We are pleased to announce, Beau Humble, who has been our project manager/estimator for fifteen years, as Vice President/PM.
