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Beyond the Ordinary

The world is full of extraordinary. Join me in exploring all that sparks creativity and change.

September's Subcontractor of the Month: KONE

The most remarkable projects are developed through strategic partnerships that achieve exceptional results. Clayco prides itself on partnering with the best in business to embody the Art & Science of Building, and KONE is a great example of how our extended team of subcontractors helps us accomplish that. KONE is a proven global technology leader in the elevator and escalator industry. The company provides elevators, escalators, automatic building doors, and solutions for maintenance and modernization and aims to improve the flow of urban life. Clayco and KONE are devoted to safety, diversity, strong company cultures, and expertise that brings the most powerful projects to life.

LJC’s PopCourts! Project Earns Urban Design Award

Constructing spaces that foster community growth and connection is crucial to creating a sense of belonging that leads to stronger, more resilient communities. Clayco’s partner company, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, has done an excellent job building beyond these walls into the neighborhoods where we operate to deliver PopCourts! – a “small plaza that turned into a movement” – which won an Honor Award in Urban Design from the 2023 ASLA Professional Awards.

August’s Architect of the Month: Jean Nouvel's dynamic vision

Jean Nouvel is one of the most important architects of the past 50 years. His style fuses innovation, contextual awareness, and a willingness to defy conventions. I admire his work because it reflects a deep understanding of the relationship between architecture and its environment while embracing the possibilities offered by modern technology and materials. Nouvel’s personal story began in Fumel, France. He was raised in a family of teachers and creatives. He studied philosophy at the Sorbonne but later focused on architecture, attending the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

American Prometheus unveils the complexity of an enigmatic genius

While I was serving as U.S. Commissioner General at Expo 2020 Dubai, I read a remarkable book that is back in the spotlight. American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, was the inspiration for the current box office hit Oppenheimer. This 721-page-long book is tough to read at times, and incredibly captivating. Twenty-five years in the making and exhaustively researched, the biography won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006. It’s a captivating portrait of a brilliant, complex, and flawed figure who played a critical role in shaping the course of 20th-century history.

VinFast Celebrates NASDAQ Listing

VinFast has reached a significant milestone toward its global expansion! It was an exciting celebration as the company began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market today, following VinFast and Black Spade Acquisition Co’s completed business combination. VinFast’s Global CEO, Madame Thuy Le, rang the bell to mark the moment!

August’s Inspiration of the Month: Lisa Goodman

If you’re looking for a leader who embodies what it means to use your skills and resources to spark positive change, look no further than my good friend Lisa Goodman. Lisa is my August inspiration because of her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives throughout her impressive 30+ year career path and tireless commitment to advancing communities. Lisa is a successful businesswoman with experience in complex and capital-intensive sectors, including technology, health care, retail, financial services, commercial real estate, and hospitality. She is currently on the executive team of The Benaroya Company, a real estate company that finances, develops, and manages projects for global and regional organizations.

Inspiration

I have always had an insatiable curiosity

What causes me to get out of bed every morning is driven by inspiration. Ever since I was a little boy, I was inspired by my insatiable curiosity, which caused me to be a reader, a thinker, and a dreamer.

I can remember being inspired by seeing Bobby Kennedy on TV and watching videotapes of Martin Luther King Jr., and being deeply saddened by their assassination even though I was only 10 years old when I experienced all of this.

As a little boy, rocket flight was a big thing. I remember being fascinated by the moon and the stars and the astronauts exploring them.As humans we are achieving remarkable things that only a handful of years before were just in the imagination.