Bob Clark Beyond: Adventure

latest adventure posts

FDA Approves First Covid-19 Vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration just announced that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is approved for the prevention of COVID-19, and this is a huge milestone in the fight against the pandemic that has upended so many lives across the globe. Having full FDA approval will hopefully assure those who have been holding out on getting vaccinated that it’s safe, effective, and incredibly important to not only protect their health, but also the health of their families, friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Scientific and medical experts are assuring the public that this is a great tool to combat the virus, and the best thing is that it’s already widely available. It’s definitely a leap forward, and the time is now to get vaccinated.

Thank You to Clayco’s Teams

It’s been a tough year and a half for so many of us at Clayco, and we’ve been asked to deal with so many new challenges that could have very easily set us back as a business. But I can definitely say that it’s the dedication, talent, and unity of our teams that have allowed us to not only grow, but also succeed in all of the projects we’ve been working on since the start of the pandemic. There’s a lot of talk in the media right now about people quitting their jobs after being called back to in-person work environments. A lot of time has been spent covering the differences in productivity, teamwork, and communication that arise when companies move towards new hybrid models of working. I think so much of this kind of talk is unfounded, and we should call B.S. I’m glad to say that no one at Clayco has quit due to being called back to work together in person.

Unmanned Systems and New Tech in Construction

At Clayco, we’re always looking for new ways to innovate our build processes. A big part of this is seeking out partnerships and collaborators that will help us do our best work, and we’ve been actively looking into the ways that the drone industry could complement our own. One of the solution providers we’ve worked with on this front is Skycatch, and our good collaborative relationship with them was important to successfully gain FAA approval to fly the first drones over a construction site. We also worked with them to develop and analyze 3D scans of sites so we can compare them to the original model and plans, which has opened a lot of doors in modernizing our process.

Illumination 2021: A Return to the Light

There’s no denying that 2020 was a dark year for all of us, but we still have a whole lot to look forward to. After a year of postponement, Illumination is coming back this fall on October 23rd, 2021. Held at the Vertiport Chicago Heliport, it’s going to be our largest and most experiential event to date, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been planning. Illumination 2021: A Return to the Light will be the 5th event we’ve hosted to help raise funds to find a cure for RVCL, a rare genetic disease that affects the central nervous system. Held annually around Halloween, it offers the opportunity for everyone to dress up in their best costumes and immerse themselves in an experience unlike any other.

In Memory of Hung Liu

I was deeply saddened to learn that Hung Liu has passed away. She was a prolific Chinese-born American painter and an artist whose work captivated people around the world, and she leaves behind an incredible legacy that is sure to inspire fellow artists for generations to come. Born in Changchun, China in 1948, Liu immigrated to the United States in 1984, where her distinct style of using layered brushstrokes and linseed oil to give her work a dripping appearance became widely known and celebrated. She went on to produce a variety of great paintings, mixed media creations, and installations that captivated audiences with her unique vision and ability to humanize her chosen subjects that are often drawn from traditional Chinese painting and even pottery.

Clayco Named One Of Fast Company’s 2021 Best Workplaces for Innovators

Clayco just made Fast Company’s 2021 list of Best Workplaces for Innovators, amongst other industry leaders such as Google, Gensler, and Oracle and this is an honor that we’re really proud of. Recognizing the leading organizations around the world that are empowering their employees to improve processes, create new products, or invent new ways of doing business, the annual list highlights the companies that have continued to excel by innovating during a period of so many challenges. We’re the only builder to make the list, and it shows that we are really the best at what we do. When I started Clayco, finding innovative ways to do business was at the core of the company’s foundation, and it still is after over 37 years. From the people we bring on to the projects we build, innovation defines our culture, our values, and our mission. We have found that our practice fosters innovation that goes beyond the bounds of tradition, and this is why we’ve been able to hire the best and brightest in the industry and create a culture where everyone can thrive.

ADVENTURE

Building Buttercup

a fence in a field with trees in the background

I can’t describe the powerful emotion I felt at this moment, for everything lost and gained in my whole life. It was a spiritual experience, from my heart.

ADVENTURE

Climbing Capitol Peak

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Adventure

Adventure is in my DNA

Ever since I read the stories of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, I’ve looked at all of my life as an adventure. Listening and learning from my father was amazing story in history over the course of 40 years taught me that adventure was in my DNA at conception.

I’ve always been able to keep calm and have a level head and every situation I can remember. The only exception of this rule is that I don’t believe a person should not panic if they’re drowning. I would definitely drown panicking.

Beyond that all of life’s twists and turns good and bad ecstatic or heartbroken all add up to the different color crayons in your crayon box. That was a quote from my dad upon hearing some shocking news about my own colorful life.