Clinton Gray, Jr., serves as the Director of Facilities at Citizens Savings Bank and Trust—the oldest minority community bank in the United States. In this role, he manages transactions involving risk management, spearheads special events, and oversees all maintenance activities for the financial institution’s Nashville and Memphis locations. Gray is also the proprietor of Gray’s Service Company. Established in 1985, the company provides professional lawn care and general services for commercial and residential properties.

At an early age, Gray was taught the value of developing an unwavering work ethic and often surrounded himself alongside family and community leaders, who introduced him to the concept of entrepreneurship. This exposure resulted in Gray becoming self-employed in the grocery industry as the owner of Mac’s Market, which was prominently located on historic Jefferson Street.

Gray initially made acquaintance with Coach John A. Merritt in 1967, when he became a customer at Mac’s Market. It was from this juncture that their relationship grew. Gray accompanied John A. Merritt on many recruiting trips to areas within Tennessee, in addition to cities in the states of Alabama and Mississippi. Coach Merritt was instrumental in participating in the Big Blue Club, which was one of the first booster clubs for Tennessee State University (TSU) Athletics, and of which Gray was an initial member.

In 1997, TSU’s sixth President, Dr. James A. Hefner, birthed the idea of the university hosting the Merritt Classic in Adelphia Stadium (now Nissan Stadium). Gray embraced the concept and vision of having the Classic, and in 1998 was appointed as the first chair of the John A. Merritt Classic Committee. Gray nobly and masterfully chaired the Classic for 21 years under the presidential leadership of Dr. James A. Hefner, Dr. Melvin N. Johnson, Dr. Portia H. Shields and Dr. Glenda B. Glover, and the athletic directorship of Dr. James Smith, Mr. Howard C. Gentry, Jr., and Ms. Teresa Lawrence Phillips. He attributes the success and longevity of the Classic to the collective and year-round commitment of John A. Merritt Classic Committee members, past and present.

Under Gray’s leadership, the TSU Tiger Team was organized, which cultivated and developed students who were interested in learning the production intricacies of athletics. Many of these now graduates, who affectionately refer to Gray as “Uncle Gray,” have gone on to be success stories in the fields of athletics, academia and business. From 1997 to 2005, Gray was a member of the TSU Foundation Board, where he served as Board Chair from 2003 to 2005. In 2009, he was employed as the Director of Games Operations for TSU Athletics and continued in this capacity until 2019.

Gray is a descendant of Providence, a community in South Nashville. He is a by-product of the Nashville Metropolitan School System (Cameron HS) and attended Tennessee State University. A lifelong member of Patterson Memorial United Methodist Church, Gray serves on the Board of Trustees and chairs the Staff Pastor Parish Committee. He is married to LaVerne Jones Gray. Gray is the proud father of three adult children: Cassandra, Courtney and Clinton, III; and grandfather to one grandchild, Lady.