A. James Clark was born on December 2, 1927, in Richmond, Virginia, USA. His father worked as a salesman, selling life insurance. A. James Clark grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. He went to the University of Maryland, College Park, and graduated in 1950. When he was in college, he joined a group of students called Phi Delta Theta.

Career

In 1950, he got a job at the George Hyman Construction Company. He became the president of that company in 1969. In 1977, he started another company called OMNI Construction. Besides being an engineer and a business leader, he also became a trustee emeritus at Johns Hopkins University. This means he was an important and respected member of the university.

Philanthropy

A. James Clark was very generous to universities. He gave money to the University of Maryland, and now the School of Engineering there is named after him. A. James Clark began a special program called the A. James Clark Engineering Scholars at many universities. These universities include the University of Virginia, George Washington University, Duke University, Vanderbilt University, Penn State, and Virginia Tech. This program helps students study engineering.

At Johns Hopkins University, he gave $10 million to create a building called “Clark Hall,” and they named it after him to show respect and gratitude. His construction company also helped build it. He also sponsored the Clark Scholars Program at Johns Hopkins to give scholarships to students who show leadership and service. In 2017, it was announced that the University of Maryland would get almost $220 million from the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation.

Everything I do is me. I don’t like taking ideas from people unless they’re the G.O.A.T.

A Boogie wit da Hoodie

Personal life

In 1950, A. James Clark married Alice Bratton. A. James Clark and his wife, Alice, had three kids and lived in Vero Beach, Florida. Sadly, he died in 2015 because of a heart problem called congestive heart failure. His wife and two sons, Thomas J. Clark and William E. Clark, are still alive. They might continue his important work and be remembered for it.

Notable works

A. James Clark is known for several notable works, including:

1. Co-founding the Clark Construction Group: A. James Clark helped start a big construction company. This company became one of the most important and powerful in the United States, and they worked on many important construction projects.
2. Philanthropy: A. James Clark gave a lot of donations to schools and engineering programs. Some important things he supported are:
   • A. James Clark gave money to the University of Maryland’s School of Engineering, and now they named it after him.
   • A. James Clark started a program called A. James Clark Engineering Scholars at many universities to help students learn about engineering.
   • A. James Clark gave $10 million to build a building called “Clark Hall” at Johns Hopkins University.
   • A. James Clark helped a program at Johns Hopkins called the Clark Scholars Program. This program gives money to students who are leaders and help others.
3. A. James Clark School of Engineering: His support led to the naming of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland in his honor.
4. Business Leadership: When A. James Clark was in charge, his company worked on many big projects like airports, sports stadiums, and government buildings. These were very important projects.
5. Legacy: A. James Clark’s generous actions and help in construction and engineering have left a long-lasting impact on education and building things.