Lina HuIn 1994, she founded Clipper Corporation and is the strategic driver behind it. Lina's first big break came when Burger King Corporation hired Clipper to supply their uniforms. Now, Clipper provides supplies and uniforms to some of the largest names in the foodservice industry, and related industries to include, California Pizza Kitchen, Denny's Restaurants, FedEx Kinko's, The Home Depot, UPS, Baja Fresh, IHOP, Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Sizzler, just to name a few.
Lina’s philosophy is, “If I try, I will have a 50% chance of success but if I don’t try, I will have a 100% chance of failure. What I have learned is that if you have a goal and believe in yourself and are passionate, persistent, dedicated, and committed, you can achieve anything and you will be successful.” Lina’s goal is to provide the best quality available to exceed customer expectations while employing a price strategy that ensures material cost savings without compromising quality of service. She believes she must provide added value for her customers in order to maintain a competitive edge. Lina partners with her customers through the design, development manufacturing and distribution of new and improved product ideas. When asked how Lina has brought Clipper Corporation from a small start-up company to where it is today she attributes it to four things; dedication, commitment, knowledge and delivery. "What I enjoy most is the feeling I get when I go to a restaurant and see that the products they’re using to help them carry out their jobs better are made by Clipper. It makes me very proud that Clipper has contributed to their success.”
While living in China, Lina obtained both an undergraduate degree in Statistics and a Masters Degree in Business. She currently sits on the esteemed Board of Trustees at Hampton University. She was once chosen as a “Finalist” for the prestigious Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award for the greater Los Angeles area which recognizes outstanding men and women whose accomplishments have benefited not only themselves, but their employees, the economy and the Los Angeles community. She is also the proud recipient of the prestigious "Ernest Royal Pioneer Award" awarded by the Multi-Cultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance which is presented to individuals who best exemplify Ernie Royal’s pioneering spirit and commitment to leadership in supporting diversity, mentoring and providing career opportunities in the foodservice industry.
Lina resides in Manhattan Beach, CA and along with snowboarding, enjoys traveling the world.
Deena Conner, VP of Business Units
Deena, focuses on business development activities, strategic account management and ensuring Clipper’s customers receive the highest level of service. Deena has extensive experience in the uniform industry. She began her career with Barco Uniforms in 1983 and held various positions in customer service, account management and sales. As VP of Sales for Barco, Deena was responsible for the overall direction of their Identity Division, which sold and serviced such customers as McDonald’s and YUM! Brands. In 2006, Deena joined Strategic Partners, parent company of Cherokee Uniforms, as VP of Sales, where she led a team that serviced the hospitality and theme park industries. Deena attended the University of Oklahoma and currently resides in Southern California, where she enjoys watching her teenage son play volleyball and walking on the beach with her husband.
Tom McEntee, VP of Sources, Specifications & Operations
Tom is responsible for our factory footprint, specifications, and operations, which includes freight, logistics, warehousing & customer care. Tom has over 18 years of experience in systems, operations and manufacturing in the B2B and B2C made-to-order uniform segment of the apparel industry. He has repeatedly implemented process and production improvements that have ensured product quality, decreased delivery time and reduced costs. Additionally, he has extensive experience in developing direct retail channels via catalogues and online stores at the uniform companies of HPS Inc. and Algy. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and enjoys travelling, skiing, racquetball and college football. He resides in Pasadena, CA with his wife and is an active member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.
Greg Scharer, Chief Information Officer
Barry Woon, VP of Purchasing & Production
Barry is responsible for purchasing, production and quality control. Alongside our founder, he has been a driving force behind Clipper’s growth and success. Barry joined Clipper in 2003 as the Company's Director of Operations with over 10 years of Operations Management experience. Prior to joining Clipper, Barry was Director of Operations at Westcap Investors LLC, a SEC registered investment advisor with over $2 billion in assets. He was responsible for the firms entire processing, monitoring and servicing for over 500 institutional and high net worth clients. Barry holds a B.A. in Economics & Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. Barry is married and resides in Los Angeles. He is also well known for repeatedly delivering seemingly impossible tasks for customers.
Eric Tis, VP Finance & Accounting
Prior to joining Clipper, Eric worked in private equity where he was responsible for portfolio company financial oversight and controls as well as leading financial due diligence on new acquisitions. He also provided M&A and corporate finance advisory services for several leading advisory firms in southern California. Eric earned a Masters in Business Administration from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and is a Certified Public Accountant in California.
Melissa Zellner, Director, Special Projects & Marketing
Melissa oversees all creative and design services that deliver Clipper’s custom apparel, uniforms and hard goods. She manages a team of more than 100 designers and engineers spread across the world. She is an expert at balancing the divergent needs of our customers, such as cost, quality, design and practicality. In the past ten years, she has designed everything from rock star costumes to protective motorcycle apparel at companies such as Third Rail Clothing, And 1 and Heingericke. Her designs have been featured in many publications, such as Rolling Stone and Women’s Wear Daily. Melissa graduated with honors from University of California at Davis and resides in Orange County, CA.