Bob Clark Beyond: Impact

latest impact posts

Clayco Recognizes Construction Inclusion Week

Within Our Walls Construction Inclusion Week is the perfect time to acknowledge Clayco’s commitment to building awareness around the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. Our team has committed to these initiatives through Clayco Rising and beyond, aiming to create meaningful change from the ground up and build equitable opportunities and relationships through our partners, minority youth mentorships, charitable foundation, community engagement, and so much more.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th and honors the incredible Hispanic Americans who have contributed to building the foundation of the U.S. It’s an important time to understand and appreciate the culture of our Hispanic friends, family, and colleagues who, as of 2021, make up the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority at 62.6 million of the U.S. population. In the construction industry alone, Latino Americans make up over a third of the workers and are projected to account for 78% of net new workers between 2020 and 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Kids Dig Sparks Interest in World of Building

Clayco hosted our first-ever Kids Dig in Chicago! This incredible event offered the patients of Lurie Children's Hospital and their families the opportunity to explore construction in a fun and interactive way! Over 100 kids joined throughout the day at one of Clayco’s active job sites, 170 N. Green St. in Fulton Market, and had the chance to work with rollers, bulldozers, excavators, and telehandlers in a giant sandbox – all with supervised assistance of course (because safety is Clayco’s #1 priority). Aside from being able to sit on and operate the machinery, the children were also able to learn more about construction and what is done each day on a job site. This unique fundraiser promotes wellness for the children while sparking their imagination and interest in the world of building.

Developing Careers and Communities through CCDI

Clayco always does outstanding work through our Construction Career Development Initiative (CCDI). CCDI positively impacts local communities in St. Louis, Chicago, and beyond by bringing diversity to the design and construction industry. The program focuses on student workforce development, soft-skill and career preparation, hands-on learning projects, and more. One of our main goals is to connect youth in underserved communities with career opportunities that range from professional trades to college degree programs.

Supporting UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars

The Clayco family is humbled to continue our support to The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars program with $200,000 on behalf of The Clayco Foundation. Our donation began in 2021 and will benefit the amazing scholars participating in the program until 2024. The program brings together an interdisciplinary group of students and empowers them with the knowledge, skills, networks, and perspectives they need to tackle obstacles and challenges in their communities. Clayco always strives to provide equal opportunity to people from all walks of life. Our foundation is happy to assist this incredible joint initiative of the Obama Foundation and three schools at the University of Chicago – the Booth School of Business, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, and the Harris School of Public Policy. The UChicago Obama Scholars will supplement their studies with innovative co-curricular programming, engaging with partners on Chicago’s South Side, and using their experiences to advance social change.

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.

Impact

The key choices we make in this life

Some of the key choices that we get to make in this life are the things we prioritize, both with our finances and with our energy and efforts.

Over the course of my life, my priorities have shifted immensely, and I now spend a large amount of my time focusing on the work that our foundation is doing, as well as being engaged in impactful community efforts. The majority of the work that we are a part of is aimed at issues directly affecting my family and the Clayco community.