1998 Diecutter/Diemaker of the Year

Clay put his all into Reliable for nearly 20 years, until the entrepreneurial bug bit him and he struck out with a partner and opened his own dieshop, Aaction Steel Rule Die. Unfortunately, perhaps fatefully, Clay had made himself indispensible at Reliable. Within a year Reliable's management lured Clay back. Three years later, the remaining partner at Reliable passed away and Clay became president. For the next 22 years he continued to not only lead Reliable to a position of industry prominence, but became a driving force in establishing an industry association where diecutters and diemakers could exchange ideas on business and technology.