ABOUT JAN

​Jan Richardson launched J Jay Companies in 2009, becoming its Principal and CEO.  Areas of focus include J Jay Consulting, a practice that melds expertise in new business development, marketing and sales leadership, business effectiveness, government bidding, and strategic alliances into customized services for client environments; Rich Rush Enterprises which specializes in cost effective solutions for organizations across multiple industries to achieve operational excellence during times of growth, change, and transition; and J Jay Furnishings With Style providing office, residential, and personal soft goods.  Having obtained a Google AdWords certification, she has engaged many new clients in the high growth digital marketing arena.  

​Jan also broke ground in the automobile industry as an owner/investor and the founder of Spokane Motor Cars, Inc., the only Jaguar/Land Rover/Volvo dealership in the Inland Northwest, serving Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, and Montana.  She served as President, CEO, and Director. She is the only female Dealer Principal ever selected world-wide to have these prestigious brands together under one roof.

​Jan’s foundation for entrepreneurial success was built on 25 years in corporate leadership positions.  While at AT&T, she changed corporate strategy and originated joint ventures with companies such as HP and Xerox.  After progressing through senior sales positions, including recognition as the number one account executive company-wide at Southwestern Bell, her vision as Managing Director led to the development of international sales channels, decentralized marketing for improved market coverage in the small business arena, a new business model engaging external agents in provisioning multi-media IT platforms for clients, and best-in-class training for industry leading technology companies.  She was selected on multiple occasions as a lead event planner, supporting up to 4,000 participants.

​Upon being selected by Ford Motor Company as a dealer candidate, she established corporate program standards for a dealer candidate intern program for Mazda North American Operations, worked with dealers to attain profitability in start-up businesses, and used her broad technology/network development knowledge to serve as a project development manager for launching the era of dealership internet sales departments.  

​Respected as an innovative community leader, she served as President and Board Chair of Girl Scouts Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho; as a director, trustee, and executive committee member of Greater Spokane Incorporated (Chamber of Commerce) and the Eastern WA State Historical Society – Museum of Arts and Culture.  

​She has also served on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Eastern Washington University College of Business and Public Administration and as a director of the Washington State Automobile Dealers Association and The Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Jan is President Emeritus and a founding director of the Imperfect Yet Do What U Can women’s ministry and has also served in leadership positions for many other local and national organizations and industry associations throughout her career.

​Jan earned a business and accounting degree at the University of Texas at Dallas and attended Colorado State University for MBA studies. She is a graduate of the Gonzaga University Non-Profit Leadership Executive Education Program. Jan was recognized as the Essence Magazine Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006, as one of the top 50 small business leaders in the state of Washington by the University of Washington in 2007, and as a Comcast [cable] News Maker in 2008.  Jan also had the pleasure of mentoring Bakari on his visionary business development initiatives.

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