Clayco Named A Category Standout

I am so proud that Clayco was named to Fast Company’s 2022 Best Workplaces for Innovators United States list! Fast Company, a world-leading business media brand that focuses on transformative technology, ethical economics, leadership, and more, recognized Clayco as one of nine category standouts for our creative infrastructures and breakthroughs. We are honored to be ranked again among so many incredible pioneering companies across industries. Innovation is what has enabled Clayco to grow from humble origins and has always been the center of our company’s foundation.

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August 3, 2022

August’s Architect of the Month: Eero Saarinen

An architect with ties to St. Louis whose work I have always admired is Finnish-American Eero Saarinen, who was known as a leader of the second-generation modernists. In 1947, he designed the magisterial Gateway Arch, built to commemorate the westward expansion of the US. A futuristic symbol, it rises above the cityscape of St. Louis and is a great example of how Eero constantly pushed aesthetic boundaries. He was born in Kirkkonummi, Finland in 1910, to world-famous parents. His father was the architect Eliel Saarinen and his mother, Loja Gesellius, was a textile designer and sculptor. The family moved to the US in 1923, where they settled first in Evanston, Illinois, and then in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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August 2, 2022

Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West

I recently read Christopher Knowlton’s book “Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West” and it gave great insight into the open range cattle era and how it changed America forever. The US has consistently proven that it can withstand repeated boom-and-bust eras within our civilization. From the Great Depression to the housing bubble of the early 2000s, to an unprecedented global pandemic and everything in between, perseverance and adaptation are key parts of who we are as a nation. After the Civil War ended, the cattle age brought about the greatest boom-and-bust cycle until the Great Depression, the invention of the assembly line, and the beginning of the conservation movement. Knowlton gives a new view of the Old West and how its movements and cowboys achieved incredible goals, rose, fell, and left a lasting impact on society.

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July 29, 2022

Xalt Energy (Dow Kokam) Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Facility

I am always excited to see how Clayco’s use of transformational design-build technology helps our construction projects come together so efficiently. Our construction innovation paired with technology and automotive innovation produced a 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art battery manufacturing facility for XALT Energy (Dow Kokam). This futuristic plant produces affordable lithium-ion batteries and consistent energy solutions for customers in the expanding electric vehicle market. The single-story manufacturing plant includes 45-foot clear heights and clean-dry rooms for manufacturing processes as well as 600 million additional watt-hours and incorporated battery pack assembly equipment and production. It was also built with insulated tilt-up concrete wall systems and features glass exterior design elements.

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July 28, 2022

July’s Artist of the Month: Clotilde Jiménez

A visual artist I admire is Afro-Latino, Honolulu-born, Clotilde Jiménez, who grew up in North Philadelphia. He was raised in a tough neighborhood, but thanks to his mother, he used his artistic talent to move out of the city and enroll in college. Clotilde received his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Ohio in 2013 in printmaking. He completed an MFA in painting at the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 2018.

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July 26, 2022

38 Years Ago

I started Clayco in 1984 when I was 25 years old. I had tried a couple of other vocations that I hated. I had always dreamed of being an architect and builder and loved constructing things. I also really cared about the community and people in general and thought there could be an intersection of both. I was ambitious and had big plans, but with no real idea about how I was going to actually accomplish them. I didn’t have many resources, any education, or experience. What I lacked in those things I gained with common sense, being kind, creativity, and unbelievable passion. Proving you can compete with one and without the other. There were many lessons along the way.

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July 25, 2022

Aspen Security Forum

Keeping up-to-date and informed regarding national and domestic security threats is imperative. Only in America could there be such a world-class group of speakers in an almost completely open forum discussing such crucial issues with thoughtful options and observations, AND taking direct questions from the audience. This week, I attended the Aspen Security Forum, an annual three-and-a-half-day conference in Aspen, CO. It’s where domestic and foreign government officials, business executives, leading academics, and journalists gather to discuss solutions to critical national security and foreign policy challenges.

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July 22, 2022

Cooking with Bob: Risotto

Whether you’re coming home from work or on your way back from a horseback ride, this quick risotto recipe will hit the spot!Although I’m known for my steaks and overall meat-cooking abilities (like my hard-to-forget bolognese), this cooking demonstration features a simple risotto that is easy to recreate with a good pan and a few key ingredients.

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July 20, 2022

Constructing Centene East Coast Headquarters

Centene Corporation, a leading multi-national healthcare enterprise, invested more than $1 billion to develop an 80-acre campus for 6,000 of its employees – and Clayco is helping to build it! Construction has been ongoing since 2020 and has been developed in multiple phases – the first being the main 770,000 square-foot, Class A office building and a 2,400-space parking garage. The development will feature office space, an early childhood development center, walking trails, water features, and more! The design also highlights the campus environment with open spaces, natural light, and the site’s natural features.

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July 19, 2022

Two books to Read on Philanthropy in the Modern World

Two thought-provoking books I recently read on achieving a world that’s more equitable are The Business of Changing the World: How Billionaires, Tech Disrupters, and Social Entrepreneurs Are Transforming the Global Aid Industry by Raj Kumar and The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Made and Gave Away a Fortune Without Anyone Knowing by Conor O’Clery. These books are helpful for anyone thinking about how to make a lasting impact. As Raj Kumar explains in The Business of Changing the World, the foreign aid industry, in the United States and elsewhere, is undergoing a vast transformation. Governments and aid agencies are no longer pouring large sums of money into international development projects. Instead, today’s demand is for evidence-based solutions that could more realistically put an end to extreme poverty, and that is very good news.

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July 18, 2022

IREJ Lifetime Achievement Award

It was great to attend the Illinois Real Estate Journal (IREJ) Awards last night and see all of the incredible companies and people in our industry be recognized for their accomplishments. A big congratulations to Lamar Johnson Collaborative for winning the Office Interior Design award for their work with Horizon Therapeutics. The Grand Logan Lodge won in the Multifamily category and Mohawk Redevelopment earned its title in Industrial Redevelopment. USA Fire Protection won Building Service Company of the Year and Goettsch Partners was awarded Architecture Firm of the Year. There were also individuals acknowledged for their work on inclusion, such as Alba Colavitti from CRG who earned Volunteer of the Year, and Keiana Barrett from Sterling Bay who received the title of Champion of Diversity. These innovators do all that they can to build our communities back better!

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July 14, 2022

Scurto Cement Construction Limited

Scurto Cement Construction ltd has been an incredible subcontractor for us at Clayco on a variety of our projects. Collaborating with us and laying the cement for Crossroads 55 and now Central Steel & Wire has proven why their company has been a leader in quality craftsmanship since 1973. Scurto has produced cutting-edge technology for over 45 years and pours over 500,000 square feet of concrete each day. The company’s President, David Scurto, primarily services states in the Midwest, like Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana along with a few more in the New England states. The organization partners with businesses to provide the value and services that they deserve. Scurto’s knowledge of concrete mix designs and innovative technologies ensures that they consistently provide high-quality services.

