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Business Lessons from a Founder

I have worked with and learned from amazing people on my journey – let's build together.

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Remote Work Kills Company Culture

The concept of working from home has been a hotly debated topic over the past few years, and some institutions have (falsely) claimed that remote work is the new normal. As someone with a long history of workplace strategy expertise and success, I can say without a doubt that moving from traditional places of employment to home offices – that are likely bedrooms, grocery stores, and wherever people claim to be while on the clock – is a knock to productivity and a death sentence to company culture. I reject the idea that the movement toward remote work is necessary or permanent, and recent data supports this. Kastle Systems reported that office usage in 10 major metro areas neared 50% of 2020’s pre-pandemic attendance, demonstrating that workers and CEOs alike are ready to return to the office. Although in-office attendance is still lower than before the COVID-19 outbreak, the sharp increase in numbers and occupancy signifies that people are migrating back to the time-proven methods that work best for our businesses.

CONEXEC Podcast

I had a great conversation with Scott Arias, President of ACE Consulting Company, LLC, on the CONEXEC podcast which offers a global leadership platform for construction executives. The series has interviews with executives worldwide on a variety of topics, from current events in the construction industry to overcoming challenges, reaching success, and more. I talked about growing up in Bridgerton, Missouri, and how my fascination with the art and strategy of construction led me – a college dropout – to found Clayco. The journey to becoming all that it is now has been a long and winding road, filled with different phases, focuses, and the ultimate understanding that what happens within the walls we build will always be far more important than the bricks and mortar.

SCAD Forty Four

Clayco, the design team of Mackey Mitchell Architects and Lamar Johnson Collaborative have had the chance to work on many great projects with the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). It’s been a great opportunity to work together to promote student life by increasing student capacity, adding amenities, and creating a dense urban campus – like with the SCAD Forty Four development! The 384,000-square-foot development will provide 1,000 new beds to meet the demand on campus for SCAD Atlanta’s growing student population. SCAD Forty Four is a two-tower mixed-use project that offers dining and fitness amenities, academic space, a parking garage, a campus store, a performance theater, and more.

Inaugural Pernod Ricard Distillery

Our teams at Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative have something to toast about! We are working as the design-build crew for the first Pernod Ricard green field distillery in the United States. We will develop its 150,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral distillery and aging warehouses in Marion County, Kentucky. The 265-acre project is part of Pernod Ricard's growing Jefferson's Bourbon brand and will produce over 7.5 million proof gallons of bourbon annually. To keep community ties close, Jefferson will partner with local farmers and suppliers to source ingredients and casks whenever possible. The structure will also include a world-class visitor center to welcome bourbon enthusiasts on the historic Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Dominion Energy’s Thomas F. Farrell Building

Clayco and Hourigan Construction collaborated to provide design-build services for Dominion Energy’s new office tower in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Like Clayco, Hourigan aims to enhance communities through its integrated services and we are continuing this vision with this transformative 20-story project. The 1 million-square-foot development spans a full city block and includes a high-performance workplace for over 1,000 employees, street-level retail, employee amenities, and parking. To maintain environmental goals, the building is certified LEED Gold and implements various sustainability strategies like energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, an exterior landscaped terrace that captures and utilizes rainwater, and more. This is especially significant for Dominion Energy as the company is committed to safely providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy and achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

Crain’s Chicago Business Who’s Who

The Crain's Chicago Business Who's Who list is back after five years! The team at Crain’s does a great job of developing a list of more than 300 names that you should know in Chicago.

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My Mock Death is Today

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The concept of earning is an instinct of mine

My first job was stamping cans at a little grocery market in exchange for candy at about 10 years old. The concept of earning was an early instinct of mine.

During my teen years, I had a car wash on my home driveway, after which I started doing small painting and odd jobs at neighbors’ homes for extra money, but mainly to avoid mowing my own yard by paying the kid down the street to do it. I could make more money doing the other jobs, which allowed me to pay him very little to do something I didn’t want to do that was much more time-consuming. Looking back, that was an entrepreneurial experience.