History and Team
A New Voice for the Industry
The merger in 2020 of the United States Hide Skin and Leather Association and the Leather Industries of America brought together the two main organizations representing our industry in the U.S. Based in Washington DC, the LHCA now represents more than 75 businesses employing more than 5,000 people nationwide. More than 26,000 people in the U.S. are involved in the processing of hides and wet blue (semi-finished) leather tanning. This includes those employed at hide plants, tanneries, exporters, agents, and others. The U.S. exports annually approximately 90% of all cattle hide and wet blue leather products it produces, totaling between $1-2 billion per year.
The rationale was clear, to create a new and stronger industry association that brings together the membership, expertise and resources of the two. And to position the organization to be a force for good in the global leather market and to have the ability to engage with and promote leather as a versatile, natural and sustainable choice to a new generation of designers, craftspeople and consumers.
Leadership Team
Kerry Brozyna, President
Kerry Brozyna, as Acting President, represents and promotes the interests of the U.S. hides, skins and leather industry before a wide-range of stakeholders, including U.S. and foreign governments, industry trade associations, media outlets. Appointed to L&HCA in 2024, Brozyna brings over three decades of experience in the footwear industry.
Brozyna comes to L&HCA from Wolverine Worldwide where he spent two decades in senior leadership, most recently as Vice President and General Manager of Wolverine Worldwide Leathers. With a commitment to People, Product, and Promise, he built customer-centric teams based in the USA, China, Vietnam, and Thailand responsible for manufacturing and marketing leather to global shoe brands.
Prior to his work in leather manufacturing, Brozyna spent the better part of a decade as the head of a global material sourcing team. With a team based in Rockford MI, Waltham MA, Dongguan China, Ho Chi Minh Vietnam and Chennai India, he built and maintained an independent, scalable team of material experts driving continuous improvement through the supply chain, strengthening relationships, leveraging supply chain partners, and delivering best in class products, on time and under budget.
Vice President Kevin Latner
Kevin Latner is vice president of the Leather and Hide Council of America (L&HCA) on Europe marketing and sustainability. Latner’s broad background in agricultural trade policy, strategic planning, trade marketing, monitoring and research, and program evaluation includes working with organizations throughout the agricultural industry.
Prior to his work with Ag Food Consulting and Latner and Associates, and his role at L&HCA, he served as executive director of Cotton Council International (CCI) based in Washington, DC, and as vice president of the National Cotton Council (NCC) of America, based in Memphis, Tennessee. NCC is the industry association representing the cotton supply chain and CCI is the export promotion arm of NCC. Prior to Joining CCI, he was Senior Country Director for China for the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), responsible for leading overseas operations in Mainland China.
Mr. Latner also has 15 years experience with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, working as an economist, marketing specialist, and trade and agricultural diplomat. Latner spent 10 years with USDA working overseas in China and Japan, promoting U.S. agricultural exports and addressing trade barriers. A native of California, Mr. Latner attended the University of California, Davis, where he earned a MS in Agricultural Economics, a law degree in International Trade Law and undergraduate degrees in International Relations and Spanish.
Senior Consultant Guillermo Morfin
Guillermo Morfin joined LHCA, previously USHSLA, in 2018 as its Mexico and Western Hemisphere (Latin America) Market Development Representative. In this role, Morfin promotes exports of US hides and skins to the region, serving as the primary representative of the US hides and skins industry to entities in Mexico that have an impact on U.S. exports of these products. Morfin interfaces with key stakeholders, including leather tanners, hides and skins importers, industry associations, and government regulators, among others, in the market to build relationships for the benefit of the US industry.
In addition, Morfin provides Spanish language interpretation and translation services periodically and on an as-needed basis. He also attends, on behalf of LHCA, relevant meetings, seminars, trade shows, and other events in Mexico.
Morfin earned Chemical Engineering and MBA degrees from Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico.
With more than 38 years of professional experience, his entire career has been dedicated to the hide, tanning, and leather industries. Morfin possess expert knowledge of these markets and is well known by the stakeholders in the industry.
He has worked in tanneries, gelatin factories, associations, consulting and with US hide supplier companies.
Vice President Jane Li
Xueqing (Jane) Li is responsible for trade policy, market access, trade show management, market development and promotional activities in China and other Asian markets at Leather & Hide Council of America (LHCA). In addition, Li works with allied trade associations, USDA and other entities to formulate trade policy on a number of issues, to facilitate trade and to implement marketing activities. Previously, she worked as the director of Promar Consulting’s China office, managing and overseeing the company’s China projects. Prior to Promar, Li was an Agricultural Marketing Specialist serving as the principal advisor on Chinese marketing and trade possibilities to the US Agricultural Tarde Office at the US embassy in Beijing, China.
A native of Wuhan, China, Li received a Master of Agriculture Business from the University of Florida.
Associate Director, International Programs Michael Schumpp
Michael Schumpp serves as NAMI's international trade policy specialist and associate director of international programs for the Leather and Hide Council of America. He most recently served as director of public affairs and member communications for NAMI.
Schumpp joined the Institute in March 2014 as coordinator of legislative and public affairs. Previously, he worked in a public affairs firm in Washington, DC and at Winning Strategies Public Relations in Newark, N.J. Schumpp graduated Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and subsequently earned a master’s degree in Political Management, also at GW.
International Operations Program Manager, Matt Allan
Matt Allan is the International Operations Program Manager of the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA).
Before joining LHCA, Matt worked at the Consumer Brands Association and the National Association of County and City Health Officials. He received a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Vassar College and an M.S. in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
Officers of the Leather and Hide Council of America
Co-Chairman
Kerry Brozyna
Wolverine Leather
Co-Chairman
Chad Robertson
Harland M. Braun & Co.
Secretary/Treasurer
Steve Schroeder Jr.
Atlas Refinery, Inc.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF LEATHER AND HIDE COUNCIL OF AMERICA
Kerry Brozyna
Wolverine Leather
Bradley Grove
Twin City Hide Co.
Tim Ng
C K International, Ltd.
Shane O’Connell
Tyson Fresh Meats
Chad Robertson
Harland M. Braun Co./Braun Export
Steve Schroeder Jr.
Atlas Refinery Inc.
Jay Jensen
[Ex Officio – Previous Chairman]
Southwest Hide Co.
Steve Sothmann
[Ex Officio – President]
LHCA
DIRECTORS OF LEATHER AND HIDE COUNCIL OF AMERICA
Term Ends 2023
Ronaldo Ayala
Lear/Eagle Ottawa
Kerry Brozyna
Wolverine Leather
Roy Copans
Cargill
Benjamin Ganz
AJ Hollander Enterprises
Steve Schroeder Jr.
Atlas Refinery, Inc.
Marcelo Fraga de Sousa
Buckman Laboratories
Term Ends 2024
Barry Bank
Bank Bros. & Son Ltd.
Sarah Drayna
TFL
Bradley Grove
Twin City Hide Co.
Keith Hill
ISA TanTec/Auburn
Chris Mullally
Mohawk Trading Co.
Adam Vrijhof
JBS USA
Brandon Yoemans
SB Foot Tanning Co
Term Ends 2025
Shep Hermann
Hermann Oak Leather Co.
Jay Jensen
Southwest Hide Co.
Tim Ng
C K international, Ltd.
Shane O’Connell
Tyson Fresh Meats
Chad Robertson
Harland M. Braun & Co.
Janio Rocha
National Beef Leathers
Michael York
Tennessee Tanning