About Us

Welcome to Texas’ largest Deaf Network web site and newsletter. We’ve been doing it for a long time now and we finally came up with our 6th edition of the redesigning web site. It is completely down-to-earth and easy to use. If you have any problem using this web site, please let us know!

In November 1997, Patty Laird Germundson (cousin) and Grant Laird, Jr started a business what originally called Deaf Network Services which does web designing* and advertising. Patty decided to leave to start her own cake/cookie business. When Brenden Gilbert and his family moved to Dallas from California in 1999, he agreed to help me start our own web hosting and together we launched a new business called Crazy Technologies*. As for Deaf Network website, it remains well-known in the deaf community in Texas, especially in popular email-based announcements & newsletters. As of now, Brenden continues working with us as sides, he work full-time at Facebook.com.

* Note: Not in business anymore; see below for more details

CELEBRATING 25th ANNIVERSARY NOVEMBER 1997 – NOVEMBER 2022

Since summer 2008, we have sold our web hosting business. We are still in business with Deaf Network of Texas and Deaf Coffee, (DeafCoffee gave away to a friend in 2018) which run/operate exclusively by Grant Laird Jr. We work with many different individuals, organizations and businesses. We are proud that we have reached new levels of our deaf and hard of hearing community in the 21st century. Our well-known Deaf Network email-based newsletter & announcement, in going strong — currently over 4,000+ subscribers (Plus 10,000+ Likes at Facebook) on our list. If you are not a member of our list, get with us and sign up now! It’s free to everyone. Now, you probably wonder who’s running Deaf Network web site and newsletter. Grant Laird, Jr is the one who maintains this site and newsletter.

Grant W. Laird, Jr.

Who is Grant Laird, Jr?

Grant Laird, Jr was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to Texas when he was 11 years old. He graduated high school in Richardson and went to a community college for a brief time; he ended up working for Texas Instruments Inc with over 30 years + now. He is now happily married to his wife Katie, and he has two grown-up daughters, Jessica and Amanda, from his 1st marriage. He is part of the 5th generation of deaf people in his family along with many other deaf family members in his extended families. He is a proud grandfather of two grandsons!

He was former president and board member of the Texas Association of the Deaf. He participated and/or volunteered with several different organizations over the years such as Deaf Action Center, SWCID Advisory Team, Deaf Celebration Expo, Dallas Mayors’ Committee with Disabilities, and National Association of the Deaf, etc. He has won a number of awards over the years — volunteer of the Year Award & Honor of the Year Award by Deaf Celebration, Inc, Star of the Year Award by Dallas Mayors’ Committee with Disabilities, Employee of the Year by disAbilities Magazine, (including his picture on the front page of the magazine) and Golden Hand by Texas Association of the Deaf / National Association of the Deaf. He has been an advocacy activist with the deaf community for many years. Most recently, he has served as chairperson and another position at Deaf Celebration Expo from 2016-2019!

He is currently residing in Garland, Texas (Dallas suburb) with his wife Katie and two deaf cats. He loves to spend time reading books & graphic novels, swimming in the pool, and woodworking during his free time. If you would like to schedule Grant Laird, Jr speak at your special event, please email info at deafnetwork dot com.

To visit Grant Laird Jr’s Blog/Vlog http://www.grantlairdjr.com (not used much lately)

Follow Grant via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/grantlairdjr

Follow Grant via Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/grantlairdjr

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Follow Grant via Linkedin at http://www.linkedin.com/in/grantlairdjr