Courtesy of PDAPAOLA By Mecca Pryor ·Updated February 12, 2026 /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Jason McNary has built a reputation as a trusted leader in global expansion with deep expertise across the U.S. and South American markets. Now serving as CEO of PDPAOLA Jewelry, he is no stranger to scaling businesses, leading high-performing teams, and creating environments where talent can thrive. From his tenure as President of Brandon Blackwood to his work at Agnès b., McNary’s career has been defined by strategic growth and operational excellence. 

His current philosophy at PDPAOLA? Simple. “If there’s something that’s presented to us that feels good and feels like it’s fluid for where our customer is, then we’ll take it,” McNary shares with ESSENCE. He continues to center the company’s expansion strategy on three core channels: online, retail, and wholesale. In response to rising tariffs, the brand has strategically pivoted to strengthen its direct-to-consumer online business while deepening wholesale partnerships. 

Since his arrival, PDPAOLA has secured placements with major retailers including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Ssense, with a Revolve launch slated for March. Still, for McNary, driving revenue is only part of the equation. He places equal emphasis on brand-building strategies that foster emotional connection—chief among them, storytelling.

When Jason McNary isn’t scaling companies globally, he’s focused on giving back. A committed board member for organizations including Black Retail Acation Group (BRAG), Women of Color Retail Alliance (WOCRA), and Faherty Brand, McNary also returns each summer to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, where he grew up and attended college, to show students what’s possible.

“I’ve gone to Jackson State, Tennessee State, LeMoyne-Owen, and Memphis, and I literally go and talk to students about BRAG who are in the fashion industry,” McNary shares with ESSENCE. “It’s a goal of mine to get it out there to more people in the South, specifically Tennessee, because I’m from there. The work continues, and it’s a lot of work to do.”

As both a CEO and board member, McNary underscores the importance of cultivating diversity not only at the store or corporate office level, but especially within boardrooms. Boards are the decision-makers and playmakers; recognizing diversity at that level ensures more inclusive decision-making from the top down. For professionals like McNary, those spaces also provide intrinsic fuel—roomssrc=”https://media.essence.com/vxcjywbwpa/uploads/2026/02/2025-11-28-PDPAOLA-VALENTINES-DAY0784-scaled.jpg” alt=”Meet Jason McNary, The Fine-Jewelry CEO Emphasizing Representation At The Highest Level ” width=”400″ height=”500″ />

At PDPAOLA, storytelling is central to how the brand shows up, especially around key moments like Valentine’s Day. While jewelry remains a cornerstone of the holiday, the brand chose to move beyond traditional romance by centering this year’s campaign around love letters—celebrating love in all its forms. By drawing inspiration from handwritten notes and timeless expressions of affection, the campaign taps into nostalgia and authenticity, reinforcing PDPAOLA’s belief that love is about connection, not just occasion.

McNary explains, “We’re a brand that leads with storytelling, that’s inherent to who we are. Valentine’s Day is an important shopping moment for jewelry, but this year we wanted to go deeper. The idea of written love letters, of getting back to how people once expressed love, felt meaningful and true to us.”

As for what’s next? McNary explains, “we’re a brand that leads with storytelling, that’s inherent to who we are.” With that, especially around key moments like Valentine’s Day, “it is an important shopping moment for jewelry, but this year we wanted to go deeper,” he says. Instead of leaning into the expected, the brand chose to center this year’s campaign around love letters—celebrating love in all its forms. By drawing inspiration from handwritten notes and timeless expressions of affection, the campaign taps into nostalgia and authenticity, reinforcing PDPAOLA’s belief that love is about connection, not just occasion. McNary adds, “the idea of getting back to how people once expressed love felt meaningful and true to us.”

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