From a Hand-Drawn Logo to a Culture of Safety

In 1984, I was 25 years old with two employees, 24 hours, and one shot at a big opportunity.

I had to put together a presentation for a project at Monsanto that was due the next day. In 24 hours I sketched what would become the Clayco logo and had printed materials ready to make a great impression. The logo was simple, hand-drawn, and full of ambition. Back then, we had more belief than resources.

What I could not have imagined was how far this company would go.

Today, Clayco has grown in size, scale, and sophistication into one of the largest design and construction companies in the United States. We have delivered some of the most complex and critical projects in the country, including hospitals, cancer research centers, data centers, manufacturing facilities, and food processing plants. Work that truly matters.

But there is something else I put in place in 1984 that matters even more.

A non-negotiable commitment to safety.

From day one, I believed it should never be acceptable for an employee to get hurt on a jobsite. Not ever. And not just in the field. Every person in every office should feel safe, respected, and protected. That was the standard then, and it remains the standard now.

What I did not fully appreciate at the time was just how difficult that goal would be.

Changing the safety paradigm in construction is no small task. It requires constant vigilance, investment, accountability, and a culture where everyone looks out for each other. It is not something you declare once. It is something you build every single day.

And while perfection is a high bar, we have made real, measurable progress.

In 2025 alone, Clayco logged 29.4 million work hours on nationwide projects while achieving a record low EMR of 0.39 and a 0.29 Recordable Rate, 85 percent better than the national average. Those are not just statistics. They represent thousands of decisions made the right way, every day, by people who CARE deeply about one another.

This week, during Safety Week, we reflect not just on policies or metrics, but on people. On the responsibility we carry every time someone steps onto a jobsite or walks into one of our offices. On the families who expect their loved ones to come home safe.

Safety is not a program at Clayco. It is a value. It is a promise.

And it is one we will never stop working to keep.

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