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Impact through purposeful action

The promises we keep today lay the foundation for tomorrow — the journey starts now.

latest impact posts

Building Beyond: A Real Path Forward in the Trades

Malik Johnson didn’t set out to become a pipe fitter. He was just trying to keep his family afloat. His mom was sick, they were facing hard times, and he needed steady work. He started with concrete labor. Then COVID hit, and the work dried up. He delivered food. He did odd jobs. And when the chance came to join an apprenticeship through Clayco’s Construction Career Development Initiative (CCDI), he took it.

A Year of AI at Clayco

Change is scary. When I first heard about the potential of AI—how it could reshape jobs, blur what machines can do—I felt it, too: that unsettling tug. It’s natural to worry. I worried that AI might widen economic gaps or replace human skills. But then I looked at why we worry, and realized those fears often mirror our greatest ambitions: curing diseases, building sustainable homes, accelerating innovation. What if AI could help solve those fears?

When Everything Changed — Clayco’s Crucible at Granite City

When I started Clayco in 1984—the company went from 3 employees to about 30 people on the payroll by 1986 we were doing $10 million in annual revenue—the company still felt fragile, hungry, and unpredictable. I had sold my interest in Machine Maintenance Equipment in 1983, struck out alone, and here we were: a young team, undercapitalized, but full of grit and resolve.

If Not You, Then Who? Why Employers Must Step Up on Student Debt

‍This is Taylor Spinks. And this all started with her.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.

STL RECOVERS: Tornado Relief Continues

It’s now been just over a month since the tornado hit St. Louis, and the push to rebuild remains steady and strong.Every day, recovery teams, volunteers, city officials, and local businesses are working shoulder to shoulder—clearing debris, restoring homes, and rebuilding hope. What began as an urgent response has grown into a sustained, city-wide operation.

I Didn’t Graduate from College. Today, I got a Doctorate.

Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Missouri S&T

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The key choices we make in this life

Some of the key choices that we get to make in this life are the things we prioritize, both with our finances and with our energy and efforts.

Over the course of my life, my priorities have shifted immensely, and I now spend a large amount of my time focusing on the work that our foundation is doing, as well as being engaged in impactful community efforts. The majority of the work that we are a part of is aimed at issues directly affecting my family and the Clayco community.