Clay Jenkins is Principal of CJC, Clay Jenkins Collective, a footwear sourcing and strategy consulting firm. CJC is a collection of partnerships that serves and connects sourcing leaders, brands and retailers with strategy development, product creation and trend research options. Clay is former SVP of Worldwide Sourcing and Sourcing Services of Caleres, a $2.6 billion global footwear company. He was responsible for strategic supplier relationships, factory compliance and social responsibility, technical services and sourcing partnership development outside of China. He held this critical leadership position from 2010-2020.
Prior to his Sourcing role, he was SVP of Specialty Brands focusing on the daily operations of the company’s Women’s Specialty which included Dr. Scholls, Carlos and Fergie license footwear as well as their children's license divisions. In this role, he was responsible for the company’s private label sales also. Before joining Caleres in 1989, Jenkins was with Bakers Footwear Group serving in a variety of roles including SVP and Divisional Merchandise Manager, with responsibilities for all retail buying and merchandising for 700 stores. Jenkins is an honorary board member of FDRA-Footweardistributors and retailers of America.
Jenkins was on the board of Soles4Souls from 2014-2021. He currently serves as board member emeritus and on 4Every Kid task force for the organization. Soles4Souls mission is wearing out poverty, turning shoes and clothing into opportunity. He is also on the board of Next Step Foundation in St. Louis since 2012, whose mission is to help people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction to complete their education.