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July 12, 2022

Discussing St. Louis on Donnybrook Next Up

It was great to join Donnybrook Next Up and discuss St. Louis and my thoughts on where the city is headed. I am innately an optimist, so I always work to keep a positive frame of mind – and there is a lot to be positive about in St. Louis. I talked with journalists and hosts Alvin Reid and Wendy Wiese about the political and cultural climate and how we see the region operating and evolving. It was great to also highlight how bringing the Expo to the United States will benefit the entire country.

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July 11, 2022

July's Architecture Educator of the month: Geoffrey Taylor

Designing for the next generation is an important trend in architecture and design. A forward-thinking architectural educator that I admire is Geoffrey Taylor, Dean of the School of Building Arts at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). A Harvard and SCAD graduate, he is a Doctor of Design and a major contributor to Savannah's innovative design sector. Geoffrey believes that the responsibility of architects is to make good buildings that meet human needs while also addressing the impact of construction on the environment.

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July 7, 2022

The Southwest’s Fastest Growing Market

The Southwest region of the United States is seeing an increase in business and has established itself as an area of incredible potential for investment. To date, Clayco has over $1.2 billion in active construction projects awarded in the Phoenix market, which is approximately 11 million square feet of primarily industrial and multi-family residential projects.

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July 6, 2022

Aspen Ideas Festival

It was interesting to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival in the beautiful Rocky Mountain State! There were so many incredible events and leaders gathered from around the world to discuss societal issues, advances, and how to best engage in change. The theme of the festival is Heat, Money, Trust, Connection, Power, and Beauty, and it explores global concepts that impact everyone.

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July 1, 2022

PalmTower Transforms Phoenix Skyline

As the Southwest region in the United States becomes more of a hot spot for travel and residential ventures, Clayco is happy to continue adding to the skyline in Phoenix, AZ. With the integrated services of Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), the PalmTower is designed to be a distinctive addition to Phoenix – and stands at twenty-eight stories high while appearing to float above a sculptural, silver parking podium that features palm trees and desert landscaping next to the city sidewalks.

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June 24, 2022

Juneteenth Fund

Juneteenth is an important time to reflect on the historic struggle so many people of color have undergone to secure freedom in America. I am honored to help underserved communities through Clayco’s Juneteenth Fund Advisory Committee – which donated six $25,000 grants to community-based nonprofit organizations at our second annual Juneteenth celebration. Our committee works to combat the systemic issues that have affected communities of color for far too long. The grants were donated to organizations that are committed to raising awareness and advancing the causes of Black equality and inclusion. Their mission is the same as ours, to empower individuals and companies alike to support progressive values.

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June 21, 2022

Minnesota 2027 Expo bid Committee

I am honored to serve as co-chair of the Minnesota 2027 Expo bid committee. The bid committee and I were privileged to officially present our candidature to the BIE (Bureau International Exhibitions) today at the General Assembly in Paris. Bringing the “Healthy People, Healthy Planet” themed expo to America will provide tremendous opportunities for public diplomacy, business engagement, and political discourse that we need to achieve the world’s ambitious health and sustainability goals. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with my many friends from Expo 2020 Dubai and making new acquaintances within the BIE while in Paris, including the Mayor of Busan Park Heong-joon, Director, International Expositions Unit at the State Department James Core, Prime Minister of South Korea Han Duck-soo, Chairman of SK Group Chey Tae-won, and the ministers at BIE in Paris.

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June 20, 2022

My Experience

When I was appointed by the White House as United States Commissioner General of the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, I was given an amazing opportunity to serve in a completely different way than what I am used to. I showcased the diversity, culture, and values of America while standing with friends from countries that love freedom from around the world. During my time at the Expo, I engaged and collaborated with a new family of team members. We worked diligently together as colleagues, explorers, and adventurers in a hopeful and diplomatic spirit.

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June 16, 2022

Leaders

The Expo’s core message of “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” could not have been more spot-on. I collaborated with groundbreaking innovators as we examined issues of sustainability, mobility, opportunity, and so much more. We engaged in a lively, spirited, and diplomatic way to examine hopeful solutions to our planet’s most pressing problems.

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June 16, 2022

Pavilions

Expo 2020 Dubai changed how I see the world by gaining insight into each nation’s message and attributes. Some countries focused on politics, policies, technologies, and partnerships, while others were dedicated to tourism and investment opportunities. Even though each pavilion was represented by people from various backgrounds, we often found that we had more similarities than differences.

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June 16, 2022

$100 Million Donation to Loyola University Chicago

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020, corporate America promised to become more inclusive. Faced with public demands for social justice reforms, companies vowed to improve racial and ethnic diversity within their workforces, among their leadership ranks, and on their boards. While there has been some movement during the last two years, progress overall has been slower than expected. Corporate America is still trying to figure out how to reach equitable diversity levels and make their companies more reflective of the nation’s changing demographics.

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June 14, 2022

170 N. Green Street - Fulton Market Acquisition

Clayco’s development arm, CRG, and Shapack Partners recently acquired the former Bridgford Foods site in Fulton Market. I am excited to see how this partnership will redevelop the property into one of Chicago’s most iconic projects – featuring 350,000 square feet of office, 250 apartment units, 150 hotel rooms, and 40,000 square feet of retail. Clayco, CRG, and Shapack Partners collaborated with stakeholders, Alderman Walter Burnett, and the Chicago Department of Planning and Development to make this vision a reality. Construction could begin as early as fall 2022.

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June 13, 2022

Two Cautionary Tales About General Electric for Our Times

I have had tons of experiences working with Fortune 100 companies over the years. On capital projects ranging from $50 to $500 million, we are usually collaborating with the C-suite team members. Looking back over 35 years of doing business, I found that I could tell from these encounters, or should’ve been able to, whether a company was going to excel or deteriorate. Some of the great companies I worked with include Centene, Express Scripts, Microsoft, and Amazon. The planning, the energy, and the professionalism were evident throughout our exchanges and collaborations. A couple of companies I worked with that didn’t do so well were Venture and a large brewer, and you could see the handwriting on the wall.

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June 9, 2022

How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil

We know climate change is altering our planet. How the World Really Works is a much-needed reality check reminding us that before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts. This is a thought-provoking book I recently read that looks at the importance of energy for humanity. Written by Canadian energy expert Professor Vaclav Smil, the book explains the fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. These include fossil fuels and food production, globalization, and the future of the environment.

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June 6, 2022

CRG Raises $450 Million for National Projects

CRG, Clayco’s development arm, officially raised $450 million as part of its U.S. Logistics Fund II. This will help build even more projects within the industrial sector. It’s exciting on many fronts, and I couldn’t be more proud of my son Shawn for leading this initiative and exceeding the initial goal.

