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Jennifer Kleinschmidt
Director of Staffing
Growing up, staffing manager Jennifer Kleinshmidt spent her transformative years at her mother’s restaurant. By the time the Michigan native was 14, she was in the kitchen on the line. It was there that Kleinshmidt knew she wanted to pursue a career in hospitality.
Kleinshmidt’s passion for the hospitality industry led her to get a bachelor’s degree in Restaurant Management with a concentration in Meeting and Event Planning at Johnson and Wales University. After graduating, she spent time at Southern Bread as a catering coordinator where she was able to create a service-focused catering program that was implemented throughout the region which propelled her into sales and eventually led her to managing coordinators in 12 cafes in South Carolina and Georgia.
After some time, Kleinshmidt’s skills led her to the world of staffing in the Manufacturing and Distribution Industry where despite COVID, she was able to move on to Managing Operations and help to keep people employed during difficult times. Kleinschmidt’s unique industry and service background paired with her love for staffing and problem solving makes her a perfect fit for the job at Cru Catering.
Kleinschmidt believes that the key to success as a manager is to be a strong leader. She says that if you lead by example, are open, honest, and vulnerable – people will follow. When Kleinschmidt is not in the kitchen, you can find her spending time with her husband and their 14-year-old daughter. Some of their favorite pastimes include going to the movies, watching football (Go Eagles!), and antiquing.
