John “Jack” E. Link isn’t just the founder of Link Snacks, he’s the force of nature who took a family recipe and turned it into a global protein juggernaut. Jack grew up in the Northwoods with a deep respect for craft, hard work, and the kind of no-nonsense attitude that doesn’t just build a company, it builds a category. In 1985, Jack fired up Link Snacks with a simple idea and an even simpler line: “It’s not that hard, we make a little jerky, we sell a little jerky.” Spoiler: he was being modest.

Under Jack’s relentless vision, Link Snacks grew from a family-owned upstart into a world leader in meat snacks and one of the number one brands in the U.S. snack category. What started in a tiny Northern Wisconsin facility became a global empire powered by authenticity, grit, and a refusal to settle for anything less than best-in-class. Today, as Chairman of the Board, Jack continues to guide the company with the same energy, instinct, and roll-up-your-sleeves mentality that built it. He remains the heartbeat of a brand that grew big, but never grew soft.