VP, Leather, Shinola

Jen is the former Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of JW Hulme. She spearheaded the reinvention and revitalization of the 108 year-old American-made leather goods brand and was the 2012 recipient of the Minnesota Manufacturing Awards CEO of the year.

Jen has recently left JW Hulme to join the re-launched American brand Shinola. She is continuing her passion for domestic manufacturing by leading the development of leather goods to be made in Shinola’s Detroit headquarters where they currently manufacture high quality watches and bikes.

After focusing most of her early career in product design for several leather goods brands Jen transitioned to the business development side of fashion, becoming Vice President of Brand Management for The Sak in 1998. In 2003 Jen and her business partner discovered and purchased JW Hulme; where she established her commitment to quality domestic manufacturing.

Jen has been a regular champion of non-profit causes with her current energies being applied to The Makers Coalition as Founding Chair. Jen has been a board member for organizations such as Ad Fed and Minneapolis Mosaic.

Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Oklahoma where she attended as a Division I Volleyball scholarship recipient. She completed special study programs at the Academy of Arts, San Francisco.