After numerous winning projects in the healthcare manufacturing, infrastructure and construction sectors last year, Chicago-based Clayco plans to continue expand its operations in St. Louis.
The construction company originally moved out of the city more than a decade ago, moving its headquarters to Chicago in 2013. Since then, the company has begun growing its footprint back in the Gateway the West
Clayco recently consolidated its two Missouri offices into a single central location last year in the St. Louis. The renovated facility in Berkeley, Missouri, will accommodate more than 1,000 employees, as the company expects to add at least 400 additional team members in the coming years, according to Clayco.
In addition to this move, the construction company hired Elizabeth Zucker, former furniture industry executive as president of the region. In this new role, Zucker will oversee all aspects of local operations, including business development, marketing and sales.
Zucker, a native of St. Louis, previously served as CEO of Interior Investments, an office furniture and accessories manufacturing company based in Lincolnshire, Illinois, where she oversaw talent development, operations and market growth.
Prior to that, he held several leadership roles at Herman Miller, the Zeeland, Mich.-based office furniture maker, helping to close some of the largest office furniture deals in the country, according to the communicated She credits Bob Clark, founder and executive chairman of Clayco, as her motivation to pivot to a career in construction.
Here, Zucker talks to Construction Dive about the expansion of the St. Louis and key areas of focus for Clayco.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Construction Immersion: How did your transition from the furniture business to the construction industry play out?
ELIZABETH ZUCKER: Furniture layout and construction have some overlap. In addition to my previous role providing modular construction and motorized shutters that made me a subcontractor to many general contractors, I had the pleasure of serving on the board of advisors for Tarlton Corp., a prominent family-owned construction company in St. Louis. for almost two years.
Elizabeth Zucker
Permission granted by Clayco
In terms of overlapping skills, business development and community-focused initiatives are very similar, but the biggest overlap is talent. Both businesses are about people.
Having the brightest and the best is by far the most important factor for success. Clayco’s focus on talent is unprecedented and I couldn’t be more proud to contribute to what is already great.
What is fueling Clayco’s growth anticipation in the St. Louis?
St. Louis is a truly special place and our current employees love it. It has a lower cost of living and there is a great sense of community.
By investing in more employees in St. Louis, not only do we feel we can attract the right kind of talent to Clayco, but we believe this momentum will help attract new businesses to the area which will of course benefit Clayco on the construction side.
What are the main areas of focus for the Clayco office in St. Louis?
I think [advanced manufacturing] remains a good target for the office of St. Louis, but I also think it would add a focus on higher education, healthcare, multifamily and mixed use. Of course, Clayco’s bread and butter is industrial, advanced manufacturing, and critical construction. I think those are really three areas where Clayco has been most successful in the last few years.
What are your main goals in your new role as president of the St. Louis?
I plan to go far beyond construction and architecture and truly be an ambassador for the entire region. I want to work on civic projects and economic development for the whole community. I’ll continue to the boards, like the ones I’m already on—Arch Grants is one—that’s really tied to the socioeconomic growth of the St. Louis market. Louis.
For Clayco to grow, St. Louis needs to grow and become a better business community. Part of that is making big, bold moves to help bring our city and county together.
Some of the challenges we have specifically in St. Louis: If you Google St. Louis and read, the first thing that will probably pop up is the crime rate. And part of that is because the city and county are separate. This is unusual for a metropolitan statistical area like St. Louis and we need to change the narrative so that St. Louis, from the outside, looks as attractive as from the inside.
What are the headwinds you are watching for this year and what is the plan to overcome them?
There are great institutional projects in St. Louis on the horizon, but I think in order for them to succeed, we really need to take a strategic look at the strengths and weaknesses of St. Louis.
The lack of a united government is a big problem for us. People don’t feel safe here and to be successful, we have to get those obstacles out of the way. That is why there is also an emphasis on strategic planning for the whole community and not just building buildings, or collecting architectural design projects in this market.
There are so many amazing universities here. We have great education, we have sports, we have pockets of entertainment. We also have very successful urban planning and a low cost of living. But there are some changes that need to happen.
And Bob Clark, founder and executive chairman of Clayco, and I are really committed to gathering information and meeting people and providing real leadership and a strategic plan to make a difference in St. Louis, which will ultimately make the difference for Clayco.
