Meet Clay

Meet Clay Pirkle: Faith, Family, & Farming

Clay was raised on the family farm in Sycamore. Farming was not only a job, but also a way of life. The “farming way” taught Clay many life lessons: the value of hard work, respect, and integrity.

Clay graduated from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 1989, and from the University of Georgia with a Masters of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance in 1990. Clay worked his way through college in a variety of jobs. He worked a job on campus at Georgia Tech during the day and at the UPS distribution center at night. While in Athens, he worked in the soybean lab and also in the Economic Department as a Teaching Assistant.

Clay’s work experience covers a wide range of positions and industries: He has been employed as an Economist with the United States Government, a Commercial Banker at a local bank, and an Economics Instructor at Darton College. He currently works as a Farmer, at Pirkle Farms.

Clay and Sharon have been married for over 30 years. They are the proud parents of Andrew, DeAnna (Elliot), and Nathan (Korene). Faith, family, and work intersect daily in Clay’s life. The motto of Pirkle Farms is “Christianity Is Our Business, We Farm To Pay Expenses.” That motto is not just a slogan; but also, the way Clay attempts to live his life.

Clay is a lifelong active member of Bethel Baptist Church, where he has served as a Sunday School Teacher, Treasurer, and Deacon. Clay loves telling others about Jesus, and this passion has taken him on mission trips from Peru and Jamaica, to Kentucky and South Carolina. Clay also serves as a Director for the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association based in Birmingham, AL.