An alumna who is the CEO of Jacquart Fabric Products will address more than 475 graduates and their families at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s winter commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 16.
Gina Jacquart Thorsen, a 1997 graduate of UW-Stevens Point, is the first female CEO in her company’s 120-year history. She will speak to graduates from campuses in Stevens Point, Marshfield and Wausau who are earning doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in Skyward Fieldhouse inside Marshfield Clinic Health System Champions Hall, 2050 Fourth Ave., Stevens Point. The event will also be livestreamed at www.uwsp.edu/commencement.
Chancellor Thomas Gibson will lead the ceremony with the assistance of Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs La Vonne Cornell-Swanson. Deans of each college will preside over presentation of degrees. Graduating music major Zak Palmer, Antigo, will perform the national anthem and Alma Mater, accompanied by the UW-Stevens Point Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Professor of Music John Lynch, director of bands.
The student speaker is Chiamaka Obinna, a sociology major from Milwaukee. Alumni Kevin, ’19, MBA ’20, and Jordan Ile, ’19, MS ’21, will lead the alumni pinning ceremonies.
Guests may park in any campus lot for free, except Lot F West, which will be used for handicap access.
Jacquart Thorsen is a third generation of the Jacquart family to oversee the business, which is the home of Stormy Kromer, an iconic outdoor apparel brand. She has increased sales by more than 20 percent in the past two years. She also expanded the company’s offerings five-fold, adding complete apparel and accessories for the whole family and pets. She has transformed the company’s online presence and collaborated with national brands.
She serves on the board of directors of the Small Business Association of Michigan and the Emberlight Festival and is a member of the Federal Reserve Ninth District Advisory Council and the Ironwood Economic Development Corporation. Jaquart Thorsen was also recently appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Executive Committee.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in arts management at UW-Stevens Point and a master’s degree in arts administration from Goucher College.