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June 1, 2022

May’s Artist of the Month: Lauren Halsey

Lauren Halsey is one of the most exciting young artists working today. She produces standalone artworks in sculpture and mixed media, and site-specific installations, particularly in the South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles where her family has lived for several generations. She has the vision of an activist, and her work explores the relationship between architecture and community engagement in urban centers. Her sculptural environments and flat works combine imagery from contemporary life in Harlem and LA with ancient Egypt, outer space, technicolor, and funk.

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May 31, 2022

The Clark Family Branch St. Louis Library

The Clark family is humbled to be able to do something that will impact generations to come by donating $6 million to the new St. Louis County Library Headquarters. Libraries are the cornerstones of the community and are more relevant than ever post-pandemic. My family and I joined the St. Louis County Library Director & CEO Kristen Sorth, members of the Library Board, and the St. Louis County Library Foundation on May 24th as we announced the project. Together, we plan to evolve public libraries and invest in their limitless potential.

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May 26, 2022

The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir

If it wasn’t so scary, the book The Room Where it Happened: A White House Memoir would be a good read as a novel about what leads the world into chaos and even the darkest of war scenarios. It’s an authentic memoir, not a novel. This is an intriguing book I recently read that offered exclusive insights into the workings of the White House. Written by former President Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton, his integral title related to U.S. safety gave him insider information and access to the Administration’s affairs. He spent many of his 453 days working right in the room where everything happened (and the facts speak for themselves). Die-hard fans of Bolton’s former boss quickly try to ignore or discredit him, as Fox News seems to forget that he was a daring foreign policy hawk for a long time before his tenure with the former president.

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May 23, 2022

Clayco Named One of St. Louis’ Best Places to Work

Clayco just made the St. Louis Business Journal’s 2022 list of Best Places to Work in the giant company category, amongst other industry leaders such as CarShield, Cushman & Wakefield, and Stifel. This is an honor that we’re really proud of. Every year, the St. Louis Business Journal’s Best Places to Work program is designed to identify and highlight the companies that stand out for having the best workplace perks and the strategies they have adopted to attract and retain top talent. Clayco was acknowledged for offering a challenging, creative work environment where our team members trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with. Our flexible working arrangements and employee benefits were also key factors.

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May 23, 2022

Recent Feature: Crain’s Chicago Business

Since returning stateside, I had the opportunity to speak with Crain’s Chicago Business magazine about some incredible projects and experiences I’ve been a part of. Crain’s has always been one of my favorite business sources to read interesting analyses, commentary, and features. During our conversation, we spoke about what prompted me to make a call to the White House before the Expo, a scar I have that turned me from a child to an adult, and an exciting client Clayco is constructing rocket test facilities for. I also shared some of the key turning points that shaped my career path and how I operate in business today.

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May 17, 2022

Topping Out The Standard at Columbia

I always love seeing the progress our teams are making on the ground, and I am excited that The Standard at Columbia in South Carolina is soon to be topped out! The 17-story, 443,000 square-foot housing tower downtown has taken a major step towards completion. The Standard will offer a mix of studio and one-to-five bedroom units and will be the only new high-rise in the market.

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May 16, 2022

Willis Tower Transformation

One of the reasons I love Chicago so much is its magnificent architecture. There are few buildings as iconic as the revamped Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. When it was completed in 1974, it was the world’s tallest building – standing at 1,450 feet and 110 stories. Willis Tower remains the highest point against the beautiful Chicago skyline. The one problem with the spectacular modernist tower was its disconnectedness from the city. In 2015, EQ Office, a realty company owned by Blackstone, bought the property. The company hired Gensler, the largest architecture firm in the world, in collaboration with SKB Architects and OLIN, to inject new life into the tower and weave it into the urban fabric.

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May 12, 2022

Healthy People, Healthy Planet – Minnesota Expo 2027

I am excited to work with my co-chair Marc Lore and the rest of the team for the Minnesota Expo 2027. The experience of leading the U.S. Delegation at Expo 2020 Dubai gave me great insight into the importance of these gatherings for American business interests and our global diplomatic relationships. I’m proud to join in and help reshape this campaign to host the first World’s Fair on American soil in nearly 40 years. The theme of the Expo is “Healthy People, Healthy Planet,” and will be the first to focus on bringing together health and wellness issues and innovations from as many as 170 countries.Well-being is more important now than ever before, and I’m happy to be part of the effort to bring this Specialized Expo to Minnesota. The goal is to generate engagement with governments, businesses, academia, and consumers to create impactful opportunities and solutions for our communities and the world.

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May 7, 2022

Theaster Gates’ Arts Incubator Breaks Ground in Grand Crossing

Theaster Gates’ Arts Incubator broke ground in its largest project to date at the former St. Laurence Elementary School on May 3rd. This is the start of the process to convert it into an arts and creative incubator on Chicago’s South Side. I am extremely proud that the Clayco Foundation has committed $1 million to help develop this state-of-the-art 40,000-square-foot innovation hub for local artists and entrepreneurs.

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May 4, 2022

Diving Into Contemporary Art at the CAM 2022 Gala

Clayco is always proud to partner with organizations that highlight quality contributions in their communities, which is why we sponsored the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) 2022 Gala in St. Louis this past weekend. I was excited to attend the event and celebrate the CAM’s dynamic range of exhibitions, public programs, educational initiatives, and collaborations including its current exhibitions by Martine Gutierrez, Alia Farid and Gala Porras-Kim. Photo by: CAM STL

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April 25, 2022

April’s Architect of the Month: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill

Adrian Smith is an architect that I admire and have featured before on Bob Clark Beyond. The mind behind some of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the world, he also designed the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, the world’s tallest structure. Born in Chicago in 1944, Smith completed his Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1969 while working at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill where he later met Gordon Gill.

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April 17, 2022

Keeping it Current – Book Reviews

It’s important for me to keep up-to-date and informed regarding current affairs – not only global politics, but also looking at the world’s business leaders and what has fueled their success. I also get a lot from reading the history of specific issues and events.

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March 30, 2022

March's Architect of the Month: Thomas Heatherwick

Thomas Heatherwick is an English architect and the founder of London-based design practice Heatherwick Studio. His work is outstanding and he has been described as one of Britain's most significant designers. He studied three-dimensional design at Manchester Polytechnic and at the Royal College of Art. In 1994 he founded Heatherwick Studio, which is recognized for its work in architecture, urban infrastructure, sculpture, design, and strategic thinking.

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March 17, 2022

In Memory of Gyo Obata

I am saddened to learn about the passing of my friend, the gifted architect Gyo Obata. The son of renowned painter Chiura Obata and floral decorator Haruko Obata, he was born in San Francisco in 1923. Gyo was one of the most influential architects of our time, and a great inspiration to all who knew him. He co-founded HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum) and designed many buildings of international acclaim, including the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, and Sendai International Airport in Japan (among many others).

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March 11, 2022

My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future

A great book I read recently is Indra Nooyi’s new memoir My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future. Nooyi, the former chair and CEO of PepsiCo, is one of the only women to run a Fortune 50 company and among the most strategic thinkers of our time. In the memoir, she describes the events that shaped her life as a woman of color and an immigrant, from her childhood and early education in 1960s India to the Yale School of Management to her rise as a corporate consultant and strategist who was appointed to one of the most senior executive ranks in business.

