Loren Ridinger, Co-Founder & Senior Executive Vice President of Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM, Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders of 2022 Profile

Jennifer Tankleff
President
IWEISS


Loren Ridinger, Co-Founder & Senior Executive Vice President of Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM, Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders of 2022

Building Cultures & Strong Foundations

Leadership is not just a title; it’s a transformative force that shapes an organization’s culture from the ground up. Leadership is pivotal in creating an organizational culture. Leaders mindfully guide the development of culture by setting the vision, emotional tone, and behavioral norms for their organizations. They empower employees for success by ensuring alignment between cultural values and the employee experience.

It’s a multifaceted role that influences every aspect of an organization, from profitability to employee engagement. One example of such a vibrant leader is Jennifer Tankleff, President of IWEISS, who profoundly influences her organization's culture by setting a vision that unites employees and creates a purpose-driven work environment that supports them as they work to achieve that vision. Their actions shape organizational behaviors, making their role in culture strategically imperative for sustained excellence.

Over her 30-year tenure at IWEISS, Jennifer has played a pivotal role in shaping the company's culture, staying true to the core values that matter most. 'Integrity has been my guide, and it's helped build trust and respect with both our team and clients,' she says. 'By promoting transparency and uplifting others, I've strived to create an environment where accountability and pride in our work are natural. I believe that with resilience and adaptability, we can overcome any challenge and continue to progress together.'

Jennifer is the visionary who set the course for the organization. A compelling vision serves as the North Star, guiding all actions and decisions within the company. Every day, she strives to embody the values she wants to see in others. Her goal is to lead by example in a way that her team can feel proud to follow. 'I’m dedicated to fostering open communication and trust, as I believe this builds a strong foundation where everyone feels respected and motivated to take initiative,' adds Jennifer.

According to Jennifer, leadership isn’t a destination; it’s a path of constant growth. This experience can come with extra challenges for women, like balancing work and family, navigating biases, and building strong support networks. But by staying open to learning and adapting, women leaders can empower themselves and others, helping to create a more inclusive and fair future.

It’s taken years of hard work, dedication, and continuous learning to get to where Jennifer is today. Her journey has been one of growth and evolution, with plenty of successes and challenges that have shaped her into the leader she has become. “Even after three decades at IWEISS, I’m still learning every day—because I believe that if you stop learning, you stop growing,” elucidates Jennifer. “For anyone aspiring to lead, my advice is to stay curious and keep an open mind. Embrace every experience as a chance to learn something new, whether it’s from a colleague, a mistake, or a new challenge. Be open to feedback, seek out mentors, and always push yourself to grow your knowledge and skills.”

With this mindset, Jennifer has been taking the company to new heights. The mission of IWEISS is all about setting the bar for delivering top-quality products and services that make a real difference for customers. The company is committed to offering the best, most valuable, and most reliable products backed by outstanding support. Jennifer and her team are excited to keep pushing this mission forward by sticking to these high standards, constantly innovating with new products, and growing their talented team.

One of the significant milestones at IWEISS was creating and stocking a comprehensive rigging system that made them a one-stop shop for their clients. While this system might not be groundbreaking for the industry, it’s a big step forward for IWEISS and its customers.

With this setup, IWEISS can now offer a complete, integrated solution that makes things easier for the clients. Instead of sourcing different parts from multiple suppliers, they can count on the company for everything—ensuring compatibility, quality, and smooth installation. This achievement has made things more efficient for the clients and strengthened the IWEISS market position by giving them a distinct edge. “It’s had a significant impact on how well we serve our clients, enhancing our overall service and solidifying IWEISS as a reliable partner in the industry,” states Jennifer. “Our ongoing goal is to stabilize lead times while constantly refining our processes to minimize manufacturing errors. We’re working on better communication with clients, ensuring timely delivery of top-quality products, and keeping the production process transparent. By focusing on these areas, we aim to boost efficiency, reduce delays, and build stronger, more reliable relationships with our clients.”

Looking ahead, the future of IWEISS is all about achieving operational excellence and delivering top-notch client satisfaction. Their goals are to streamline operations and consistently meet client expectations. “We see a future where IWEISS remains a trusted industry leader, known for our reliability and commitment to quality. With a focus on continuous improvement, we're excited to expand our capabilities, strengthen client relationships, and solidify our position as the go-to provider in the industry,” concludes Jennifer.


Company

IWEISS

Management

Jennifer Tankleff
President
IWEISS

Description

IWEISS is a national leader uniquely positioned to cater to all your needs for premium fabric, sophisticated drapery, reliable curtain tracks, and advanced manual and automated rigging systems — all from a single, convenient source. Our product innovation is showcased through our proprietary Align Rigging and Via automation products, developed and refined by our team of seasoned experts.


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