Family Business Magazine honors 10 2025 Transformational Women in Family Business who are propelling their family enterprises into the future.
JAIME McKINLEY
President & CEO | W.F. Young, Inc. | East Longmeadow, Mass.
Jaime McKinley, fifth-generation president and CEO of W. F. Young, Inc., has dedicated more than three decades to advancing her family’s mission of animal health and wellness. Headquartered in East Longmeadow, Mass., the company is known for leading brands such as Absorbine, UltraShield, Silver Honey and The Missing Link. Under McKinley’s leadership, W. F. Young has doubled in size, strengthened its product portfolio and championed innovation, all while preserving a legacy that dates back to 1892.
“I’m most proud of how we’ve honored our 130-plus-year legacy while building a modern, innovative company positioned for growth,” McKinley says. “At the heart of that legacy is Mary Ida Young, my great-great grandmother and founder of our family business and a pioneering female entrepreneur who built this company at a time when women rarely had such opportunities. Carrying forward her spirit of resilience and vision inspires me every day.”
McKinley has guided the company into new categories of pet health and wellness while investing in innovation pipelines that balance science with natural solutions and strengthening W.F. Young’s brand platforms. “I’m equally proud of shaping an organization where people feel connected to our purpose and see how their contributions fuel our success.”
Initially, McKinley did not assume she would join the family company. “I studied marketing at the University of Connecticut and my uncle, president of W. F. Young at the time, offered me an internship opportunity. That led to a full-time job in marketing with several opportunities to gain experience in multiple roles. What drew me in was the chance to help evolve something generations before me had built with such care and integrity. It felt like both a responsibility and a privilege.”
During her 33 years with the company, McKinley has held several leadership roles in marketing, sales and business development. She was named president in 2021 and appointed CEO in 2023.
Throughout her career at W.F. Young, she has reinforced the importance of the company’s C.A.R.E values: collaboration, accountability, respect and enthusiasm. “Our values are the foundation of our culture and ensure that as we grow, we never lose sight of who we are.”
Those foundational principles are also essential to NextGen education. “The NextGen needs to understand not only the mechanics of running a successful business but also the deeper ‘why’ behind what we do,” she says. “A key tool in helping them see this bigger picture is our family charter, which lays out our shared values, our vision for succession and our collective commitment to remain a family business into the future. It gives them clarity on what’s expected of us as owners and stewards.”
Stewardship is a concept McKinley takes very seriously — and one that can be tricky to balance with a CEO’s responsibility to drive the enterprise forward. “As a steward of a family business, you carry the dual weight of legacy and investments for the future business. At times, there’s a natural tension between ‘what’s always worked’ and ‘what’s next.’ I’ve learned to overcome that by building a strong leadership team, fostering open dialogue, bringing in outside expertise when needed and ensuring decisions are guided by data, market trends and consumer insights.”
She also played a key role in building governance structures. “Over the past two decades we’ve put in place strong governance structures such as a comprehensive shareholder agreement, a board of directors comprised of both independent and family members and family meetings. One of the most important has been the creation of our family charter, which clearly defines our shared values, our approach to succession planning and our intentions to remain a family-owned business for future generations. Having this document has provided clarity and alignment for both the family and the business.”
Looking ahead, McKinley is focused on growth and innovation. “Our plan is to double the size of the company by creating innovative solutions for our consumers, expanding our reach and investing in the talent and capabilities that will keep W. F. Young strong for generations to come.”