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February 19, 2022

Memoirs to Read for Holocaust Remembrance Day

In light of Holocaust Remembrance Day, it seems like a powerful moment to recommend these three books to read in succession. I’m hoping no one in the world will experience the horror, participate in, or be the victim of these types of atrocities fueled by racism and divisive, egotistical goals again. All The Frequent Troubles of Our Days by Rebecca Donner is the true story of an American woman in the German resistance in Nazi-ruled Germany. Mildred Harnack was 26 when her PhD studies took her to Berlin. From 1932, a small band of activists started holding secret meetings in her apartment.

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January 28, 2022

January's Architect of the Month: EwingCole

Pfizer, Inc EwingCole EwingCole takes a collaborative approach to real estate architecture, engineering, design-build, and construction. Like Clayco, the firm’s objective is to enhance how design and architecture impact the individual.

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January 27, 2022

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel

Although I generally don’t agree with this author on many things, including his politics, I believe this book is required reading for entrepreneurs and investors … Zero to One: Notes on Startups, Or How to Build the Future. Written by Peter Thiel, one of the founders of PayPal, the book is assembled from some of the class notes that were taken from his lectures held at Stanford University in 2012. It is very insightful, and I agree with a lot of the main points Thiel makes, especially when it comes to thinking outside the box and innovation. The book starts off with the premise that even though it might not seem like it, we’re currently living in an age of what Thiel calls ‘technological stagnation.’ He basically means that instead of people building new companies or products to solve problems that no one else has thought of, we’re mainly doing much of the same thing that other established companies are already developing. Using examples like the rapid advancements in information technology and companies in Silicon Valley, he illustrates how imitating or copying what another business is already doing isn’t really moving us forward.

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January 20, 2022

Books I Read in 2021

This was a big year for reading for me as I embraced audiobooks and can listen during all my down or travel time. I read a very human story with lots of familiar political friends and relationships Both/And by Huma Abedin and The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes. Both of these books are definitely worth reading.

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January 3, 2022

A Recap of the Year: Best of 2021

The Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Showing the display of Thomas Jefferson’s 18th century Quran at USA Pavilion Expo 2020 Dubai.

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December 31, 2021

December’s Architect of the Month: Santiago Calatrava

Santiago Calatrava is a Catalan architect, engineer, and artist known for his beautiful, neo-futuristic buildings and bridges and his amazing ability to create visual statements. I admire his career and his ingenuity and I always look forward to what he will achieve next. Some striking examples of his work are the apartment tower in Malmö, Sweden, its shape suggesting a twisting spinal column. For the Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin, he created a feature that looks like the wings of a bird as it opens and closes. The gravity-defying Alamillo Bridge in Seville is a straight steel-shell tower, filled with reinforced concrete. It leans backwards, counterbalancing a 200-meter span with thirteen pairs of cables.

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December 20, 2021

Two Great History Books to Read Together: Sapiens and A Short History of Humanity

Two great history books that I’ve read and that I recommend reading together are Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and A Short History of Humanity: A New History of Old Europe. Sapiens, written by the historian Yuval Noah Harari, does an excellent job of tracing the great story of the rise of our own species and documents humanity’s creation and evolution throughout the ages. Looking into the intersections of biology and history, Dr. Harari takes his narrative all the way back to 70,000 years ago, when the first beginnings of modern cognition began to take place in homo sapiens. He then goes on to trace the start of the agricultural revolution, the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, the information revolution, and all the way up to where we were in 2014: the biotechnological revolution.

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December 8, 2021

November's Artist of the Month: Vaughn Spann

Vaughn Spann is one of the most talented artists working today, and he already is off to a great start in his artistic career despite being so young. His current work centers around paintings that seek to explore abstraction, figuration, and formalism in new ways and from different perspectives, and he’s currently been focusing on portraiture and mixed-material abstractions that have enchanted and inspired viewers. Vaughn was born in Florida in 1992 and grew up in Orange, New Jersey. He now lives and works in nearby Newark, and he received his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University in 2014 and an MFA from Yale School of Art in 2018.

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November 29, 2021

Karis Cold Storage

The Sunshine State may be heating up, but our Karis Cold Storage project in Daytona Beach is committed to keeping it cool!Karis Cold Storage is on a 68-acre industrial park in Daytona Beach, Florida. Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative were selected as the design-build team for this food and beverage facility – and we understand that sometimes the best beverages are served cold.

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November 16, 2021

Our Crane at The Standard at Columbia

One of Clayco’s iconic cranes just went up at one of our project building sites, and every time it happens, I think it’s a reason to celebrate. To me, our cranes represent a lot of the hard work, determination, and bold commitment to progress that we bring to everything we build. They also represent who we are as a company and the spirit of innovation that always drives us to do our best work. These photos show the new crane that’s going to help us complete The Standard at Columbia, which will become a 17-story student housing tower in Columbia, South Carolina. They showcase some of the stunning views that residents will get to experience firsthand once it’s finished in Fall 2023. I always love seeing the progress our teams are making on the ground, but it never ceases to amaze me how much you can really take in from above.

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October 20, 2021

An Enjoyable Autumn EuroTrip

Traveling is one of my favorite hobbies. It allows me to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, all while immersing myself in different cultures and spaces. I had an incredible time on a recent trip abroad with my wife Jane, where we ventured to Venice, Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro. We had an enjoyable time in Venice, crossing bridges and watching the gondolas glide through the city’s waterways. You can’t go wrong with rich culture and even richer food! BOB - ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT YOUR VENICE TRIP?

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October 17, 2021

Brickline Greenway – Pillars of the Valley

When you’re in the business of building communities, you must ensure that the community you have behind you has the right values in place – and Clayco’s partner companies are the best of the best! Lamar Johnson Collaborative never ceases to amaze me with its incredible landscape architecture, planning and urban design, most recently with its work on the one-mile stretch of the Brickline Greenway in my hometown, St. Louis!

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October 13, 2021

October’s Featured Artist: McArthur Binion

So many people have become captivated by the minimalist abstract paintings of McArthur Binion, but he is also an inspiration for me and countless others with the ways he’s dedicated to serving as an educator and mentor and seeks to lift up the next generation of Black artists. Though he found success later on in his career, he’s proven that all artists have the incredible ability to use their voices and platforms to give others a chance to be recognized as well, and he’s a great example of an individual who believes in opening up opportunities for others to rise. Binion has been working as an artist since the early 1970’s. After moving from Macon, Mississippi with his family at age 4, he grew up in Detroit, Michigan with his 10 brothers and sisters. He later enrolled at Wayne State University to study creative writing and poetry, but eventually dropped out to move to New York City. While he was there, Binion paid a visit to the Museum of Modern Art as part of his job at a publication. He was moved by the work of abstract expressionist artists and re-enrolled in school to study drawing. He went on to become one of the first Black artists to graduate from Cranbrook Academy of Art’s distinguished MFA program.

