a snowy mountain tops with a meteor in the sky

Rising into the Unknown

Life is a journey, let’s chase the summits and relish the adventure all along the way.

latest adventure posts

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Labor Day is marked as the unofficial end of summer and a day to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It’s a holiday celebrating the ongoing strength of our country’s labor movement and the committed individuals who lead it. Generations of American workers built our country and started to clear the pathway toward progress and innovation for our society and world. Today, take a moment and show support for the incredible people who continue to build our nation’s future and positively impact our communities.

White House Signing: The Chips and Science Act

I am honored to have visited the White House and witnessed President Joe Biden sign a bipartisan bill into law that will invest billions of dollars into U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research. The Chips and Science Act will authorize $200 billion over the next decade to increase America’s efforts to be more competitive with China and aims to improve shortages on everything from vehicles, to weapons, to household appliances. President Biden said that the bill will “supercharge our efforts to make semiconductors here in America” and is a matter of necessity for the U.S. economy and national security. I also agree that it will help to alleviate some of the international supply chain issues, improve global competitiveness, decrease inflation, create new factory jobs, and help with a lack of access to previously outsourced materials.

Blue Origin Embarks on 6th Space Tourism Mission

Blue Origin successfully completed its sixth human spaceflight and the 22nd flight for the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included: Coby Cotton, Mário Ferreira, Vanessa O'Brien, Clint Kelly III, Sara Sabry, and Steve Young. It was exciting to see it LIVE!

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.

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.

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.

ADVENTURE

Building Buttercup

a fence in a field with trees in the background

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.

ADVENTURE

Climbing Capitol Peak

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Adventure

Adventure is in my DNA

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.