A Loveland husband and wife team have just launched Tava Energy, an online store where shoppers can find high-quality products made from recycled and renewable materials.
The site reflects the new generation of recycled products - you won’t find any hair pillows here. Instead, Tava Energy offers a wide array of gifts, personal, outdoor and party items like tea light holders made from freewheels and cogs, a business card holder made from a small section of bicycle rim and chain sections, and the Grow a Note line of recyclable cards embedded with wildflower seeds that can be planted just about anywhere.
"Our Company was built from the ground up with our customers in mind," said Tava’s President John Vonasek, who along with his wife Jenny, started the company in 2008. "By giving consumers a better selection of products that have less impact on our environment, we believe Tava will fill a void for frustrated consumers."
Jenny has a degree in accounting from the College of Mount St. Joseph, and an MBA from Xavier. She is a former employee for Frontgate. John is in sales.
The Vonaseks operate the company out of their home for now, but plan to find office and warehouse space as the Tava grows. The couple founded the company after a trip to the Teton Mountains, near Yellowstone National Park, which inspired Jenny to create a company that would help preserve the country's natural resources.
"At my age I pretty much had the attitude that I had seen everything; nothing could surprise me. We flew into Jackson Hole, Wyoming right next to the Tetons. They were so beautiful that they literally took my breath away. They were spectacular. I was just overwhelmed because I had seen everything, or so I thought. Now I was seeing true beauty first hand that I had never seen before," Jenny said.
The Vonaseks look for products that are as eco-friendly as possible, Jenny said. That means examining how they are made and what they are made with. In keeping with their company's inspiration, Tava also will donate a portion of proceeds to conservation and research work.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Jenny and John Vonasek, founders of Tava Energy
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