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October 12, 2021

Clayco’s Growth in Phoenix

We’ve been hard at work recently on a lot of projects in Phoenix, including The Cubes at Glendale, Preflight Phoenix, and a new project with Scannell Properties that we broke ground on in April. It’s a rapidly expanding market that we’re really interested in contributing to, and it’s all part of our growth plan to build out our Southwest book of business in the coming months. We also just began construction on a new 26-story residential tower in downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row Arts District. Skye on 6th is scheduled to be completed in 2023, and it will feature 309 apartments, 6,500-square-feet of ground-level retail space, and a 78,000-square-foot parking garage with 201 spaces. With a wellness-focused design in accordance with LEED Silver certification standards, it’s going to be a terrific addition to the city.

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September 14, 2021

A Reimagined Convention Center for St. Louis

Over the years, St. Louis has missed a lot of great opportunities to revitalize its downtown neighborhoods. From losing out on railroads to Chicago to failing to merge the city with St. Louis County, so many things have happened throughout the city’s history that still prevent it from being as good as it can be. With renewed attention on reimagining the downtown convention center, I’m calling for a larger, more ambitious plan to be considered that would completely transform the city for the better. With additional funding opportunities coming from federal infrastructure spending, a potential settlement with the NFL, and additional state funds, we have a real chance to think bigger and put forth even better ideas for America’s Center, like my proposal to build a convention center that would boost business and better connect north city neighborhoods to downtown.

Adventure

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September 13, 2021

20 Years Since 9/11

It’s been 20 years since the terrorist attacks that took place in New York City on September 11th, 2001. On the anniversary of this unthinkable tragedy, we’re reminded of just how much everything has changed in the years since. We also set aside time to remember the heroes, victims, and their families whose lives were forever changed after that day. The events of 9/11 are some of the darkest in our country’s history, but they also showed us our resiliency, courage, and commitment to come together and help get each other through an incredibly difficult and uncertain time. Together with stories of loss, we saw and heard about acts of great bravery as first responders rushed into the falling buildings to save others. It was a life-changing event that also reminded us of the bold spirit of America that we each have a responsibility to support and uphold.

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September 11, 2021

The Importance of Labor Day

Summer really flew by this year because we never stopped working at Clayco and were busy throughout the entire season. However, Labor Day is an important time for all of us to pause and recognize the hard work, commitment, and service of our team members and generations of American workers and tradespeople who built our country and continue to shape its future. In addition to marking the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day encourages us to show our appreciation and support for the hard work of those who get up each and every day to make an impact. It’s a holiday that celebrates the strength of our country’s labor movement and especially the men and women in the construction sector who fortify the foundation of our communities for all of us.

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September 6, 2021

The Cubes at Country Club Hills

With all of the recent increase in demand for warehouse developments along with the rise of e-commerce, we’ve been hard at work on a lot of projects like The Cubes at Country Club Hills. It’s currently being developed by CRG and it’s our first industrial development in the Chicago market, but it’s also pushing the boundaries on another front. We’re putting a lot of emphasis on hiring minority and women-owned firms to help us build it and opening opportunities for historically underrepresented groups to participate. It directly relates to our efforts as part of Clayco Rising to recruit more diverse candidates onto our teams and further strengthen our partnerships with minority and women-owned subcontractors and suppliers. The model behind this project is one that we’re going to continue to implement and build on, and it’s another big step we’re taking to help increase inclusion and equality in the construction industry.

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September 2, 2021

Blue Origin and Amoako Boafo

Blue Origin just launched some stunning artwork painted by Amoako Boafo into space! Painted directly on the now-iconic New Shephard Rocket capsule, Boafo’s art is literally going to reach new heights in orbit, and it’s exciting to see his work used in such a unique way. Thursday’s launch was a moon landing navigation experiment, and Boafo painted directly on three of the capsule’s parachute panels. The artwork includes a self-portrait, along with depictions of his mother and a friend’s mother, in order to communicate just how powerful the bonds of motherhood are.

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August 31, 2021

August’s Architect of the Month: Adrian Smith

Adrian Smith is another architect with ties to Chicago that I admire, and he is the mind behind some of the most recognizable and enormous buildings in the world. He’s also the amazing architect who designed the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure in the United Arab Emirates. Smith’s towering skyscrapers have fundamentally changed skylines in cities across the globe, and all of them are real triumphs of design. Born in Chicago in 1944, Adrian Smith had an early interest in drawing that led his mother to suggest that he go on to study architecture. He started his schooling at Texas A&M University and finished his Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1969 while working at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Inspiration

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August 26, 2021

Uzun + Case

Uzun + Case has been a trusted collaborator on many of Clayco’s projects, and it’s a prime example of the kinds of firms that we like to work with. Since its founding in 1993 by Tamer Uzun, Jim Case, Martin Cuadra, and Larry McDowell, Uzun + Case has grown to become one of the largest structural engineering firms in the country, and its extensive portfolio of projects is a testament to its excellence and commitment. With offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina, Uzun + Case maintains a presence in two of the country’s key building markets and has worked on a wide variety of commercial, civic, and institutional buildings that are shaping cities for the future.

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August 22, 2021

Thank You to Clayco’s Teams

It’s been a tough year and a half for so many of us at Clayco, and we’ve been asked to deal with so many new challenges that could have very easily set us back as a business. But I can definitely say that it’s the dedication, talent, and unity of our teams that have allowed us to not only grow, but also succeed in all of the projects we’ve been working on since the start of the pandemic. There’s a lot of talk in the media right now about people quitting their jobs after being called back to in-person work environments. A lot of time has been spent covering the differences in productivity, teamwork, and communication that arise when companies move towards new hybrid models of working. I think so much of this kind of talk is unfounded, and we should call B.S. I’m glad to say that no one at Clayco has quit due to being called back to work together in person.

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August 17, 2021

Siebel Center for Design at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Of all the building projects we work on at Clayco, some of my favorites are the ones that we do for universities and higher education institutions, as they really make an impact on the lives of students and the next generation of leaders who will drive our future. We actually just completed construction on a great new project on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and it definitely fits into our mission to go “Beyond These Walls.”

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August 16, 2021

Unmanned Systems and New Tech in Construction

At Clayco, we’re always looking for new ways to innovate our build processes. A big part of this is seeking out partnerships and collaborators that will help us do our best work, and we’ve been actively looking into the ways that the drone industry could complement our own. One of the solution providers we’ve worked with on this front is Skycatch, and our good collaborative relationship with them was important to successfully gain FAA approval to fly the first drones over a construction site. We also worked with them to develop and analyze 3D scans of sites so we can compare them to the original model and plans, which has opened a lot of doors in modernizing our process.

