Presenting

ennifer is a lady that has mastered the art of assertive femininity. She can effortlessly glide from a play-by-play sports commentar y with the guys to a discussion on the pros and cons of wedges with the girls. Raised in Detroit, Michigan, by parents who encouraged her to go aer her dreams with no regard for her gender, she has worked her way up the corporate ladder to become the chief marketing officer for Michael Saunders & Company at the age of 40. Her keen eye for business, and dedication to family, make her an extraordinar y example of a successful, modern women. Tell us a bit about your professional background? Well, I've always wanted to be passionate about what I did. My first opportunity was with Ford Motor Company, where I helped recruit engineers and other potential employees. A er that, I worked at a recruitment-advertising agency, then a non-profit doing sponsorship marketing. Next, I found a wonderful opportunity with AOL , where I did promotions, sponsorships and event marketing. A er AOL decided to disband their broadband team, I moved to Quicken Loans, which allowed me to incorporate my experience from all my jobs. As a company, Quicken Loans is dedicated to culture and team values—something that has been a real building block for me. When I landed here in Florida and began with Michael Saunders & Company, it felt like the perfect fit. I was so passionate about the company because it allowed me to use my past work experience, but also, I love real estate. My original major in college was interior design, so I have fun. I feel that I'm exactly where I am supposed to be and ever y job I've ever had has led me to this point. What was it like for you in predomi- nantly male environments? Basically, I just acted like I wasn't a woman. I k now that sounds weird, but I just never took "no" for an answer. I always pushed. I always applied myself. If I saw four guys standing around the water cooler, I'd join right in. If they were going golfing , I'd put myself out there and say, "Hey, I like to golf, too." If there was an event all the guys were aending , I'd always assert myself in there. I felt the pressure to prove myself, but also, I felt capable of proving myself. So, it was never a maer of tr ying to achieve something more; it was a maer of showing them that I could. I wasn't striving to be one of the guys, because I don't think that's the right aitude, but I wanted to show them that we could all do this together. I have always had that aitude. I don't just see myself as a woman in business; I see myself as a businessperson. A nd I think having that aitude helped me. Do you think that experience helped you form a strong professional persona? I think that came from my parents. at was instilled in me from the ver y start. I give so much credit to my mom. She was one of the first career women. She worked in retail management for twenty years, starting at the counter of Toys'R'Us. She moved her way up to management and never stopped. I wanted to achieve that same greatness, but I wanted to do it in the business world, where primarily there were a lot of men. My dad was a Ford Motor Company executive for almost forty years. He was such a great role model because he never treated me like a girl. He basically taught me that I am a person that can achieve any thing I want. He had me on the golf course at age seven. He had me watching sports probably from the time I was in the womb. He talked to me like I was a person, not a girl. You have a unique living environment. Can you tell us about your arrangement? My husband and I have been married for 19 years and from day one we were always ver y close with my parents. I was 19 years old and one of our first dates was literally with my parents. ey have always been friends with us; they were ver y young so that was helpful. Obviously, they're my parents first, but also friends. Fast-for ward into our later married years, and my parents had retired. My husband and I my BEST life 32 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com By Jules Lewis Gibson J Jennifer Horvat Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Saunders & Company

• Cover