Clayton works closely with industry partners such as Samsung, Bosch and Ford to establish and execute cooperative research projects and academic engagement initiatives.

Pivotal in founding Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), Clayton brought on corporate partners to fortify the program including GE, KUKA Robotics and Hass Automation, among others. As CMI’s first executive director, he furnished it with state-of-the-art equipment, developed the curriculum for the state’s first four-year degree from a technical college and built educational collaboration programs between Clemson and the college.

Clayton also served as the research division director at the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the state’s economic development agency in charge of industrial recruitment and attraction of foreign direct investment. While there, he co-developed South Carolina’s innovation plan to support entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development. His work lead to the creation of the state’s innovation office and catalyzed the angel investor tax credit. Behind the scenes, Clayton supported global business development efforts, including the recruitment of global brands such as Continental, Samsung, Volvo and Google, among others, resulting in $20 billion in capital investment in the state.

A former nuclear fuel design engineer with Westinghouse Electric and gas turbine engineer with GE Power, David earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Clemson University and an International M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina.