The Times Union newspaper recently published a feature on Townsend Leather. Showcasing a bit of who we are and how we are growing.
We are excitedly growing and hiring, looking for the top talent to join our award-winning, passionate, leather-loving team.
By Susan Shultz
April 22, 2026
You may not have heard of Townsend Leather, but if you’ve worn New Balance sneakers or spent any time at a luxury hotel – odds are, you’ve experienced it.
The Johnstown, New York-based company, which has occupied the same building since 1969, is a third-generation family-owned business with a fourth generation coming up now.
“It is not an exaggeration to say we manufacture the world’s greatest leather,” said Townsend Leather employee of 17 years, Shawn Czadzeck.
“We buy only the greatest raw material, and we do as little to it as we can to make it beautiful, long-lasting, sustainable, and surpassing the incredibly high standards of our customers,” Czadzeck said.
Around seventy percent of the leather produced by Townsend goes to private aviation clients, the rest going to the Hospitality industry and New Balance shoes, made in the United States.
“So, almost every seat in private jets or high-end hotels – every celebrity, VIP person, or sports team… is probably sitting on our leather.
It’s made right here in Johnstown, by passionate craftspeople, we make the world’s best leather for seats and feets,” he said.
You don’t make leather for this high-level of discerning customers, in a difficult economy and a challenging industry, and still grow as a company, unless you know a secret.
Townsend Leather is known as and situated at the Heart of the Leather Making Region, drawing on hundreds of years of leather-making history in the area, but with a keen eye toward the future and cutting-edge technology.
History and future are part of the equation, but not the secret.
“It is cool and humbling to know that what we’re making is the best in the world, and that it’s loved around the world, it’s going everywhere, literally the whole planet,” he said.
A worldwide fan base, seeking out the craft skills, customization, and quality of Townsend’s leather is part of the equation as well, but not the secret.
“Hundreds of hands touch each piece of leather. Everyone here is a little bit part of everything. Wherever you have a passion, there’s a job for you here,” Czadzeck said.
It’s the people.
The craftspeople, their care, their passion, their way of working together… people do their best work when they are cared for, feel part of something, and have a future to look forward to – that is Townsend.
Townsend Leather has been named a Top Workplace for over a decade, as well as a best place to work, and a variety of other awards.
“We are proud of our awards, because they come from the people. The culture we have is like no other; there is something magical about coming together to create, and that magic infiltrates everything at Townsend. People will sometimes leave, but they almost always come back, saying they want to work somewhere where they are appreciated,” Czadzeck said.
Townsend Leather has been named a Top Workplace for over a decade, as well as a best place to work, and a variety of other awards.
Quality is central to what they do; care is central to who they are.
Townsend’s benefits package is also one of which the company is proud – it includes health and dental insurance, 401k and matching, flexible schedule options, parental leave, tuition reimbursement, along with “infinite high fives” and “teammates with great taste in music.”
Townsend has now grown across four buildings in Johnstown within walking distance of one another. They’ve restored a 100-year-old building, and most of the offices and production overflow have moved into that building.
Change is a common occurrence at Townsend, and as they are in a growth period, they are looking for top talent to join the team. People with passion and a hunger for knowledge, specifically looking for someone to lead the charge of Building 2, which includes the new Quality Lab, Final Inspection, Shipping, and more. A new leadership role, overseeing that all Townsend orders “cross the finish line with a win” before they head out the door, serving as our Completion & Quality Lead.
“We need someone to operate the whole building with a quality focus. The lab, inspection, shipping…it is a variety of skills, but it is all quality-focused and vitally important,” Czadzeck said.
Another higher-end role that Townsend is looking to fill is human resource leader/training and analysis development manager. The role itself is still taking shape, and the organization is seeking someone who can step in and help define it from the ground up, working closely with the Senior Leadership Team.
“We have such great people here. If we can add one more person who has a strong leadership skillset, a talent for developing people, and the ability to build meaningful connections with everyone, they would be in good company and be able to put those skills to meaningful work,” he said.
Townsend is looking for this person to develop and facilitate training designed to enhance personal & professional development. With a focus on a wide range of areas including: leadership, communication, soft skills, wellbeing, personal financial, public speaking skills, lean, six sigma, root cause analysis, decision making, emotional intelligence, process and product improvement… If you have experience in those areas, this could be an opportunity to let your passions and experience shine.
A key goal of this role will be to develop internal talent; they would look to you to design and implement a curriculum that supports clear growth paths for our team. Help define the future growth of the company and the milestones for each employee to get there.
Townsend says its secret for longevity, success, and quality of leather & careers is truly the people.
Recently, one employee celebrated 45 years at Townsend, and Czadzeck said they are not alone, as several have put in four decades, and many have made Townsend Leather their lifetime career.
Ask any Townsend employee what words to describe working there, you will hear “fun!” “family,” “rewarding, “respect,” “together”… it’s a place to be part of something and make a place for yourself.
Quality leather making takes many hands, an eye on the past, an eye on the future, a heart for craft, a mind for knowledge, and a special team to pull it all together.
They are now actively looking for more like-minded, heart-driven, team-focused, self-motivated people to join and make this their lifetime career as well.
For more information on applying for the open positions at Townsend, visit the career page at www.townsendleather.com/careers.
For more information on the company, visit www.townsendleather.com.
April 22, 2026 – Susan Shultz
https://www.timesunion.com/marketplace/article/know-secret-townsend-leather-hiring-top-talent-22220503.php
Today, April 29th, is World Leather Day.
For Townsend, every day is leather day! But we are always excited to join in a celebration of leather.
