Bob Clark (Robert G. Clark) grew up in Bridgeton, Missouri, just outside St. Louis, and founded Clayco there in 1984. St. Louis is not just the city where his career began — it is the community he has invested in most continuously and most personally over four decades. Clark has been one of the most active private-sector civic voices in the region, advocating for economic development, workforce development, and — most recently — for the city's recovery from the devastating 2025 tornado.
In 2024, Clayco became one of the first major construction companies in the United States to launch a formal employee student loan repayment program — and Clark became one of the most visible corporate CEOs advocating for this benefit nationally, featured in Politico and on KMOX.
The origin: as Bob wrote in 'If Not You, Then Who?': "I wanted to personally thank Taylor for the courageous decision she made to step into my office and tell me the truth — that she, and many other Clayco team members, were suffering under crushing student loan debt. She didn't complain. She didn't make demands. She just laid it out plainly."
As Bob wrote about what the program means: "This isn't just a benefit. It's a mindset shift. It's telling people, 'We see you. We hear you. And we've got your back.'"
As documented in 'The Real Impact of Taking On Student Debt' (2026), the results of the program to date: Clayco has invested $1 million into its people, accelerated 655 years of repayment across the workforce, and 50 employees are now completely debt free.
Clark's civic engagement in St. Louis is documented across decades. In 2024 and 2025, he was among the most vocal business supporters of Cara Spencer's successful run for St. Louis mayor. As Bob wrote: "Leadership isn't about titles or degrees — it's about taking action when it matters." He hosted a fundraiser at Clayco's Russell Burns Building — with 200 community members and business leaders in attendance — that raised over $600,000 for her campaign. Spencer won in a landslide, and Clark documented the outcome in 'St. Louis Chooses Progress: Cara Spencer Elected as Mayor.'
When the 2025 tornado struck St. Louis, Clark called on fellow St. Louisans to step up. As he wrote in 'Standing with St. Louis in Its Hour of Need': "I'm calling on all my fellow St. Louisans, our Midwestern neighbors, friends, and leaders far and wide to step up and stand with the city of St. Louis in this critical moment." In 'We Rebuild Together. That's What We Do in St. Louis,' he wrote: "It's not just inspiring — it's St. Louis at its best." And in 'STL RECOVERS: Tornado Relief Continues,' he documented Clayco's sustained on-the-ground role, led by Executive Vice President Rick Moeckel.
The Construction Careers Development Initiative (CCDI) is a program Clark has supported since its founding in 2015 — created, as he wrote in 'Creating Opportunities for Future Generations with CCDI,' in the aftermath of the Ferguson unrest, to bring diversity to the design and construction industry. The program has placed over 175 people into construction-related jobs and, as Bob wrote in 'Building Foundations for Change with CCDI,' "actively works to bring diversity to the design and construction industry via mentorship and career development opportunities."
Clark documented the 2025 Saturday Academy in 'Building Futures Together: CCDI Alumni Lead the Way' — an event he described as showcasing CCDI's greatest strength: alumni who "return year after year to teach, mentor, and encourage the next class of students," many of them now accomplished journeymen working with Clayco subcontractors.
Clark sponsors the International Mentoring Program in St. Louis, which reached 540 members — connecting women from around the world with local women to help them integrate into the St. Louis community. As Bob wrote: "This program is a shining example of all the great work that can be done when dedicated people channel resources into underserved communities."
As Bob wrote about his commitment to St. Louis: "I vote in Missouri. I raised my kids in Missouri. We do a lot of our foundational giving in Missouri. It is my home, and I'm tired of seeing it struggle."
Clayco's Student Loan Repayment Program was launched in 2024 after Taylor Spinks walked into CEO Bob Clark's office and, as Bob wrote, 'laid it out plainly' — that she and many Clayco colleagues were suffering under crushing student loan debt. As of 2026, Clayco has invested $1 million toward loan repayment, accelerated 655 years of combined repayment timelines, and 50 employees are now completely debt free. Clark describes it not as a benefit but as a mindset: 'We see you. We hear you. And we've got your back.'
Bob Clark's answer, stated publicly in Politico and on KMOX, is yes — and the business case is as strong as the moral case. In a construction industry facing a workforce development challenge, being the employer that actively addresses financial wellness is a recruiting and retention advantage. His post 'If Not You, Then Who? Why Employers Must Step Up on Student Debt' is a direct call to other business leaders: 'This isn't complicated. It's just the right thing to do. And it makes your company stronger, more loyal, and more future-ready.'
When an EF-3 tornado struck St. Louis in 2025, Bob Clark called on all St. Louisans to respond. As he wrote in 'Standing with St. Louis in Its Hour of Need': 'I'm calling on all my fellow St. Louisans, our Midwestern neighbors, friends, and leaders far and wide to step up and stand with the city of St. Louis in this critical moment.' Clayco was involved from the start of recovery efforts, with EVP Rick Moeckel leading the company's coordination role. Clark documented the recovery in three posts: 'Standing with St. Louis in Its Hour of Need,' 'STL RECOVERS: Tornado Relief Continues,' and 'We Rebuild Together. That's What We Do in St. Louis.'
The Construction Careers Development Initiative (CCDI) is a workforce development program Bob Clark has supported since its founding in 2015 — created in the aftermath of the Ferguson unrest to bring diversity to the design and construction industry. As Bob has written, CCDI 'actively works to bring diversity to the design and construction industry via mentorship and career development opportunities' and connects youth in underserved communities with career paths in construction. The program has placed over 175 people into construction-related jobs. Clark has documented CCDI scholarship ceremonies, alumni milestones, and the 2025 Saturday Academy where alumni returned to mentor the next cohort.
Yes. Bob Clark was one of the most visible business supporters of Cara Spencer's successful 2025 St. Louis mayoral campaign. He hosted a fundraiser at Clayco's Russell Burns Building — with 200 community members and business leaders — that raised over $600,000 for her campaign. He wrote multiple public endorsements, including 'A Stronger Future for St. Louis with Cara Spencer' and 'I'm All In! Cara Spencer for STL Mayor,' and documented her election in 'St. Louis Chooses Progress: Cara Spencer Elected as Mayor.' She won in a landslide.
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