Jan Golden

Jan Golden, Vice President of Market Strategy and Growth

Professional Path and Defining Experiences 

Jan Golden‘s career has been eclectic, but with one common thread: people and culture. She considers herself lucky, lucky in the work, but even luckier in the people. She will tell you her career started with a simple second job at Outback Steakhouse. What followed was nine years working for corporate headquarters, opening new stores, running events across the East Coast, and ultimately rising to Marketing Manager. From there she joined The Brick Companies as CMO and VP of Sales, helping shape market strategy, brand identity, and client relationships across a growing portfolio of commercial real estate, golf courses, and marinas. She then spent 16 years at Chaney Enterprises, a concrete manufacturer and aggregate supplier, joining as Chief Customer Officer with oversight across sales, marketing, customer service, technical services, and retail operations. 

Each company was in its early stages when she arrived and considerably larger when she left. Throughout every role, Jan was deeply involved in community and philanthropic initiatives, believing that how a company shows up in its community is just as important as how it shows up for its clients. She is quick to credit the leaders she worked alongside at every stop, describing them as the driving force behind each company’s growth and culture. What she carried forward was simpler: that grit, loyalty, and strong core values build relationships, and relationships build everything else. 

Perspective Gained Across the Industry

Having worked in retail development, then material supply, and now general contracting, Jan has a genuine appreciation for every step in the real estate development and construction process. She knows how it feels to be the supplier when a subcontractor is under pressure, and what it’s like to be the developer navigating banking and financing constraints. She also understands the operations workforce and what they need to succeed. That full-picture view shapes everything about how she approaches relationships and growth. As she puts it, “Sustainable growth isn’t about speed, it’s about consistency, trust, and understanding what every partner at the table is carrying.” 

Driving Sustainable Growth at Chesapeake

As Vice President of Market Strategy & Growth, Jan Golden is focused on sustainable growth, scaling steadily and intentionally without jeopardizing the culture that makes Chesapeake special. Her role centers on creating opportunities for team members while supporting client growth at the same time. 

She emphasizes that true brand recognition is built not just through visibility, but through consistent delivery. In her approach, principles matter: keeping your word, treating others with respect, being clear and concise, and leading with fairness. These are not just values she believes in, but operational standards she has seen build high-performing teams and lasting client relationships throughout her career.

Built on Trust: Knowing What Developers Want

Drawing on her years of experience, Jan Golden understands that developers and partners want a general contractor who has their back, fully and without being asked. While the bottom line is always a priority, she believes real value is delivered through consistency, dedication, ingenuity, and strong core values. She emphasizes that these qualities don’t just strengthen relationships, they drive better outcomes and help protect the bottom line, reinforcing the trust that defines true partnership. 

Leading with Trust, Growth, and Accountability

Leadership, to Jan, starts with leading by example. She believes it’s equally important to listen, truly listen, and to give teams the autonomy to be creative and think big. While best practices and structure are essential and must be woven into the culture, she emphasizes that effective leadership is about guiding rather than dictating. 

Her approach centers on giving teams the tools to grow and allowing them to learn through experience how structure, repetition, and a high level of self-accountability produce results. Throughout her career, she has built and led teams across sales, marketing, operations, customer service, and technical services. The consistent lesson, she says, is to understand each person’s strengths and weaknesses, build on both, and invest in relationships that last far beyond any single role or company.

The Core Value That Matters Most

Jan shares that all of Chesapeake’s Core Values resonate with her, and she means that sincerely, not diplomatically. If she had to choose one, it would be Relationships. However, she sees Respectful, Responsible, Relentless, and Reputation as deeply interconnected principles. Rather than standing alone, they create conditions that make strong relationships possible in the first place. 

She approaches every decision, team interaction, and client conversation with that mindset, focused on showing up in a way that earns and sustains trust over the long term. 

Looking Ahead: Growth and Opportunity at Chesapeake

What excites Jan most about Chesapeake’s future is everything, and she means that as a strategic statement, not just enthusiasm. She points to the potential to scale growth by strengthening existing relationships while building meaningful new ones, as well as the opportunity to enter new markets with a true entrepreneurial spirit. 

She is equally energized by the ability to implement new systems and watch them drive results. At the core of it all, she emphasizes that this growth creates real opportunity for associates, trade partners, and clients alike. With a strategic and thoughtful approach guiding each step, she believes that’s exactly how meaningful, lasting growth is achieved.