Name: Jon Clay.
How old are you? 32
Where do you live? Loudon
Where do you currently work? I am the development director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Concord.
Where did you go to school? I graduated from Colby Sawyer College in 2004 with my Bachelor’s in sports management.
What do you like to do for fun? I enjoy camping, fishing, golf, hiking and just about anything else outdoors.
Favorite places to be? It is tough to get any better than sitting by a campfire with family and friends.
How did you find out about CYPN and how has it benefitted your business or you personally? I started attending Business After Hours a few years ago and quickly realized how beneficial they were both personally and professionally. Each month, while I was socializing with the crowd, I kept hearing about the Concord Young Professional Network. I was quickly convinced to attend one of the events and discovered a whole new network of people that I did not know very well. My first event was great because everybody was so welcoming and, if I remember correctly, Jessica Fogg and Amy Currie introduced me to just about everybody in the room. Since then, I have tried to attend as many CYPN events as possible because you never know who you are going to see or meet.
What organizations are you involved with? I work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Concord. I am also a member of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce.
Most inspirational person in your life: It is tough to pick one person who inspires me more than anybody else because inspiration can come in so many ways. Seeing Mike Cashion simply paying for somebody’s coffee out of the kindness of his heart or watching Jessica Fogg give 200 percent for every organization that she is involved with are just two examples of seeing great people do extraordinary things.
Greatest role model? Growing up in North Carolina made me a huge fan of UNC, Duke and NC State basketball. Jimmy Valvano (NC State head coach during the 80s) had an impact on me like nobody else. If you are yet to see his 1993 ESPYS speech (given eight weeks before he passed away of cancer) then I challenge you to find it and watch. “Powerful” does not describe it enough!
What’s your favorite restaurant in Concord? There are way too many great restaurants in Concord for me to pick a favorite. The annual Taste of Concord that’s held in the fall is a great way to check out a bunch of them. It also benefits the kids at the Boys & Girls Club, which is even better!
What’s your favorite place to go in Concord? Golfing at Beaver Meadow or fishing with my kids.
Favorite movie of all time? Men of Honor, because it is a great story about never giving up, no matter what challenges are in front of you.
What is one of your life goals? I have two great kids: Aidan is three and Skylar is six. The main goal that constantly jumps to mind is making sure that they are raised in the best way possible. Seeing them both happy and succeed in their lives is a main goal of mine.
What has been your favorite CYPN event so far? There was a CYPN event at the Barley House a while back that had an incredible turnout. These events are always more fun when the room is packed because you get a chance to meet some great people.
Favorite famous person? Dustin Pedroia is an incredibly hard worker who shows his leadership through his actions. I have always felt that this is how the best leaders act.
If you could visit any country, where would you go? Scotland would be a great trip because of the pure beauty of the landscape. On top of this, it has some incredible fishing and golf courses.
Where is the best place you’ve visited? Without question, when Danielle and I went to Bermuda on our honeymoon. Swimming in an underwater cave, golfing on a beautiful beach course, snorkeling around a sunken boat and dancing at a wedding (an outdoor wedding at our resort where we did not know anybody) to one of our songs just because we wanted to. These are all memories that will last forever.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself: Before I started working at the Boys & Girls Club I did not know the first thing about this organization. I went to college to play baseball and learn as much about sports as possible. When I graduated from college I knew that I wanted to work around sports and this is when my aunt introduced me to the Concord Boys & Girls Club. I was hired as the athletic director in 2004, which was great because I was running a great basketball program and was always in the club’s gym. Here I am, 10 years later, and I have almost come full circle. My role at the club is now to inform community members about what really happens in our club. You would be amazed at how many people say to me, “I had no idea” when I talk about our club. If you are interested in learning more, or just want to take a tour of our newly renovated Bradley Street Clubhouse, please reach out to me at 410-5173 or by email at clay@concordkids.org.
The Concord Young Professionals Network is a professional and personal development initiative created by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce just over five years ago. Free events are held on the third Wednesday of every month at various Concord venues, where hundreds of young professionals of all ages can interact socially, build a network of contacts, exchange ideas and have fun. To receive notices of upcoming events, please visit concordypn.org or visit facebook.com/concordypn.
