The Haute Route: Lessons in Nature, Gear, & Gratitude
I’ve had the opportunity to do some amazing treks and hikes around the world and plan on posting about some of them throughout the new year. People are always asking me what my favorite is.
Kiku Obata is a name synonymous with innovation, creativity, and thoughtful design. As the founder and principal of Kiku Obata & Company, a St. Louis-based design firm with a global reputation, Kiku has spent decades shaping the way people interact with spaces, brands, and communities.

It is with a heavy heart that I would like to pay my respects to Edward “Tee” Turner Baur's life and legacy. Tee was a very successful real estate expert who gave me great encouragement and advice over the years. We both shared the same hometown of St. Louis and a love for outdoor athletics and hiking.

AESC is a global leader in the development of high-performance batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, producing power batteries for more than 1 million EVs in 59 countries over the last 15 years with ZERO critical battery malfunction.

PsiQuantum, Quantum Campus on the former USX site on the South Side of Chicago. This project is a tremendous milestone in ensuring the city’s future as a global hub for Quantum Computing, and our Clayco team will deliver the facility at scale and high speed.

You would be hard-pressed to find a magazine that hasn’t featured Mickalene Thomas, and for good reason. As an African-American contemporary artist and filmmaker from New Jersey, she has been making waves around the world for her unique and captivating pieces.

This year’s International Youth Day theme is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development” as young people continue to drive the charge in digital adoption and innovation. At Clayco, we support young talent by helping them develop their skills while working alongside some of the industry's best professionals.

Clayco is part of a team redeveloping a 400+ acre site that was once the country’s leading steel producer into a future-forward project that will establish the city as a global quantum computing hub. The Quantum Campus at 8080 South Lakeshore is set to lead the nation in quantum research.

The Dean is a 426,464-square-foot student housing high-rise development in Reno that features state-of-the-art amenities. Residents will find that the 12 stories of the building have something to offer for everyone, including a fitness center, game and club lounge, BBQ grills, fire pits, both group and individual study lounge spaces, as well as a rooftop terrace with a pool and incredible views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains.

Michael Fassnacht, Clayco’s Chief Growth Officer and President of Chicagoland, traveled abroad as part of the Midwest delegation to China to scope out promising business opportunities. He journeyed for nine days through China, stopping in Shanghai, Qingdao, Beijing, and Hong Kong – and brought back some transformative insights!

Dive into the world of Alexander von Humboldt, a courageous explorer and the most influential scientist of his time. Andrea Wulf’s book, “The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World,” is an incredible story of insatiable curiosity.

What makes our company so great are the incredible people within its ranks, especially some of our Clayco long-timers like Kevin Schulte, Renee Henningfield, and Steve Moeller. I want to take this opportunity to celebrate these outstanding individuals as we prepare to say goodbye as they head into their next chapter: retirement!

Memorial Day is a significant moment for American citizens to honor the sacrifices of so many in service to our country to secure our freedoms. It underscores the personal costs of war and how crucial it is for everyday people like us to strive for a better tomorrow.

I recently went to the exhibition An Atlas of Es Devlin at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York. Es Devlin is an English stage designer and artist who is known for her work in theater, opera, concerts, and large public installations.

Skilled Trades Day is the perfect moment to acknowledge the importance of the long list of craftspeople who are the backbone of sectors like construction — the carpenters, electricians, technicians, welders, masons, plumbers, painters, and more.

I’m always proud to see extended members of our Clayco family continue to succeed in their career paths! Ciere Boatright, a Chicago native and a nationally recognized real estate professional with over a decade of experience, has been appointed as Chicago's Commissioner of Planning and Development by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

British architect Lord Norman Foster is one of the most influential architects of our time. Born in Manchester to working-class parents, he was educated at the University of Manchester and Yale. Foster established his own firm, Foster + Partners, in London in 1967. Today it’s a global practice with offices in 20 countries. His style has been described as high-tech, and he is known for his fascination with airports and flight.

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