Born and raised into an entrepreneurial family, Jackie Huie from JohnsonRauhoff grew up in a magical world that she has likened to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. As a child she loved joining her dad, Don Johnson, when he worked at his creative agency on the weekends. She knew she was one of the fortunate ones to have a dad as a career mentor, and loved every minute of being in a world that would later turn into a long and prosperous career, becoming a long-running dream that others could be so fortunate. That dream also drove her to her role as the founding chair of the Rotary Student Program, a mentoring initiative designed to match students with professionals in Dream Careers. That unique program, launched right here in Michigan’s Great Southwest through the auspices of the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor, has grown beyond even the entire state of Michigan to become a global venture with Rotary International thanks to her incredible diligence and passion for making it happen. Bold, adventurous, strong, laser-focused, and able to fight through obstacles are all linchpins of Jackie’s astounding career, and you can learn more as you read on of another Bold Woman of Business in Michigan’s Great Southwest.
Name
Jackie Huie
Where do you live?
St. Joseph, MI
Company or Organization
JohnsonRauhoff
What is your job or role there?
Chairman & CEO
How do you think that Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold?
Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold by determining the goal, holding focus and leading fearlessly through every obstacle at any turn. Bold Women carve new paths for tomorrow’s businesses, products and future leaders. In business, these women are breaking molds and stereotypes. In philanthropy, these women are transforming lives and making the world a better place.
Bold women are often defined by a number of descriptors. Please choose from the following descriptors to produce the top three that you would say most exemplify your personality?
Confident…Brave…Strong
Please provide an example of when you feel you were at your very best in taking action on the job or in your role.
There have been so many situations that have tested me over the years, but one stands out. It happened in 1997 when my company placed #8 in the PROMO 100, achieving the coveted national ranking for business growth and marketing effectiveness. As a small group, we were on cloud 9 landing on the national map among the great legends in our industry. Right behind that, we had to do a complete pivot from who we were and what we knew when we lost a chunk of business in a key area of our company. It was a complete ‘roll up your sleeves and plow forward’ moment where we had to get down in the dirt and reinvent a service area. Not long after, we received a 98.98% quality rating from an industry leader and landed several major accounts, coming up stronger than ever before and continuing to grow ever since. It’s a funny thing when you hit a peak then plummet to the bottom, especially when you’re out in front as the leader. I learned a great lesson from the experience. When you come face-to-face with the greatest challenges in both your business life and personal life, it truly proves your mettle.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on your road to success?
One of the funniest things happening to me on the road to success, was standing in line at a McDonald’s before a business meeting for a learning toy company. As an adult deciding on a Happy Meal as my lunch, I sheepishly tried to explain to a man next to me that I ordered the kid’s meal because it came with a Hamburglar toy that I actually designed. After a long, dead silence, the patron looked down at me and just said, “Riiiiiiiiiigghhtt.” It was one of my most ridiculous and hilarious moments in my ad industry life. Looking back, moments like these have made me realize how lucky I am to be in an industry I love that few understand.
Who most inspires your personal drive for success every day?
For different reasons, both my parents have inspired my personal drive. Starting with nothing, they worked hard together as a team and were self-made, building a business from the basement of our home. When the business grew, my Dad leased space outside our home and put 100% into the company, while my Mom stepped in as the fully-dedicated ‘Family Air-Traffic Controller.’ How hard they both worked to make a better life for our family, gave me an inner drive to try hard every day. As a business professional, my Dad had the most influence on me, teaching me to choose the star, fight through the obstacles and never give up (probably part of the reason why my favorite pet will always be a stubborn Bulldog, named Oberon). Often quoting Vince Lombardi, Dad believed in the value of giving 100% every day. A Master Mason, he also believed in giving back and mentoring young people, which became the inspiration behind the now global career mentoring program we started at the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor (www.rotarystudentprogram.com). For the past 15 years, my company has remained active in giving time to the program, which matches high-schoolers with professionals in Dream Careers. To me, it is an even higher form of inspiration to be a part of helping young people succeed.
What is your best advice to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed, as you have, in business?
My best advice to women in Michigan’s Great Southwest would be to know what you are trying to achieve, hold your focus and be willing to work very, very hard, to reach it. Expect you will have to make sacrifices along the way and your path will be challenged more than once. If you don’t get off track, your greatest reward will be in knowing, deep down, that you gave it everything and did what you set out to do. The cool part is that if you don’t succeed, you still gave 100% and that, alone, feels awesome.
What does your selection to the first ever Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market mean to you?
Being selected in the freshman class of ‘Bold Women in Business’ from the Moody on the Market team is truly a humbling honor. I grew up in this community, left after high school and returned as an accomplished business professional to help my Dad grow his family business. As my business partner for 31 years, Dad would have been super proud of this recognition. For me, what matters most, is the impact I have made with my own family, the families tied to my business, the families in our community and families all around our world. Thank you Moody on the Market and congratulations nominees and honorees.
