Last November, Jayne Millard stepped down from her position as CEO at Turtle & Hughes, the Linden, New Jersey-based electrical distributor that her grandmother and mother before her had led.
While Millard might have handed the company’s reins over to Kathleen Shanahan, who became the first non-family CEO in the company’s almost 100-year history, that move in no way lessened the impact Millard has had — and continues to have — on the distribution industry.
Her legacy is legendary, which is why she is one of the winners of MDM’s 2021 Women in Distribution awards.
“Turtle and Hughes is one of the largest electrical distributors and family businesses in the country,” noted Julia Klein, chairwoman and CEO of C.H. Briggs. “Jayne is a third-generation owner and one of the few mother/daughter company transfers that I know of. She has led the company through many business cycles and into new markets, and her team helped rebuild the Freedom Tower in NYC after 9/11.”
Added Jessica Miller in her nomination of Millard: “Jayne has always stood out as an innovator and a dedicated leader in the industry. In fact, she was recently recognized and inducted into the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame (WBEHF). When it comes to the industrial and electrical distribution industries, her knowledge is unmatched. Jayne has been an active member of the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) for three years. She continues to drive her company forward, staying competitive in the changing marketplace with fantastic innovations. She has also championed great causes for advancing women in the industry. Thanks to her efforts, 30% of the workforce at Turtle & Hughes are women, which is well above any other business in the industry. Jayne Millard is the epitome of what your award represents.”
