Soon after marriage Jerome & Cathy would open a small retail space in a local mall which soon led them to develop their own products for the printing and necktie industry. This would lead them to create specific chemicals for printing on fabrics using ink jet technology. In 1992 they opened C. Jenkins Chemical Company.

Over time they collaborated with companies such as Disney, Hewlett Packard and Warner Bros. to ensure the growth and longevity of their company. They created clothing chemicals for the movie Oceans 11 to make clothes look old and also created chemicals to help make the Memorial Quilt in NewYork to honor those from 9/11.

In 1995 they invented the chemical called Bubble Jet Set 2000 that would eventually catch the eye of NASA. With a few modifications this chemical would be used in the manufacturing of Space Suits worn by NASA Astronauts during spacewalk activities to protect them from harmful UV Rays.

In 2013 Cathy’s Kitchen was opened in Ferguson, MO and soon became one of the most popular restaurants in the St. Louis area!

However, in 2014 Michael Brown was killed by a Ferguson Policeman and the events that would follow would forever change their lives. Cathy’s Kitchen Restaurant and Diner sits 2 doors down from the Ferguson Police department and immediate protest stopped all sales to the restaurant. Cathy quickly realized that business would never be the same so she decided to cook all the food she had left. She rolled her cart up to the protesters and fed them all for free as they stood in the bitter cold protesting the death of Michael Brown. This decision was life changing.

After the verdict the riots began and the city of Ferguson began to burn. To her surprise all those protesters she fed created a human chain around her restaurant and protected her building from getting damaged. The next day after the smoke had cleared Cathy’s Kitchen Restaurant and Diner was the only business that could open for business.

Her act of kindness created a new popularity in the restaurant and people came from all over the world to dine at Cathy’s Kitchen. She had lunch with Danny Glover, Harry Bellafontaine, Kevin Costner, Melissa Etheridge and The Speaker of The House “Nancy Pelosi” came to visit Cathy!

2022 brings new opportunities for Jerome and Cathy as they are in the process of expanding the family business. With 31 years of marriage and 3 lovely children, it's now time to pass the torch to the next generation. They look forward to what the future will bring!