Leather Naturally, the world’s leading advocates of leather, with a mission to tell the true story of leather. They lead the charge with an annual celebration of all leather is and all it can be.
The focus of the world-organized celebration this year is, “Make it leather”.
We love the feel, longevity, beauty of leather, and we also love all the ways it is the most sustainable textile
Follow along with the celebrations of leather on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/townsendleather
#WorldLeatherDay – a moment to recognise leather as a material defined by longevity, versatility, and craftsmanship.
This year’s theme, Make It Leather, is a call to make intentional choices about the materials we use and value. Leather offers an alternative to disposable culture—it is designed to endure, be repairable over time, and is shaped by both heritage skills and ongoing innovation. Across fashion, interiors, travel, and more, leather demonstrates how one material can meet a wide range of needs while standing the test of time.
This World Leather Day, we celebrate the people, processes, and progress behind leather—and the role it can play in a more considered, long-lasting economy.
Find out more: https://www.leathernaturally.org/worldleatherday/
Leather, beauty, design, & candy… What could be better?
Townsend Leather will be showcasing our newest collection, The Cleopatra Collection.
You will be able to get your hands on the leather, take samples for your design boards, but even more than that – you can get right into the action with our photo-op wall!
A digitally printed leather showpiece, featuring inspiration from a Cleopatra Butterfly, will be on display for you to try on some wings, and elevate your design, with leather.
In our HD Booth, come say hi, take a photo with our Digital Print Photo Op hide, and tag us on Instagram, and you could even win a special prize!
Our Cleopatra Collection features a stunning variety of leather types and products, but the crowd favorites at BDNY were certainly The Shimmering Suedes, The Prism Cowhides, and the softer-than-soft Precious Calfskins.
Of course, there will be leather, and of course, our Cleopatra Collection will be featured, but you can also stop by Booth #2819 to express your love of gold and sweets, at our gold candy bar.
Each year Townsend has participated in the Times Union Top Work Place awards, we have won.
That puts us at over a dozen wins.
And we are proud of it.
Proud because it is us, it is our people, it is who we are together.
This recognition comes directly from the words and thoughts of our people who completed anonymous surveys, and after the Energage team reviewed and scrutinized everything, were able to confidently say, Townsend Leather is a Top Workplace in all the greater capital region.
Thank you to all the cool Townsend Leather Partners who make our place so special.
Crates are packed, bags are set, we are ready for AIX.
Our booth will be a celebration of elevating design with leather, focusing on Townsend’s specific skilled solutions for Aviation leather and our passion for sustainability.
Do you still need tickets for AIX? You can register for a free visitor badge here: https://www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/en-gb/register.html?code=1542460008363494-035
Stop by the Townsend booth to enter for your chance to win a Townsend Leather Crossbody Bag!
StandIE40, drop your card for a chance to win!
Drawing will take place on Wednesday, April 15th at 3:00
TOWNSEND LEATHER TO EXHIBIT AT AIRCRAFT INTERIORS EXPO 2026 IN BUSINESS JET ZONE WITH PRODUCT OFFERING THAT SPANS ACROSS THE BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL AVIATION MARKETS
Townsend Leather is excited to be displaying at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 at Stand IE40, the first time the company will have a full-sized presence at this show. This location is in the new area focused on the technology, materials, and craftsmanship that shape the VVIP and Business Jet markets.
See our AIX sneek peak and first round excitment
As a manufacturer of high quality upholstery leather for seating and other interior components for decades, Townsend has long been positioned to address the needs of both markets and this show brings the opportunity to meet with customers in both sectors. With industry-low minimum order requirements, custom coloring capabilities, hundreds of embossing patterns and textures, and attention to customers’ specific needs and requirements, Townsend partners with its customers across markets to be a reliable supplier for this important interior product. Furthermore, Townsend also works hand in hand with interior designers to ensure their aesthetic vision is realized with each aircraft specified and provides a wide range of products and related capabilities. During this show, Townsend will be showing full hides appropriate for seating in both commercial and private interiors but also the newest quilted, perforated, digitally-printed, and other decorative and specialty leathers.
Sherry will be in our AIX booth, see her recent feature about the BizJet Interior industry
The Townsend Aviation Sales Team consisting of Sherry Cocker, Kevin Kucel, A.J. Kucel, Ronald Cathey, and Jean-Luc DeLouche will be on hand throughout the event, showing full hides of the most popular leathers for aviation, offering take-away samples, explaining Townsend’s comprehensive offerings and manufacturing capabilities, and taking larger sample requests to stock the libraries, workrooms, and showrooms of our aviation customers.
See our recent feature with EVA magazine, where passionate, educated, expert, Sarah Eckler talks sustainablity, production, and all things leather.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and women’s empowerment, we are proud to have our own Sherry Cocker featured in this recent article.
Flying forward: the women shaping BizJet interiors
Sherry has over 30 years experience in leather, interiors, and aircraft. She has been inspiring our team internally for just as long.
When the article was shared around by her fans at Townsend, it was met with lots of praise for her and her words, one comment especially stood out:
Townsend Leather’s SVP of Sales & Marketing, Sarah Eckler, recently sat down with the fine folks at EVA Magazine to talk leather. Covering production processes, sustainability, history, future, and everything in between.
Townsend is serious about our quality and our sustainability, so any chance we have to talk about it (or anything leather!) – we jump at it.
Sarah is an expert in all things Townsend, with over 25 years at Townsend Leather and a lifetime of leather loving. While the interviewer reached out to multiple folks across the aviation interior industry, they kept coming back to Sarah for the definitive answer and insight.
See the article on EVA’s website: https://evaint.com/issue-article/tough-beautiful-and-sustainable/ or below.
