One of the busiest buildings on Utah Valley University's campus bears his name.
But he doesn't work in a corner office. No executive parking spot. No C-suite throne. No, when you meet Utah Valley resident James Clarke, you might just think he's another quietly confident entrepreneur. But appearances, as they say, can be deceiving.
Clarke is one of Utah's sharpest business minds. In 2001, he founded the Utah-based online retailer, Clearlink, which he later sold to Pamlico Capital (formerly Wachovia).
After that, he founded Clarke Capital Partners, a growth-equity investment firm.
Along the way, he's served on boards of private and public companies, supported global nonprofits and committed deeply to higher education.
And now, after a long and successful career, Clarke is ready for a new challenge in his career.
Here's a look back on how he built his legacy — and why he's celebrated not just for his business acumen, but for his character.
The family motto that shaped him
Clarke's drive comes from humble beginnings, working in the potato fields of southeast Idaho. As he reflected in an article for Utah Business magazine, he learned his work ethic and core values from his family early on.
The Clarke family crest reads, "Labor and Honor," a phrase that became a guiding principle: Work hard, but do it with integrity.
He also credits his aunt Sybil, a respected business leader and philanthropist, for teaching him that success in business only becomes meaningful when the fruits are shared generously with others.
An entrepreneurial masterclass
After working for what he lightly described as "an extremely difficult manager" in college, Clarke vowed he would never again work for anyone else but himself. So he started his own, first-of-its-kind business, knocking on doors and selling satellite dishes with a couple of friends.
As the internet age began to boom, Clarke saw a new opportunity. He shared office space with other well-known Utah entrepreneurs: Ryan Smith of Qualtrics, Todd Pedersen of Vivint and Sean Clark of MX. Little did he know how these connections would end up shaping his future.
"It was one of the greatest gifts one could imagine in the opening years of a career," Clarke recalled.
Founding Clearlink: A big promise and a big risk
In November 2001, Clarke founded Clearlink, just as the dot-com bubble was starting to burst. He promised his then-new wife that the company would be profitable by the time their first child arrived.
Amazingly, about a year and a half later, Clearlink's profits replaced her salary.
Problem-solving and partnerships
Clarke's ability to solve problems was really what made him stand out in the business world. When he failed to find web developers who could help get his business off the ground, taking his money in the process, Clarke learned to pivot.
His next move was to pitch alignment to Odyssey Web — he'd pay them for every sale generated by the website they built for Clearlink. It turned out to be a win-win situation. Clearlink became their biggest client and Clarke acquired their business two years later. All the while, Clearlink continued to grow.
"My talents lie in examining opportunities where I'm not inventing or even reinventing something," he said. "Instead, I excel at improving upon what I see others doing that can be optimized or improved upon."
From founder to investor
After selling Clearlink in 2011, Clarke turned to investing.
One of his early bets was Contour, an action-camera company led by a former Harvard classmate. Another was PetIQ, which Clarke helped scale from $1 million in revenue to nearly $1 billion. He served as chairman of PetIQ's board for its first six years and remained on the board through 2020.
'Unfinished business'
In 2021, Clarke made a dramatic return. He and Clarke Capital Partners – together with Sitel Group – repurchased Clearlink, citing some "unfinished business." He rejoined the company as CEO and insisted on earning his place again.
"I show up like everybody else. No special parking spot, no Clearlink corner office – I'm just the first to arrive and the last to leave – all over again," he said at the time.
Clarke firmly believed the best days of Clearlink were still ahead of them — and they'd get there by building a culture that came from the heart.
Serving the community
Clarke invested in more than just businesses; he invested in the community.
He served in leadership roles for numerous private and public companies, as well as nonprofit organizations, locally and globally. Utah Valley University also appointed him to the Board of Trustees in 2014, where he later became chair in 2021.
Together with his wife Andrea, he co-founded the Labor & Honor Foundation, named after their family crest motto. The foundation supports education, poverty alleviation and the arts.
To recognize their philanthropic work, UVU awarded both him and Andrea an Honorary Alumni Award in 2023, and the university named a classroom building after them.
Time for a new chapter
Perhaps the hardest lesson ahead will be learning to slow down. As Clarke enters his new chapter of retirement, he carries with him the same principles that shaped every step of his career.
His path has always been defined by relentless focus, deep relationships and a mission-driven approach. As he once put it, "There's only one way to build culture: it must be authentically yours … because what a leader is trying to do is add a soul to a business."
In the end, his legacy extends far beyond revenue or acquisitions. It's rooted in hard work, integrity and genuine humility – and in the belief that success means little unless it's shared.
