St. Louis County Library CEO Kristen Sorth to Retire, Join Clayco as Vice President, Civic and Social Impact
After 28 years at the library, Sorth will lead Clayco’s philanthropy and community impact work
ST. LOUIS — October 22, 2026 — Kristen Sorth, CEO and Director of St. Louis County Library, will retire from the library in late 2026 and join Clayco as Vice President, Civic and Social Impact in January 2027.
At Clayco, Sorth will lead the Office of Civic and Social Impact & Giving, which oversees civic and social impact work across the Clayco enterprise and the Clayco Foundation. She will advise the company’s executive leadership on philanthropic and impact initiatives anchored in Clayco’s five mission pillars: art, science, education, economic development and democracy.
“Kristen understands that strong communities are built by listening, bringing people together and investing in what matters, said Bob Clark, Founder and Executive Chairman of Clayco. “Throughout her 28-year library career, she helped transform one of St. Louis’ most important public institutions, raised millions for important causes, and earned the trust of people across business, civic and nonprofit life. As Clayco continues to grow, we have a responsibility to give back to the communities where we live and work. Kristen is the right person to help us make that impact.”
“Working for St. Louis County Library has been such a gift,” said Sorth. “I’ve grown up there, and I’ve seen firsthand what community building can do. My 28 years seeing the impact of community building have led me to this moment. At Clayco, I’ll use what I’ve learned to create impact through a philanthropic lens, anchored in art, science, education, economic development and democracy. These are causes I’ve championed my entire career, and this library will always be the source of my inspiration as I do so in a different way.”
Sorth joined St. Louis County Library in 1998, leading human resources and later administration before being named CEO and Director in 2013 – the first woman to hold the role. She transformed the library from a system focused on circulation into a community-centered organization serving nearly 1 million residents across 524 square miles. She led Your Library Renewed, a 10-year, $140 million capital program that renovated or replaced 21 library facilities, and built partnerships with Operation Food Search, the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, BJC, Greater St. Louis Inc. and Aging Ahead and brought meals, social workers, legal clinics and technology into library branches. She has personally raised millions of dollars for the St. Louis County Library Foundation.
Under her leadership, the library received the National Medal for Museum and Library Services and the Jerry Kline Community Impact Award from Library Journal, and was named Missouri Library of the Year in 2022.
Sorth’s recent recognitions include the St. Louis Magazine’s Visionary Award, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Salute to Women in Leadership, the St. Louis Forum Trailblazer Award, and the Community Changemaker Award from Focus St. Louis. She serves on the St. Louis Sports Commission, is an Ambassador and serves on the Chair’s Council for Greater St. Louis Inc., serves on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and the Kathy J. Weinman Shelter, and is an adjunct professor of practice at the University of Missouri’s Truman School of Government and Public Affairs.
About Clayco
Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering and construction firm that delivers the highest quality solutions for clients across North America. With $8.1 billion in revenue in 2025, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast-track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment projects. Learn more at claycorp.com.