by Charlotte Pinckney
DeWayne Griffin’s journey to becoming the Chief Digital & Information Officer at Insight Global reflects his hard work and dedication. As the first Black executive at Insight Global, he has broken barriers and paved the way for others to follow in his footsteps. Throughout his career, Griffin’s passion for technology and innovation has been a driving force, and he has been instrumental in helping Insight Global stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
DeWayne grew up in the inner city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and got his start in technology early in his life. His community had magnet programs where parents could enroll their children in different schools to specialize in certain topics such as performing arts, public service, business, or technology. Following in his older brother’s footsteps, he took a shot at what the technology program had to offer and began finding his passion. In the tenth grade, he built his first computer and learned the inner workings of how computers function. His passion for technology started around problem-solving, and technology was just the avenue it led to. He then heard of the National Society of Black Engineers, a college student-led organization, and participated in pre-college programs through Carnegie Mellon University, where he was exposed to engineering. When asked about where his love for technology stems from he said, “At my heart, I’m already a straight geek, but I love it from a people standpoint, from communications, from a business results-orientation side so I’ve always approached technology with that mindset. Twenty three years later in my career, I get the chance to lead technology at a very special company.” DeWayne continues to use these skills to guide him in his leadership and navigating technology in the staffing industry. Grit has also been fundamental in his journey, and he thanks fate for getting him here today. “I always had a vision of leading technology in the end, but I didn’t know it would be in the staffing industry. My path here was really fate and opportunity coming together.”
When asked about the challenges DeWayne has faced in his career, imposter syndrome quickly came to mind. He admitted to being in rooms and asking himself, “what do I really bring to the table?” But despite facing imposter syndrome when being in spaces where technology was always evolving and not being the most tenured in a room, mentorship helped him find his confidence and pursue leadership. With over twenty years of technology experience and as a previous board member of Insight Global, he describes himself as “a student of leadership.” He is no stranger to seeking out relationships to maximize learning potential and enjoys a good leadership book often.
His favorite book, Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, reflects his strong faith and values. The book encourages readers to live a life of purpose and meaning, and DeWayne’s own life is a reflection of this philosophy. He appreciates the book so much that he gifted it to his daughter for her recent eighteenth birthday to also help her on her journey to finding her purpose. He encourages everyone to find purpose in the work they do and anchor onto it early in their careers and believes that reading is important to maintain the aptitude of a growth mindset.
When he’s not finding innovative ways to drive new technology at Insight Global, spending time with his family, or reading a new book, DeWayne enjoys playing golf and reading. He finds golf to be a physical chess that humbles him and is always practicing.
Insight Global is thankful for the contributions that DeWayne has already made as our Chief Digital & Information Officer, but also the representation and role model that he is for many employees. We celebrate him today in Insight Global Black History.
