Clay Gilbert, CEO

The good news is that, even after growing up in Atlanta and graduating from Georgia Tech, Clay made his way to Bulldog Country in Athens. He has been part of the Thornton Brothers team for over 20 years, serving as General Manager before becoming President. His leadership at Thornton Brothers has fostered technological and procedural advancements, encouraged team building, and facilitated accomplishments for both employees and customers.

Clay earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina and came to Thornton Brothers with experience as a Sales Engineer and Vice President of Operations. He joined Thornton Brothers because of its great people and established reputation. When asked about what makes Thornton Brothers unique, he says, “Our people and our processes, but of the two it clearly is our people. From our Sales Team, to our Customer Service Group to Supply Chain and Accounting, we have the best team we’ve ever had. They are customer-focused and committed to living our core values!”

The Thornton Brothers team is thriving and growing with Clay’s direction. During a holiday celebration one year, Clay may or may not have delivered gifts to employees while dressed as an elf (we’ll never know for sure). Clay enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, staying involved at St. James United Methodist Church, traveling, golf, and reading.