Thoughts and Guidance for Building a Business

Deanna Kuhlmann-Leavitt was a big part of shaping Clayco’s brand. She’s always been a designer—and now she’s starting something new with her husband, Rob Leavitt: Pershing Works, Inc. while continuing to lead Kuhlmann Leavitt, Inc., their design studio in St. Louis.

July 11, 2025

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.

June 27, 2025

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

Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Missouri S&T

June 1, 2025

The Inspirational Jeff Groom, A Cowboy Forever

It’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our dear friend and favorite cowboy, Jeff Groom. A fifth-generation native of the Roaring Fork Valley

April 29, 2025

The Future of STL at Cardinal Ritter College Prep

The future of St. Louis is HERE! We had a very inspiring visit to Cardinal Ritter College Prep in the city last week.

April 7, 2025

Uncle Ken: My Mentor & Founder of St Louis Bread Company

Ken Rosenthal, friend and mentor to me and many others: born 4-11-1942 and passed peacefully on 2-14-2025, will be remembered fondly.

February 17, 2025

Russ Burns: A Whole Bunch of Something

When I think about the incredible journey of Clayco, one name stands out—Russ Burns. His ability to turn ambitious ideas into reality, lead with compassion, and bring out the best in people has shaped this company in ways I’ll forever be grateful for.

December 30, 2024

Remembering My Father's WWII Service

Born in a log cabin near Ellington, Missouri and moved to South St. Louis City during the depression, my father, Harold Clark, was a ne'er do well.

November 11, 2024

A Heartfelt Farewell to Our Esteemed Retirees

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!

May 29, 2024

The Extraordinary Bill Clark

I was probably closer and more aligned with my Uncle Bill than any other person in my family. I cherished every second I spent with him, and I have more memories of taking advice from him than even my dad.

March 13, 2024

Mentors Have Been My Secret Weapon!

Developing a mentor-mentee relationship is a two-way street with lots of give-and-take. I’d like to think my mentors also took away something from the experience too.

March 5, 2024

Incredible Progress with International Mentoring Program

Check out the magic of meaningful mentorship! What a terrific holiday celebration and commemoration of reaching 540 members of the International Mentoring Program | St. Louis! Creating the world that we want to live in is our responsibility – and this goes far beyond constructing buildings. This program is a shining example of all the great work that can be done when dedicated people channel resources into underserved communities.

December 26, 2023

My Friend & Mentor: The Exceptional Maxine Clark

Our society is filled with compassionate people who work daily to bridge the gap communities face with accessing wealth, resources, and opportunities. While the movement toward equality continues to gain momentum, leaders and advocates must unite and do the groundwork necessary to implement sustainable change. One of these exceptional people, who is also my June Inspiration of the Month, is my good friend Maxine Clark. Maxine is the Founder and Former Chief Executive Officer at Build-A-Bear Workshop, and her long-standing career demonstrates record successes in retail innovation and building stakeholder value. She recently received the Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in recognition of her successful mission to continuously practice the “Golden Rule” and inspire children's imaginations everywhere. Her honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington University in St. Louis is another representation of the dedication she pours into everything she does to enhance society. Maxine is a pivotal member of the St. Louis community and teaches the youth that if your bank account is full, but your heart is empty, you will not live life to the fullest. She suggests that one of the ways to live the most fulfilling life is to convert passions into actionable plans and turn ideas into modern business realities.

June 15, 2023

Supporting Women in Construction and Beyond

At Clayco, our culture is focused on going beyond our walls to invest in the individuals on our team and the communities we impact. The White House announced Women’s Equality Day on August 26th, which was the perfect time to recognize the incredible women that make up our societies and deserve equity, respect, and inclusion. To commemorate this day, I had the amazing opportunity to discuss topics that focused on women and opportunities at Clayco with Clayco NOW (Network of Women) in a Moderated Panel Discussion with over 320 people. There were a lot of great takeaways from the panel, such as the importance of staying committed to goals and achieving them through effective plans. Netta Jenkins, a Global Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, was also a featured guest speaker and shared her experience and knowledge on the importance of DEI initiatives and innovation. Our panel speakers also spoke about the importance of having a voice, asking for what you want, and supporting others along the way.

August 26, 2022

Mentorship, Empowerment, and Leadership Development

Building the world that we want to live in is our responsibility, and this goes beyond just constructing buildings. If we only focus on creating opportunities for ourselves alone, the industry and the community suffer, which in turn limits the potential for everybody. Clayco is in the fortunate position to have the resources and brain power to invest back into the community and I am personally energized by our work for the business community beyond our walls.

September 22, 2020

Business Lessons From Climbing Capitol Peak

When I stepped past my comfort zone this September and summited Capitol Peak in Colorado, a dream of mine for many years, I realized that the skills I needed during the climb and the emotions I felt when topping out have often helped me in business. Capitol Peak is the most difficult/dangerous of the 14ers -- a group of 54 mountains in Colorado that are over 14,000 feet, and believe me, it’s not for the faint of heart. A number of people have had serious injuries or lost their lives attempting this climb.

September 6, 2020