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August 13, 2021

Illumination 2021: A Return to the Light

There’s no denying that 2020 was a dark year for all of us, but we still have a whole lot to look forward to. After a year of postponement, Illumination is coming back this fall on October 23rd, 2021. Held at the Vertiport Chicago Heliport, it’s going to be our largest and most experiential event to date, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been planning. Illumination 2021: A Return to the Light will be the 5th event we’ve hosted to help raise funds to find a cure for RVCL, a rare genetic disease that affects the central nervous system. Held annually around Halloween, it offers the opportunity for everyone to dress up in their best costumes and immerse themselves in an experience unlike any other.

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August 10, 2021

In Memory of Hung Liu

I was deeply saddened to learn that Hung Liu has passed away. She was a prolific Chinese-born American painter and an artist whose work captivated people around the world, and she leaves behind an incredible legacy that is sure to inspire fellow artists for generations to come. Born in Changchun, China in 1948, Liu immigrated to the United States in 1984, where her distinct style of using layered brushstrokes and linseed oil to give her work a dripping appearance became widely known and celebrated. She went on to produce a variety of great paintings, mixed media creations, and installations that captivated audiences with her unique vision and ability to humanize her chosen subjects that are often drawn from traditional Chinese painting and even pottery.

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August 8, 2021

Clayco Named One Of Fast Company’s 2021 Best Workplaces for Innovators

Clayco just made Fast Company’s 2021 list of Best Workplaces for Innovators, amongst other industry leaders such as Google, Gensler, and Oracle and this is an honor that we’re really proud of. Recognizing the leading organizations around the world that are empowering their employees to improve processes, create new products, or invent new ways of doing business, the annual list highlights the companies that have continued to excel by innovating during a period of so many challenges. We’re the only builder to make the list, and it shows that we are really the best at what we do. When I started Clayco, finding innovative ways to do business was at the core of the company’s foundation, and it still is after over 37 years. From the people we bring on to the projects we build, innovation defines our culture, our values, and our mission. We have found that our practice fosters innovation that goes beyond the bounds of tradition, and this is why we’ve been able to hire the best and brightest in the industry and create a culture where everyone can thrive.

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August 4, 2021

Washington University School of Medicine’s Ambulatory Cancer Care Center

We’re excited that after two years of planning, construction will finally begin on Washington University School of Medicine’s new Ambulatory Care Center. It’s going to consolidate nearly all outpatient cancer treatment in one building, which will allow patients to get more comprehensive care at a single location as opposed to visiting multiple locations in the current medical complex. As anyone who has experienced a serious illness like cancer knows, it’s so important for doctors and medical providers to do as much as possible to make the treatment process streamlined and comfortable for patients. The Ambulatory Care Center will help fulfill this promise and obligation. It’s a huge step forward in making cancer care a better experience for those who are undergoing treatment as well as their families who are there to support them.

Impact

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August 2, 2021

July’s Architect of the Month: Carlos Martinez

When I think of an architect who has made an impact on my life in a personal way, I’d say that Carols Martinez definitely holds that title. He’s a genuine and talented person who is deeply dedicated to his craft, and his passion for innovation is evident in the projects he has designed throughout his career as an architect. Carlos Martinez attended The Ohio State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1982. He then went on to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he graduated with a Master’s of Architecture in 1984. His professional career took off at Holabird & Root, and today, he’s been with the renowned architectural firm Gensler for over twenty years. Among his many accomplishments, he’s been inducted into the International Interior Design Association’s College of Fellows and he’s also a recipient of Gensler’s prestigious Don Brinkmann Award for design excellence.

Inspiration

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July 31, 2021

U.S. Logistics Fund II

CRG, Clayco’s development arm, recently launched its second U.S. Logistics Fund to help build even more projects within the industrial sector. It’s exciting on many fronts, and it has raised over $100 million already with goals to raise $300 million more.

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July 29, 2021

Canopy at Centene Park

Artist Liam Gillick designed the canopy at Centene Plaza in Clayton, Missouri, which makes use of the light-diffusing capabilities of glass to illuminate the walkway between two buildings in a new and captivating way. In addition to protecting walkers from the weather and elements overhead, the canopy was also designed to offer a visual distraction and encourage a moment of mindfulness apart from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant commercial center it’s located in. Using Vanceva® color interlayer technology, the canopy lights up the space beneath it in a dazzling array of bright, translucent colors. A passerby using the walkway for its utilitarian purpose also can take an opportunity to observe the canopy’s beauty and functionality, and it plays upon the concepts, similarities, and differences between utility and art.

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July 28, 2021

Chicago Committee on Design

It was great to be selected as a member of the Chicago Committee on Design. We recently had our inaugural meeting, and I’m glad that I was a part of it. The Chicago Committee on Design is made up of 24 local leaders and urban design professionals hand selected by Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development to work with Commissioner Maurice Cox on important development projects and urban design initiatives. Its main purpose is to offer expertise, guidance, and suggestions for DPD as well as the members of the project’s development team, and meetings are also open to the public for feedback and testimony. The Committee will advise the city and developers about innovative, attractive, and cost-effective elements with members who are leading architects, artists, academics, and real estate professionals.

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July 28, 2021

Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza

The Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza was designed by the renowned architect and artist Maya Lin to provide a special place of respite and refuge for employees, patients and other visitors to Washington University Medical Center that is a leading center of research on the front of rare disease. It’s design incorporates a harmonious blend of nature with an infinity fountain as a centerpiece. The plaza’s trees, grasses and wildflowers were specifically selected in collaboration with the Missouri Botanical Garden based on what’s present in a self-sustaining Missouri woodland habitat, and it’s a continually changing landscape that grows and develops over time.

Inspiration

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July 27, 2021

Clayco’s Interns

One of the most important things we try to do at Clayco is to build for the future. This means so much more than just construction projects, and we’re always looking to invest in the next generation of builders, planners, and thinkers. Interns form an integral part of the Clayco family, and we give them some of the best hands-on experience in the industry to prepare them for their careers. I recently welcomed some of our interns to my home, and it amazes me how talented, smart, and hardworking they are. They have a lot to look forward to, and I know they’re going to do great things.

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July 26, 2021

Broadway Chapter

Broadway Chapter in Fort Worth, Texas offered a special opportunity to work closely with the Near Southside community and its Art South program to offer a local emerging artist the chance to design a mural for the project’s facade. After receiving submissions from over 84 talented artists, Eric ‘Drigo’ Rodriguez was selected by the community as the winner. Drigo’s mural is titled “Cosmic Journey” and is a 5,000 square foot, five-story piece that speaks to the diversity and vibrancy of its surrounding community with its colorful imagery. Covering the southern facade of the parking garage, the mural is emblematic of a community-first approach to building and also building stronger bonds with people throughout the neighborhood. It was just unveiled in June and has added an entirely unique dimension to the project.

