a snowy mountain tops with a meteor in the sky

Rising into the Unknown

Life is a journey, let’s chase the summits and relish the adventure all along the way.

latest adventure posts

U.S. Logistics Fund II

CRG, Clayco’s development arm, recently launched its second U.S. Logistics Fund to help build even more projects within the industrial sector. It’s exciting on many fronts, and it has raised over $100 million already with goals to raise $300 million more.

Clayco’s Interns

One of the most important things we try to do at Clayco is to build for the future. This means so much more than just construction projects, and we’re always looking to invest in the next generation of builders, planners, and thinkers. Interns form an integral part of the Clayco family, and we give them some of the best hands-on experience in the industry to prepare them for their careers. I recently welcomed some of our interns to my home, and it amazes me how talented, smart, and hardworking they are. They have a lot to look forward to, and I know they’re going to do great things.

Blue Origin’s Historic Launch

Today’s launch of Blue Origin’s first crewed mission is a first on so many fronts, and it was really exciting to watch. It also signals that we’ve entered into a whole new era in space exploration and travel. The mission’s success is sure to open a lot of new doors for even more people to get to experience what was once unthinkable and unimaginable not too long ago. From the start, I knew that Clayco’s work on the Blue Origin Engine Facility project would be so important to the manufacturing process of their rocket engines. Designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Blue Origin's Engine Plant in Huntsville, Alabama won Engineering News-Record's Best Manufacturing Project in the Southeast for 2020. This facility manufactures seven of the LNG fueled BE-4 rocket engines that provide nearly 4 million pounds of thrust to Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket.

Your Boardroom Sets the Tone Op-Ed

I just wrote an op-ed article that’s featured in Crain’s Chicago Business on the topic of diversity in our boardrooms. It’s something that I really care a lot about, and I think other CEOs need to take a more active role in addressing the barriers that prevent many people from underrepresented backgrounds from becoming members of a company’s senior leadership team. For me, diversity is a core part of doing business and ensuring that everyone has an equal chance to succeed. We have a responsibility to elevate and support the people who work hard for us each day, and Clayco is proud to have a strong set of diversity initiatives that are some of the most groundbreaking and impactful in the construction industry. We set an example for others to follow, and it’s inseparable from who we are as a company.

4th of July

Celebrating Independence Day is one of our country’s most cherished traditions. It’s a time to spend with friends and family, and also offers us a moment to pause and reflect on the ideas and values that gave birth to our nation. In the words of the wise former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt: “freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” These words can’t be more relevant today, and we each have a part to play in the obligation to protect the freedoms that we love.

Clayco Named ENR 2021 Midwest Contractor of the Year

It is a real honor to be recognized by ENR’s editors as Midwest Contractor of the Year, and it’s something that speaks to the hard work and commitment of our team members across the country who helped make this happen. Last year was a challenge for everyone and being able to come out on the other side stronger than before is something that I’m grateful for. When other companies were cautiously pulling back, we decided to spring forward into action. We made a lot of decisions to fight back against COVID-19, and we always went with what felt right and did so with the safety of our people in mind. From working with the Center for Disease Control to develop better guidelines to keep the construction industry working, to encouraging employees to get vaccinated and doing $3.8 billion in 2020 revenue, Clayco has proven that we can always get it done, no matter what.

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.