Remembering Clay: Messages from Family and Friends

Working for the Iams Company was an honor and a privilege. I was very young in my career when Joan Fedders hired me and was afforded many opportunities to grow within the organization. Clay's leadership guided a work culture that was simple yet motivating. Be honest, do your best and treat others with dignity and respect. He believed that the power of the decision had nothing to do with the power of the position and that everyone should know the mission. It's not surprising that I can still recite the mission today without pause. Thank you, Clay, for letting me be part of something very special. May God bless you and your family. You are in my prayers. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Marsha Mosko Pohlman

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mathile family. Clay’s legacy will live on forever.

~ Susie and Lenny Pronesti

Clay always greeted me by name. Regardless of how many employees we had, how many entities he was involved in, who was in the room, he made an effort to learn everyone’s names and use them. Clay congratulated me when he found out I was expecting my first child. He said, “I don’t mind paying for babies- that is the best thing health insurance could be used for!” He went on to ask about my son whenever he saw me and ask how my husband’s business was going. He cared so much about people, and their families and lives. Clay, you will be missed. You made such an incredible impact on so many. Words can’t express how grateful I am for the opportunities you gave to me through Aileron to grow and learn. My life and my family are better off for having known you, and for the gift of Aileron and professional management you gave the community.

~ Krista Powell

Prayers for Clay and family. My time working for Clay at the Iams/Eukanuba home office was a delightful time for me. I loved the climate where people said hello to each other. The pats on the back. Clay said hello to me by name from the second day on the job to always. I so admired him. Prayers and fond smiles for Clay always. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Shelia Yux

I am truly heartbroken to hear of Clay's passing, and know in my heart and core he will always be in the halls of Aileron.

~ Jenni Lough Watson

It was an honor and great privilege to be even a little part of the great Iams Company! Glenn Williams hired me into the “dog” marketing department (later marketing split into Iams and Eukanuba brand marketing). Clay’s servant leadership was the best! His moral and ethical values speak volumes of his true character. His care and generosity to his employees were overwhelming - so different from the other corporate environments I had worked. Praying with all my heart that the blessings he (and Mary) gave to The Iams Family will come back to him pressed down and overflowing! May God grant you His peace and ever presence at this time! You have my upmost respect! Thank you, Clay! (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Anne Sharp Vance

I’ll never forget what he told me. He said: he never in his life would have thought that he would ever live a life as he has now. That he came from a very hard-working farm family that had a lot of love and happiness. Working on the farm was hard, but he enjoyed it along with his brother. He teared up in telling that to me, but it was a special moment for me that he had shared a piece of his life with me. He thanked me again, started up the four-wheeler and continued his ride. But that interaction left an impression on me about Mr. Mathile, and that was he was a very humble man, he was grounded and treated everyone with courtesy, respect, and an appreciation of the people around him. That everyone has a say, and he was not above you, but he walked beside you. That was powerful.

~ Lito Hernandez

I remember interviewing at Iams and being told it was like a family. That was such a cliche about businesses and workplaces back then when I joined Iams in the early 90s. The thing was, Clay and Mary truly walked the talk. I can think of too many examples to even try to share. Clay, you set the bar very high for pet food manufacturers everywhere, which improved the lives of millions of pets across the world. Thank you for the chance to help make your vision come to life. It was the greatest privilege of my life. Sending out prayers for you and your family. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Valerie Stern

The thoughts and prayers of the New Hope community are going out to you today as you mourn the loss of an incredibly loving and exceedingly generous visionary. We are so moved by the work that Clay and the Mathile family have done in the Miami Valley and, in particular, in east Dayton and pray for peace and comfort in this time of loss. We are grateful to all of you and mourn with you today.

~ Jeff Cartwright

Clay is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. No matter what he had going on he would always take the time to ask “how are you doing and is there anything I can help with?” And, when he asked you that, he actually really wanted to know. I think this is what he believed he could achieve with Aileron but just on a larger scale. Understanding how Business Owners are doing and how Aileron could help them. He committed to an organization, in Aileron, that has and will continue to help Business Owners and their organizations thrive. For this I am incredibly thankful to this wonderful man.

~ Chuck Huggins

IAMS is the best company I have ever worked for under your leadership. A true family we all were. I’ve met a lot of people in my life but nobody with a vision and passion like you have. Prayers to you and your family. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Jerri Letner

Clay, I met Mary and you in Cancun at the last sales meeting. I was new to the company sitting with my former Super-Dog owner Bob Schober. I immediately felt welcomed to the team and truly felt part of something so wonderful. Iams was by far the best company most of us ever worked for, Iams supported their distribution network, trained them to be better businesses, we learned to teach our retailers how to be better and more successful, the culture touched so many businesses beyond the company walls, what a great legacy you and your family built. So proud to have worked for you and your company, wishing you and yours only the best (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Michael Sokira

There are so many of us who appreciate Clay’s advice and support over the years. He had a wonderful way of supporting new projects early on which gave them credibility in the community’s eyes. And always he taught the organizations to learn to stand on their own and keep working. I can attest to that with the early support he and the family gave to Carillon Historical Park when I became the first on-site Executive Director there is the early 1980’s. The confidence of the Mathile family was so important in rallying the community to support the early growth and development of the Park. The lesson he taught us to continue to cultivate donors and not depend on any one donor was an important gift. I told him that long ago but would like for the family to know again how much that early support and continued good will meant as we tried to do exactly what he advised. I also had the privilege of serving on the UD Board and observed his same leadership style there.

