Jordie Freedman began her career in theater, moving into Broadway and TV and even winning an Emmy for her work on The Rosie O’Donnell Show. But in 1999, she left that behind to join the family business – Stamford, CT-based Jornik (asi/63549), which Jacquie and Peter Herz started in 1992 after two decades of working on both the supplier and distributor sides. “That summer, my parents needed help with a project, so I went home and I just never left,” Freedman says.

Jornik (named for Jordie and her sister Nikki) remains a family affair after the Herzs transferred ownership of the company to Jordie and her husband Rory in 2017. Jordie currently serves as president of the supplier after early roles as VP of sales and marketing and COO, while Rory, who came on board after working on Wall Street, serves as treasurer/secretary. Freedman says her parents prepared her to carry on the family business by “allowing her to run all aspects of Jornik while they still owned the company and were able to watch and advise from afar,” she says.

The Freedman family (From left) Maeve, Jordie (president), Harley, Rory (treasurer/secretary), Devin and their dog Pipa.

“We have to say,” Jacqui and Peter tell Counselor, “that it’s the greatest feeling in the world to have created a company out of nothing and have our children take it over and run with it. We’re so pleased and proud of the way Jordie and Rory are taking Jornik into the future.”

Jornik’s continued success in the industry is due in part to having a line that emphasizes fun. The supplier, which has 48 full-time employees, is a perennial Distributor Choice Awards finalist in categories that include: Inflatables, Pencils & Erasers, Toys, Games & Stuffed Animals, Sports & Cheering products and many others. “This freshness runs through the basic core of our company and can be felt when working with our product line,” says Freedman. “These last five years have been a period of fine tuning for us. We feel Jornik has truly come into its own.”

The five-star-rated supplier spends a lot of time and energy developing these unique, youthful and fun-loving core items. Freedman, who graduated from Adelphi University after majoring in theater, enlists the help of her three kids, ages 17, 14 and 10. When the Freedman’s middle child had a health issue, Jornik came up with inspirational products to help kids deal with illness, depression and self-esteem, including items with anti-bullying messages. “All my kids have input in the business,” Freedman says. “I always ask their opinion. I know we have a winner when my girls’ eyes light up.”

Family informs much of Jornik; it’s even a priority in the emphasis it places on product safety, which started in 2008 when Jornik had to deal head-on with the new regulations ushered in by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This law meant that all children’s products (a large segment of Jornik’s line) required testing to be performed by accredited third-party labs, as well as new warnings and labels. As a result, Jornik re-evaluated, trimmed down its line and put money into compliance. “At that point, I had two little kids and a newborn. Safety meant something to me – it felt personal,” Freedman explains. “My parents put me in charge of learning about CPSIA, so I found a third-party lab and got to work. With the help of industry compliance ‘Yoda’ Leeton Lee, who worked as my consultant, we’ve built a compliance program that makes me feel good about myself, my products and what Jornik does.”

Jornik founders Jacquie and Peter Herz with their granddaughters Harley and Maeve Freedman.

Freedman adds: “I started to implement at home what I was learning at work. Over the years, I drove Rory nuts, but all three kids continue to ask if the products they want to buy are safe.”

Another point of pride for Jornik is its standout customer service. “We all work hard to exceed our customers’ expectations, beginning with that first phone call, to getting samples out, to delivering a perfect job,” Freedman says. “We see each other as family and do our very best to support one another.”

The supplier has weathered 9/11, the 2008 recession and other adversity over its nearly three decades in business. “We’re survivors,” says Freedman. Even in the face of a life-altering pandemic, the Jornik team is succeeding by creating thoughtful products that resonate with customers. For example, the company’s chalk products are being used to write messages of encouragement for front-line workers. Its “survival kits” and “Keep Calm and Color On” coloring books are timely items that are appreciated as well.

Freedman is optimistic about the future and grateful for the successes she and the company enjoy. “In 2008, business saw its silver lining and the phoenix did rise from the ashes,” reflects Freedman, speaking with Counselor this past May. “Today, while I was out on a walk with my dog, I noticed that the flowers and trees are in bloom. With spring comes new life. There is hope.”