Junior Achievement Expands Northwest Board of Directors

EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN – Two Chippewa Valley community leaders recently joined the Junior Achievement Board of Directors in the Northwest Region.  

Jennifer Plante, currently serving as the Business Integration Consultant at Xcel Energy, has accumulated over 17 years of experience with them. Plante has held various pivotal roles in Customer Care and Billing throughout her tenure. In her current position, she acts as a vital liaison between IT and the Business, particularly during technology upgrades.

Jennifer's commitment to excellence and leadership extends beyond her professional responsibilities. She actively participated in the Leadership Eau Claire, where she contributed to a project that assisted Junior Achievement in developing innovative advertising strategies and attracting more teaching volunteers. Her dedication to education and community service is further exemplified by her seven years as a classroom volunteer, where she has imparted her knowledge on financial literacy to students.

Living in Chippewa Falls with her husband, Dennis, and their three children, Jennifer finds joy in traveling, gardening, and engaging in remodeling and building projects. Her diverse interests and strong family values make her a well-rounded and highly respected member of both the Xcel Energy team and her local community.

Zach Meyer, is Store Director at Festival Foods Birch Street location. With three years in this role and seven years with Festival Foods, Zach's commitment to excellence in associate development and guest experience continues to shine.

Having worked at all three Eau Claire Festival Foods locations throughout his tenure, his extensive experience in retail, spanning 20 years, with 12 years dedicated to grocery retail, has been instrumental in driving the success and growth of Festival Foods. Zach's approach aligns perfectly with Festival Foods' values of associate development and guest satisfaction.

Zach's personal life is just as full and rewarding as his professional one. He is married to Sunshinnia, and they have a 2-year-old son, Adrien. The Meyers family is eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new baby boy, due any day now. As a passionate Wisconsin sports fan, Zach enjoys supporting the Packers, Bucks, Badgers, and Brewers, and he also loves playing dynasty fantasy football in his spare time.

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA learning experiences are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and provide relevant, hands-on lessons that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, Junior Achievement is expanding its reach to 18-to-25-year-olds to provide young adults with critical life skills. Since 2021, Junior Achievement volunteers have provided life skills learning experiences for 40,450 northwest Wisconsin students. For more information, visit Wisconsin.ja.org.