Clay did the same for Wright Dunbar, Inc. and his tough love and support made all of the difference. We will continue to keep the Foundation updated on the remarkable progress we are seeing there today.

Please be sure that Mary and the family receive this message. We will forever remember how important and long lasting Clay’s advice and support were and also be forever grateful for his leadership.

~ Mary Mathews

It would be remiss not to recall the time the Iams-Aurora Nebraska plant inadvertently overpaid their school taxes by $90k. I heard about it on Paul Harvey's News. How Iams Company decided to let the school keep the overpayment. I was stunned when I listened to the story. Then a proudness welled up inside me I'd never felt about a company I worked for. America heard of your generosity and right then you became a hero to me. The unheard-of generosity to this small little Nebraska town deserved national recognition, which it did indeed.

Thanks Clay, for me being proud to work for Iams. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Michael McKenzie

Everyone had pride and ownership and was expected to be a business owner in their role. These are work values I have carried with me even after my work with Iams ended in 2006. Forever grateful for the opportunity to BE a part of that wonderful family. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Jack Bohannon

I think the only way you can truly understand the culture and atmosphere of Iams was to be fortunate enough to have worked there and been a part of Clay’s inspiring leadership. From intern to corporate employee to the sales field, those 11 years shaped me and my expectations for a workplace. No greater leader, no greater man. Much love and prayers. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Sherri Beck Noah

On behalf of our staff and board, please share our condolences with Mary and her family. Let her know that she will be in our prayers and thoughts.

~ Margie Christie

Clay, I have always thought of you as one of the greatest people I’ve ever known. You could be an inspiring boss, a great friend and you always had your employees’ welfare at heart. I will continue to sing your praises for as long as I walk this earth. Our thoughts and prayers are with you always. (Sourced from Facebook post)

~ Rick Heindl

Clay has been an inspiration in my life. Whether it was business, family, or faith, Clay inspired me to be the next best version of myself.

Clay first inspired the entrepreneurial part of my life. He and Aileron helped me establish the dream of Choice One Engineering: To provide fulfilling lives for a lifetime. The guidance Clay and Aileron provided me and, by extension Choice One, helps us be a well-run, Professional Managed company. While I could go on and on about the way Clay and Aileron have shaped Choice One, I will summarize by saying that Clay’s legacy lives on at Choice One, as Choice One is providing so many people, families, and communities fulfilling lives. But this this is just a small part of his impact on me and the world.

Clay was so supportive at Aileron—he always said “yes.” We would ask him to come and sit in our Peer Groups and he would say “yes, get with Jane and put it on my calendar and I will be there.” He would see me in the hall and say, “we need to have another meeting between us.” I never asked him for that meeting because I felt scared that I wasn’t important enough for him. How can someone care so much? He may be known for his fortune, but the fortune was small compared to his heart.

Indeed, when I decided to step down from President at Choice One, Clay was there for me as a mentor, spending several afternoons sitting in the Dream Room or on walks helping me determine what was next for me. In my mind, here was a successful, well-known billionaire just spending countless hours asking little ol’ me compelling questions and making me think in different ways. He even arranged meetings with well-known members of his circle for me to explore potential opportunities. With Clay’s help, however, it was then that I decided to continue to be a contributor at Aileron.

Clay and Mary took a special interest in my daughter Cara. She was a Mathile Scholar at Ohio Northern University—another place he has been most generous. Clay, Mary, and Cara hit it off and became fast friends. I would apologize for bragging Cara up, and Clay would say, “that’s ok, I agree.” Then Clay would brag about her to me, saying she is the most inspiring person he had met. Cara loved Clay and Mary and cherished the time the Mathiles spent with her and her family.

Both Clay and I have strong Catholic beliefs and were raised in rural, northwest Ohio cultures, which opened the opportunity to get very spiritual in our discussions. He would tell me that God has given us so many gifts and it is our responsibility to use them the way that God would want us to. He told me “you can’t out-give God.” I would smile and say, “you might be able to say that,” thinking about how he is a billionaire. He looked me in the eyes and said, “you are super blessed and don’t you forget that.” Clay was right. I have been so very blessed, and Clay is one of the blessings I have had the privilege to have in my life.

I will miss Clay’s smile in the hallways of Aileron, but I know his spirit is alive in businesses like Choice One and the people he spent time with, like little ol’ me. It has been a “super blessing” to have Clay in my life. Thank you, Clay, for always loving me. I have and always will love you, my great friend and mentor, Clay Mathile.

~ Tony​ Schroeder

When I think of Someone that I’ve met and liked, I will always think of Clay. What a very sharp, classy, And caring person he was. (And Mary was right next to him during his journey)

He really liked to talk about his family, moreover Clay taught me how to treat people Within the business world, and to stay focused On your goals, to move successfully within The business world. (It works)

My deepest sympathies go to the family, very Sure the family will move forward with Clays Vision of success for each member of that Wonderful family. My God Bless all of you, Brighter days will come shortly..

~ Bob Noble & Family: Norma, Randy, & Jay