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

In Memory of John "Dale" Perkinson

I think of the unlikely and extraordinary success we have had in both the Clark family and at Clayco in a series of notable moments. Seminal moments. Starting Clayco in 1984 with basically no experience and no capital, with only a pickup truck and willpower, we began doing simple interior finish projects: carpet, painting, drywall, and doors. That led to an account at Mercantile Bank doing the same work. A lucky break came in meeting the bank’s VP of facilities, John Ward, and eventually the bank’s chairman, Don Lasater. I got an even bigger break building multiple banks for Mercantile when I was partnered with a well-known, local St. Louis architect, Robert (Bob) Boland.

In Memory of Jim Crown

I am deeply saddened to hear that my colleague from The University of Chicago, Jim Crown, passed away on his birthday yesterday following a motorsport accident. Jim was an unbelievable business and philanthropic icon, and his commitment to improving the lives of others had a direct impact on his hometown of Chicago and beyond. Jim served in various leadership roles, including Chairman Emeritus of the Aspen Institute Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the Civic Committee's Public Safety Task Force. He was also a member of the Intelligence Advisory Board to the Obama Whitehouse, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Forbes Op-Ed: Dissecting Diversity on Juneteenth

If celebrating diversity and assembling a multicultural workforce wasn’t a substantial incentive simply for cultural and moral reasons, it’s also good for the bottom line of business. Guiding a team with innovation and equity creates an environment where people feel free to be the best version of themselves and do their best work.

The Power of Wearing Your Pride

“Always stand up for what you believe in, just like my senior quote.” This is what Colorado Grand Valley High School senior Naomi Peña Villasano said, which is a fitting representation of her recent struggle with her school board and local government about wearing a Mexican-American sash on graduation day. The school principal, district superintendent, and a Denver U.S. District Court judge told her no. Their reasoning cited district authorities' fears of triggering displays of the Confederate flag and wanting to “protect the symbolic traditions that signify the graduates’ academic accomplishments and services to the community.”

My Own “Blind Side” Story – but even Better!

I have said that blood is thicker than water, but that you can welcome people into your blood, and you should – meaning the concept of family can be built, structured, and strengthened in the ways you choose, or how life chooses for you. I started Clayco in 1984 when I was 25 and bought a dilapidated building in a rough neighborhood (Robertson, Missouri) because it was all I could afford at the time. The very first day that I was on site, a 12-year-old black kid approached me and said, “Hey, Mister, can I get a job?”

Receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor

As someone who works hard to create a positive impact and legacy for the benefit of global communities, I am humbled to be included on the prestigious list of Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients. I would like to thank my friend and amazing North American hero, Anthony von Mandl, for nominating me and attending the ceremony, and my wife Jane and my children for attending.

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.