Forty years ago today, on July 27, 1984, I started Clayco.
It began with my love of architecture and art and my fascination with cranes and building projects, which my father would take me to when I was young.
My dad, Harold Clark, had a very successful industrial painting company. He also grew up learning from the school of hard knocks. Like me, he didn't go to college and loved people. He loved his customers, often making them his best friends, and worked hard never to disappoint them.
My dad was a great mentor, especially when I started the company. Although he wasn't an investor or partner, he instilled in me the three key components we still live by today: Hire the best and brightest people - empower your team to have a say, give them ownership in the profits, and allow them to help shape the company strategy. Secondly, follow The Golden Rule - treat people the way you want to be treated and always pay your bills on time. My dad had a special knack for treating everyone he met exactly the same, whether they were one of his painters or the President of the United States. He did not differentiate, and this philosophy is where the heart of our intense focus on the safety of everyone on our job sites comes from. Because, of course, that's how we would want to be treated. Finally, if you really have the best people and amazing relationships created through trust and even friendship, you should be selective about where you apply your craft.
Who would've thought the company would have so many team members today? The best and brightest minds and personalities our clients have come to trust are a key part of our team. They help solve our clients' most critical problems.
We know that when a client selects Clayco, it is a career decision. Usually, their business depends on the success of the projects we are committed to delivering.
Along the way, we have found our footing as a diverse, inclusive, and community-focused partner for everyone in North America. Beyond These Walls is not just a tagline. It's the very essence of the company, defining what happens inside our buildings as more important than the bricks and order. The lives we save with our safety practices, the breakthrough research we fund, and the data centers we build that house computer servers for our iPhones are concrete examples of the impact we make on a daily basis. We are literally touching everyone.
There are so many things that I'm proud of that I can't encapsulate in a short post, so I'll boil it all down to the one thing I am the most grateful for...ALL of my team members.
I am so grateful to have the people I do on my team that I never want to leave.
With all my love, admiration, and appreciation, thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey. Hurry up every chance you get!
