IHFI Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree

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Javier Sanchez
President
Jonathan Louis

 

Javier Sanchez was born in Mexico in 1970. At the age of two, his parents migrated to the United States, where he was raised in South Central Los Angeles.


As a teenager, Javier began working at Jonathan Louis—a company founded by David Harrow, Juan Valle, and Lou Feola.  During this time, he worked on Saturdays during the school year taking on custodial work.  During the summers he worked on the plant assisting in several departments.  It was during these summers that Javier began to gain knowledge of the industry from the ground up.


In 1988, Javier enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. Throughout his four years at USC, he continued working part-time at Jonathan Louis and full-time during summer breaks.  During this time, he would start to transition to administrative work at JL – gaining even more exposure to other facets of the business.


Following the advice of David Harrow, Javier accepted a position at Robinson’s Department Store in Los Angeles to gain retail experience. There, he worked in the Mattress and Rug buying office. After a year, he returned to Jonathan Louis full-time, initially handling accounting and sales support, with a focus on Macy’s account.


In the late 1990s, Javier began collaborating closely with the Vice President of Marketing.  Through this working relationship, Javier developed a rapport with key retailers across the country.  By 2002, he had taken over product development and handling the large department store business that the company had at that time.  After David’s passing in 2004, Javier and Juan acquired the company from the Harrow estate.


Under their leadership, the company was repositioned and expanded from a regional supplier to a national brand, serving major retail chains across the United States.


Today, Javier Sanchez serves as President and CEO of Jonathan Louis. He is focused on shaping a clear vision for the company and ensuring its success for future generations.  Javier also sits on the board of American Business Bank and The Fremont HS Alumni Foundation.