Gregory Perry was born in Harlem and lived there until the family moved to the Bronx in the early 60s. Greg attended schools throughout New York City. He began his education at the Modern School, whose principal was Mildred Johnson, niece of James Weldon Johnson. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School, Greg attended and graduated from City College of New York, where he received a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s Degree in Health. After graduation, he started teaching at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. This teaching and administrative exercise continued for more than four decades as Greg worked within the CUNY system, either as a coach, Administrative Adjunct, or Adjunct Professor of Health. Besides Medgar Evers College, he has taught or coached at City College of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College, and Bergen Community College in New Jersey. Prior to his recent retirement, Greg held a full-time professorial position in the Health Department at BMCC.

Greg owns and operates an awards business, Crown Trophy (The Feel Good Business), founded in the Westchester Square section of the Bronx in 1989. He provides customers with trophies, plaques, crystal, medals, banners, laminations, and certificates. Crown Trophy is part of a “BID” Business Improvement District, and Greg serves on the BID Board of Directors. He’s also former President of the Westchester Square Merchants Association.

Greg started coaching track and field back in 1967 at the West Side YMCA as part of a longitudinal study focused on the parallels between academics and athletics. With support from the YMCA leadership, he developed a research and field operations unit to explore the impact of experiential education through travel and competitive competition. The program investigated the effect of mental dynamics on peak performance (both on the track and in the classroom) and desired career goals. Greg followed his athletes’ progress for more than five decades, and the results are impressive.