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July 26, 2021

Blue Origin’s Historic Launch

Today’s launch of Blue Origin’s first crewed mission is a first on so many fronts, and it was really exciting to watch. It also signals that we’ve entered into a whole new era in space exploration and travel. The mission’s success is sure to open a lot of new doors for even more people to get to experience what was once unthinkable and unimaginable not too long ago. From the start, I knew that Clayco’s work on the Blue Origin Engine Facility project would be so important to the manufacturing process of their rocket engines. Designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Blue Origin's Engine Plant in Huntsville, Alabama won Engineering News-Record's Best Manufacturing Project in the Southeast for 2020. This facility manufactures seven of the LNG fueled BE-4 rocket engines that provide nearly 4 million pounds of thrust to Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket.

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July 20, 2021

Your Boardroom Sets the Tone Op-Ed

I just wrote an op-ed article that’s featured in Crain’s Chicago Business on the topic of diversity in our boardrooms. It’s something that I really care a lot about, and I think other CEOs need to take a more active role in addressing the barriers that prevent many people from underrepresented backgrounds from becoming members of a company’s senior leadership team. For me, diversity is a core part of doing business and ensuring that everyone has an equal chance to succeed. We have a responsibility to elevate and support the people who work hard for us each day, and Clayco is proud to have a strong set of diversity initiatives that are some of the most groundbreaking and impactful in the construction industry. We set an example for others to follow, and it’s inseparable from who we are as a company.

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July 16, 2021

9th Annual Architizer A+ Awards

When we first built One Hundred Above The Park, we knew that it was going to make an impact with its cutting-edge leaf-shaped design and prime location at one of the most iconic spots in St. Louis. It was an ambitious and creative project that is also Green Globe certified, and it definitely pushes the boundaries of architecture in new and exciting ways. One Hundred was also just named a winner in the 9th Annual Architizer A+ Awards. Celebrating the year’s best buildings and spaces, the Architizer A+ Awards remind all of us in the industry and beyond just how impactful our built world is for our cities and communities.

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July 13, 2021

The Debra and George W. Couch III Biomedical Research Building

One of the most important causes that I support is the search for cures and therapies in the field of rare disease, and it’s part of the reason why I continue to be involved with the Board of Trustees at the University of Chicago Medical Center, the Central Institute for the Deaf, and the Scientific Advisory Council for the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. When Clayco was chosen to help design a new 6-story, 215,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art research lab facility for Washington University School of Medicine, we brought all of our planning and building expertise to the project and ultimately maximized its budget and scope, including adding an additional floor, an additional bay, lab convertibility, and floor-to-floor heights that contained the coordinated MEP systems without excess or costly plenum space.

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July 12, 2021

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

One of the recent books that captured my attention was Shoe Dog, and if you’re also interested in reading memoirs that you just can’t put down, then look no further. Written by Phil Knight, the creator of Nike, it traces the story behind the iconic brand that has impacted our culture in countless ways, and I found it to be a powerful account of the triumphs and pitfalls that can come with building your own business from the ground up.

Inspiration

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July 10, 2021

Todd Weaver — Mechanical Solutions

Todd Weaver is the CEO of Mechanical Solutions Inc., which is an outstanding Minority Business Enterprise headquartered out of St. Louis, Missouri. With a specialization in design/build, engineering, BIM Coordination, installation, and HVAC service, Mechanical Solutions has consistently delivered outstanding results for its clients since its founding in 2006. Throughout its 15-year history, Mechanical Solutions has been an innovator in the HVAC services industry. In 2013, Todd decided to take his company in a new direction, and the business model was changed from a plan & spec contractor to a full-service design-build mechanical contractor in order to keep up with the demand for MBE firms and compete in the wider industry.

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July 7, 2021

4th of July

Celebrating Independence Day is one of our country’s most cherished traditions. It’s a time to spend with friends and family, and also offers us a moment to pause and reflect on the ideas and values that gave birth to our nation. In the words of the wise former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt: “freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” These words can’t be more relevant today, and we each have a part to play in the obligation to protect the freedoms that we love.

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July 4, 2021

June's Featured Architect: Ralph Johnson

Ralph Johnson is an award-winning architect who has a deep understanding and appreciation of his hometown of Chicago. His work is instantly recognizable by many who know the city well, and he has added to a long and proud tradition of the Windy City setting new standards with its innovative architectural landscape. Born on the South Side of Chicago, Ralph Johnson was destined for a bright future in architecture, since he grew up right down the street from Frank Lloyd Wright’s infamous R.W. Evans House. He received his Bachelor of Architecture in 1971 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and he went on to receive his Master of Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1973. Johnson found that by entering numerous architectural competitions in the years after graduating, he began to develop his own personal approach to design and forge his own path. It would eventually take him back to Chicago to work for a firm he dreamed of being a part of. He joined Perkins&Will after coming back to his hometown, where he has worked ever since.

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June 30, 2021

Clayco Named ENR 2021 Midwest Contractor of the Year

It is a real honor to be recognized by ENR’s editors as Midwest Contractor of the Year, and it’s something that speaks to the hard work and commitment of our team members across the country who helped make this happen. Last year was a challenge for everyone and being able to come out on the other side stronger than before is something that I’m grateful for. When other companies were cautiously pulling back, we decided to spring forward into action. We made a lot of decisions to fight back against COVID-19, and we always went with what felt right and did so with the safety of our people in mind. From working with the Center for Disease Control to develop better guidelines to keep the construction industry working, to encouraging employees to get vaccinated and doing $3.8 billion in 2020 revenue, Clayco has proven that we can always get it done, no matter what.

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June 29, 2021

June's Featured Artist: Nathaniel Mary Quinn

Nathaniel Mary Quinn is an artist whose incredible work stays with you. Known for his captivating collage-like portraits, Quinn has created a distinct style that is a unique blend between mixed media drawings and paintings of fragmented figures that play with the viewer’s perception of identity. Quinn was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, where he grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes public housing project. It was here that he discovered an early passion for drawing, and when was in the ninth grade, he received a scholarship to study at Culver Academy boarding school in Indiana. While enrolled there, Quinn was told that his mother had passed away suddenly, and when returning home from school for Thanksgiving, he also found that the rest of his family had abandoned his childhood home with no explanation.

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June 26, 2021

Ride the Wave Continues

Yesterday we picked up our Ride the Wave tour in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. We visited several of our job sites across the metro area and it was great to see all of the progress being made on these ambitious projects. First, we stopped off at Project Millie, a 270,000 square-foot warehouse distribution center near the St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Next, we checked up on our Delmar Divine project, which is a renovation and reimagining of the former St. Luke’s Hospital campus that will transform a historic building into an innovative hub for social innovation and enterprise. Our final stop took us to Chesterfield, Missouri, where we visited Wildhorse Village. Once completed, it will be a brand new 80-acre urban center that includes cutting-edge offices, beautiful apartments, and natural public spaces.

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June 23, 2021

Juneteenth

As Founder and Chair of Clayco, I stand by our company’s commitment to advancing inclusion and opportunity for the Black-owned businesses and organizations in the communities in which we build. Juneteenth is an important time to reflect on what this means in the present moment as well as on the historic struggle of so many people who fought to secure freedom and equality. Now designated as a federal holiday, The Clayco Foundation and our Juneteenth Fund will celebrate Juneteenth this evening to honor this milestone in Black history and renew our commitment to spread its powerful message of hope. Tune in at 6 pm to watch the live stream of our event here.

