Master Grower Ron Mitchell Joins Clayco
Controlled Environment Agriculture expert joins design-build leader Clayco to help drive the company’s growth as a fully integrated design-build solution reshaping indoor agriculture.
ST. LOUIS – SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 – To support its continuing expansion in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) space, national design-build and construction company Clayco has hired Ron Mitchell as Director of Controlled Environment Agriculture. Ron will be applying his vast horticultural expertise to all Clayco’s CEA projects. As part of Clayco’s Food and Beverage team, he will advise project teams and cultivate relationships with growers.
“I’m excited to support Clayco in its mission to organize the engineering and procurement process to adapt to each grower’s unique objectives. I will be the liaison between biology and engineering. My experience lends increased understanding of agriculture, plant health, and the growing process. This will further reduce project risk and offer truly integrated, comprehensive solutions for success at first yield,” said Ron Mitchell. “We have a talented and diverse team who will be leading the way as the industry evolves. What we are doing here goes beyond building buildings – we are a part of a food production revolution. It’s about cooperation, not competition, and Clayco is focused on helping talented growers reach their full potential.”
“We are thrilled to have Ron join our team,” said Anthony Johnson, President & Shareholder and Industrial Business Unit Leader. “Safety and speed are our specialties, and growers need to move quickly to solve the world’s food supply chain issues. Clayco’s integrated approach and ability to provide services across design, engineering, and construction is a game changer for this industry.”
Ron Jones, Senior Principal, Clayco also added, “Ron’s expertise in the industry will help ensure that our projects are in line with CEA specific standards, best practices, and technology, especially in an industry that is rapidly growing.. Ron embraces innovation and alternative project delivery methods, and his extensive industry knowledge enables him to provide valuable insights during all stages of a CAPEX project.”
Clayco is involved in CEA projects with a capex value over $2 Billion and has been involved with nearly 150 acres of CEA space over the past two years alone, including multiple national multi-site programs in the vertical grow and greenhouse space.
Ron started his indoor farming career working at the UC Berkeley field office greenhouse with Professor Paul Droll, the father of modern hydroponics. Throughout his career Ron has founded numerous vertical farms, in places as diverse as Hawaii and West Africa. He has worked as a respected consultant in the CEA industry. Most recently he was the Master Grower and Director of Grow Operations at OnePointOne, Inc, a vertical farm startup.
About Clayco
Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $4.9 billion in revenue for 2021, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional and residential related building projects. For more information visit www.claycorp.com.