This year it’s December 18, 2023.My belief is the single greatest act of kindness I can accomplish is to have an incredibly detailed written process ready to go in the event of my untimely death.Yes, it’s kind of morbid, and difficult to think through, yet I’ve been doing it for 15 years ― every single year in either November or December ― after which it’s randomly announced to my team close to the day of my supposed demise.My death would be unusually complicated in comparison with most people’s. I’m the Executive Chairman at one of the largest construction companies in the United States, and we also operate a real estate development business with fund management, multiple special purpose entities and hundreds of partners. There are also multiple foundations and charitable commitments to consider, as well as an extended family with four married children, nine grandchildren and one on the way. Friends and legacy partners and my late wife Ellen’s family and Jane’s family are high on the list of my responsibilities. I’m still engaged in multiple outside organizations as well, although I’ve stepped back from a good number of outside interests to focus on my personal foundation for a while. Ellen may no longer be with us physically, but she remains with us in spirit. We met in junior high school and a lot of people know that the first time I saw her I decided I was going to marry her. It wasn’t as simple as that, but we did in fact get married when we were 25 years old and were married for 25 years before she passed to the heavens from a genetic disease. She was an amazing human being, and is still remembered very fondly by everyone who knew her. The idea of a mock death first occurred to me a couple of years after Ellen was diagnosed with a terminal genetic disease. Two years after that I concluded that we already had a pretty complicated estate, and we didn’t have a very good plan. We decided to create a scenario where I died, just to see where all the chips would fall. I didn’t like what I learned and where I saw the chips rolling and sliding off the table. Since then, I’ve completed this exercise every year and sleep better and feel like a kinder human being as a result. At the same time, I’ve had many friends who, sadly, have passed away during that time frame. My CFO was hit and killed by a car while training for a marathon before the Great Recession, and it turned out he had an unsigned estate plan sitting toward the back of his desk. Another of my partners, a CPA by training, also died without a plan and with his family unaware of the complexity of his estate. I have many friends whose spouses don’t know where the important papers are, are in the dark about where the money comes from or how it goes out, and don’t even know how to pay their own bills at home.
There is no better way to close out the year than with a great group of people dedicated to making the world a better place. Clayco had an amazing board of advisors meeting in St. Louis at Delmar DivINe – a centerpiece for advancement that houses nonprofit organizations, sponsors innovative programs, and provides affordable housing for young professionals and social leaders. I always enjoy catching up with Maxine Clark, who is the mastermind behind the Delmar DivINe project and a fantastic friend. Seeing Maxine’s vision come to life is truly remarkable. Clayco is so proud to have been a partner in this pivotal endeavor that is turning the tide of history by reimagining life for St. Louis residents and beyond.
Talk about an innovative meeting of the minds! The DealBook Summit in New York showcased leaders in politics, business, tech, sports, and entertainment to examine some of the world’s most crucial concepts. I watched every single discussion led by Founder and Editor of DealBook, Ross Sorkin, and I feel inspired and more educated because of it.
Libraries aren't just quiet spots to read; they are vibrant places for people to gather and connect. I had the chance to tour the Clark Family Branch of the St. Louis County library system with Jane. The two-story, 74,000-square-foot development is coming along amazingly well! St. Louis County Library’s original headquarters needed greater efficiencies and infrastructure to support the evolution of its patrons – so we decided to do something about it. The Clark family was humbled to donate $6 million to the new HQ and towards educational programming to further the library’s mission. Clayco’s partner company, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, is designing the modern and spacious building into a powerhouse destination for employees, students, families, and authors.
I think of the unlikely and extraordinary success we have had in both the Clark family and at Clayco in a series of notable moments. Seminal moments. Starting Clayco in 1984 with basically no experience and no capital, with only a pickup truck and willpower, we began doing simple interior finish projects: carpet, painting, drywall, and doors. That led to an account at Mercantile Bank doing the same work. A lucky break came in meeting the bank’s VP of facilities, John Ward, and eventually the bank’s chairman, Don Lasater. I got an even bigger break building multiple banks for Mercantile when I was partnered with a well-known, local St. Louis architect, Robert (Bob) Boland.
I am deeply saddened to hear that my colleague from The University of Chicago, Jim Crown, passed away on his birthday yesterday following a motorsport accident. Jim was an unbelievable business and philanthropic icon, and his commitment to improving the lives of others had a direct impact on his hometown of Chicago and beyond. Jim served in various leadership roles, including Chairman Emeritus of the Aspen Institute Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the Civic Committee's Public Safety Task Force. He was also a member of the Intelligence Advisory Board to the Obama Whitehouse, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
I can’t describe the powerful emotion I felt at this moment, for everything lost and gained in my whole life. It was a spiritual experience, from my heart.
Ever since I read the stories of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, I’ve looked at all of my life as an adventure. Listening and learning from my father was amazing story in history over the course of 40 years taught me that adventure was in my DNA at conception.
I’ve always been able to keep calm and have a level head and every situation I can remember. The only exception of this rule is that I don’t believe a person should not panic if they’re drowning. I would definitely drown panicking.
Beyond that all of life’s twists and turns good and bad ecstatic or heartbroken all add up to the different color crayons in your crayon box. That was a quote from my dad upon hearing some shocking news about my own colorful life.