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June 19, 2021

The Importance of Finding Your Core Values

When I was in junior high school, my principal, Mr. Graham, made a big push for all of us students to identify and develop our own set of values. Of course he gave some great examples to follow. The assignment stuck with me, and years later after getting married and starting a family, I made it a point to write down and remember some of the values that would become a guiding light for me through some tough challenges. They’re still the ones that hold true for me to this day, and I can’t stress enough how important it is for each of us to find what we value in life and do everything we can to remember and stick to those ideals. My values have shaped me into the person I am today, and I think it’s also important to constantly share your values with others.

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June 9, 2021

LGC’s Building an Inclusive Chicago Event

On Friday, I had the opportunity to join with Chicago’s Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development Samir Mayekar in an important conversation organized by Leadership Greater Chicago for its 2021 Daniel Burnham Fellows cohort. “Building an Inclusive Chicago Part 1: Race, Equity and Economic Development” focused on how we can all pitch in to make our city a more level playing field for every Chicagoan, and I was happy to be a part of it. During our conversation moderated by Maria Wynne, the CEO of LGC, we spoke in-depth about the ways that we can work together to help ensure an equitable reopening of Chicago and its core business district. As more and more people return to downtown offices after working remotely during most of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that we help build our city back stronger and more inclusive than before.

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June 7, 2021

Come Back to the Office Now!

There’s been a lot of talk in the news lately about how to best bring employees back to the office after over a year of working remotely. It’s a conversation that has changed a lot in recent months, with the vaccine becoming more widely available, proven methods of a safe workplace, and cities and towns lifting restrictions on everything from indoor dining and exercise classes to mask mandates and social distancing. While most of our competitors in the industry, especially on the design side, are working from home and have been for over a year, Clayco and our subsidiaries, Lamar Johnson Collaborative and Ventana, are fully back in the office, and we never left the field. In fact, we were busier than ever on job sites across the country, and we have been leaders in proving that you can work together in-person safely, even during the uncertainty of the pandemic.

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June 4, 2021

Wildhorse Village

In Chesterfield, Missouri, not too far from where I grew up, we’re currently hard at work on a massive multi-use development that’s going to be a complete transformation for the area. Serving as a brand-new urban center for the suburb, Wildhorse Village is going to offer 1 million square feet of office space, 150 for-sale residences, 500 apartments, and 100,000 square feet of retail space that spans across 80 acres of land. We’re delivering on this outstanding project through Clayco’s integrated services that leverage both CRG and Lamar Johnson Collaborative. Once completed, Wildhorse Village will include scenic lakefront locations for working, living, and playing and will include some amazing amenities like boardwalks, parks, an amphitheater, and a boathouse.

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June 3, 2021

May's Featured Architect: Frank Gehry

There are very few architects that are as widely celebrated and recognized today as Frank Gehry. Honestly, at this point, Frank stands alone at the top. A constant innovator, a disruptor of traditional practices, and a creative visionary, Frank has designed iconic buildings that are found all over the world, and each of them is more stunning and unique than the next. His works stand alone and are unaligned with any traditional styles, and he’s played a crucial role in shaping a whole new chapter of architecture and design. In addition to being known as a revolutionary, Frank is also famously known for being unapproachable and is often dubbed by people in the industry as being difficult to work with. In my personal experience spending some time with Frank a few years ago, I found the complete opposite to be true.

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May 30, 2021

ENR Midwest’s 2021 Contractor of the Year

Clayco has just been recognized by Engineering News-Record Midwest as the 2021 Contractor of the Year, and it means a lot to me that we’re being honored after a year that was full of countless challenges and setbacks. One of the things we always stay true to at Clayco is our commitment to safety and putting our people before everything we do. In the wake of the pandemic, we extended that commitment even further than before, and we assumed a leadership role by showing other companies how to do things right to keep their team members safe and engaged.

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May 27, 2021

Supporting Alderman Burnett at Fulton East

As the first next-generation office building in the nation, Fulton East is built for the future. In addition to 85,000 square feet of floor-to-ceiling glass skyspace, this groundbreaking project includes health protection measures, like a hands-free elevator system, plasma disinfection technology, and touch-free secure access systems. My favorite feature of Fulton East is its amenity deck that includes 2,925 square feet of vegetated space and reflective roofing that earned the building LEED certification for reducing the project’s urban heat island effect. There was no better place to host a fundraising event for Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. who currently represents Chicago’s 27th ward. For 26 years, Alderman Burnett, Jr. has been a great advocate for the communities he serves, and he’s a leader who has shaped Chicago in many ways.

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May 26, 2021

PayneCrest

David Payne is an electrical engineer and the CEO of PayneCrest, an award-winning electrical contractor company that handles highly complex electrical and communications projects for commercial and industrial customers nationwide. David acquired PayneCrest around the same time that I started Clayco and has successfully grown his company to what it is today, weathering many of the storms in the industry over the past 35 years. He was even named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. Like Clayco, PayneCrest has strong ties to the St. Louis community while continuing to grow its presence nationally. We have worked with PayneCrest on important projects like the Washington University School of Medicine Mid Campus Center, and more recently we worked together on Pfizer’s Research and Development Facility. Their expertise in electrical service distribution has helped us build stronger foundations for our buildings and delivered some outstanding results. They take on projects that span industries and consistently help solve challenges with their engineering capabilities.

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May 24, 2021

Midwest Testing

Rich Laughlin is the current President of Midwest Testing, a full-service geotechnical, environmental, and materials engineering consulting firm that provides a wide variety of services, including field exploration, laboratory testing, engineering analysis, and construction observation. Headquartered in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, Midwest Testing was founded in 1985. Ever since, it has provided creative solutions for its clients while also offering the best and most accurate testing services possible. Midwest Testing’s state-of-the-art lab maintains the highest standard of testing for oil, concrete, asphalt and other materials used in the construction industry.

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May 24, 2021

Recent Feature: ENR’s Critical Path Podcast

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with Jeff Yoders and Aileen Cho for ENR’s Critical Path Podcast. It has always been one of my favorites to listen to, and it’s a great platform for industry experts to share their knowledge and views on everything that’s happening in construction. During the Exec Talk, we spoke about a wide range of topics, including the terrific response I’ve received from the Ride the Wave tour, the many ways Clayco has adapted during the pandemic to keep our team members safe, and how important I think it is to get everyone back in the office. I also shared some of my thoughts on OSHA’s vaccine guidelines, current trends in the economy, and how far we still have to go to improve employee diversity in the construction industry.

Adventure

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May 19, 2021

McCormick Distribution Center

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that good food brings people together. Any family chef knows just how important different spices are to bringing out the flavors of all kinds of dishes.

Business

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Inspiration

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May 14, 2021