LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT: Jamie Richardson, DBIA, Named President and CEO at Dant Clayton
Richardson “Lives and Breathes” Dant Clayton Values
When naming Jamie Richardson as Dant Clayton’s new CEO and President, Bruce Merrick said the single most important consideration was appointing someone who would place the company’s values at the center of how they would run the organization.
The Big 5: Jamie’s Outlook on the Future
1. Championing the Next Generation
“One of the areas I’m most excited about is growing Dant Clayton’s next generation of leaders. Our people are extremely talented, and we want to continue growing the brightest minds in the industry. This will continue to differentiate us from other sports construction companies.”
2. Large and Complicated Stadia Projects
“There’s a large number of stadia projects planned over the next five to ten years and I’m excited to tackle more of the complicated ones on that list. When you look at the work we’ve done for Oklahoma State University (Boone Pickens Stadium), Kansas City Current (CPKC Stadium), and Rhode Island FC (Centreville Stadium) – all extremely complex projects – we just keep getting better in this space.”
3. Curiosity and Learning from Others Outside of Dant Clayton
Jamie has been a member of the Young Professionals Organization’s Construction Peer Group.
“It’s given me the opportunity to learn from others in the group, including general contractors and construction managers. We share best practices and perspectives on how to best work through challenges. It’s been invaluable and allows me to bring these learnings back to Dant Clayton.”
4. Continuous Improvement, AI and Innovation
“We’re drinking the Kool-Aid on technology and how we can make the day-to-day more efficient. Our team is exploring the power of artificial intelligence to work smarter and serve our customers better. By leveraging AI to improve efficiency, enhance accuracy, and streamline processes across our business, we’re creating more capacity for what matters most — delivering quality solutions, responsive service, and exceptional experiences for our customers.
5. Upping Our Game on How We Add Value to Customers
With Dant Clayton’s railing division, Tuttle, the company offers both seating and railing under one scope. This helps to prevent a common challenge of mismatched spacing requirements between stadia and railing systems.
A Lifetime of Sports
Like many of us in this industry, Jamie developed a love for sports at a young age.
“I guess you could say I’m a bit of a sports nut, so my tenure here at Dant Clayton isn’t an accident. I played baseball and my parents owned a sporting goods store where we would hang out. They made trophies and silk-screened jerseys. Now my daughters are into sports. They play softball and participate on cheer teams, so we’re always at a sports facility of some sort.”
Looking Ahead
As Jamie steps into this next chapter of leadership, his focus remains firmly on what has made Dant Clayton successful — our people, our values, our customers, and a willingness to keep evolving. With an eye toward developing the next generation of leaders, embracing innovation, tackling increasingly complex projects, and finding new ways to deliver value, the path forward is clear: build on a strong foundation while continuing to take Dant Clayton — and our customers — to