Wednesday, 01 July 2026 03:30 PM
Awards
MORGAN HILL, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 1, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who is proud to interview and honor Alleen Crooks for her distinguished contributions to custom embroidery, textile services, apparel decoration, letterman jacket design and small business leadership. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. In Ms. Crooks' case, that recognition reflects more than two decades of technical expertise, entrepreneurial resilience and a commitment to creating personalized products that help clients celebrate achievement, promote their brands and express their identities.
Ms. Crooks is the owner of Make It Mine by A. Justice Design in Morgan Hill, California, a company specializing in custom embroidery, letterman jackets, engraving, heat press, direct-to-film decoration, screen printing and related apparel services. Since purchasing the business in 2014, she has overseen daily operations, including customer orders, deposits and checks, sewing, sales, ordering, graphic design coordination, laser engraving, embroidery supervision and the integration of new decoration technologies. She also manages a team of four employees and remains closely involved in the hands-on creative process.
In her Marquis Who's Who interview, Ms. Crooks states that her area of expertise is letterman jacket design and production, a specialty that has become central to the company's identity. Through Make It Mine, Ms. Crooks serves approximately 20 local schools, producing jackets for students and helping families celebrate academic, athletic and extracurricular accomplishments. She also provides contract embroidery for companies such as Cintas and other larger organizations in the surrounding area, while serving hotels, day spas and small businesses that need high-quality branded apparel.
Ms. Crooks' journey into ownership began through personal experience. Nearly two decades ago, her son wanted a letterman jacket, but the project was delayed after the person originally working on it became unavailable. When Ms. Crooks visited Make It Mine to find a solution, she saw another parent facing a similar problem. Rather than accept the delay, she offered to help, learned to operate the chenille machine and completed her son's jacket. That willingness to step in led to part-time work at the shop. When the previous owners later decided to retire, they offered her the opportunity to buy the business, and she has led it ever since.
Before becoming a business owner, Ms. Crooks built a strong technical foundation in sewing and garment construction. She served as a seamstress for San Mateo County for seven years, worked as a sewer at Canvasworks in Sunnyvale for seven years and began her professional journey as a specification writer at Fritzis in California. These roles sharpened the precision, patience and practical skills that continue to define her work today.
Ms. Crooks' most meaningful professional achievement has been sustaining Make It Mine through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remaining open, operating and ultimately thriving after that period was a defining accomplishment for Ms. Crooks and a testament to her consistency, adaptability and customer loyalty. She attributes her success to showing up, doing the work, asking questions, listening to customers and building strong partnerships with representatives and contract clients.
In her Marquis Who's Who interview, Ms. Crooks emphasized her belief in a hands-on process and the creativity behind every project. She works with customers to provide options, marketing ideas and decoration solutions that make their products unique, beautiful and aligned with their goals. She also values transparency in customer service, using a proofing system to ensure clients and team members remain aligned before production.
Ms. Crooks has observed major changes in the customized apparel industry, including the rise of AI-generated logos and customer-created artwork. In her interview she says, "I'm seeing a lot of people bring in their logos that have been generated with AI, which is very interesting. We're seeing a lot of that." Even as technology evolves, she remains focused on craftsmanship, quality stitching and personalized service. She states, "I really would like to make the projects unique and beautiful and exceed the expectations of my clients. I enjoy the process of creating innovative and beautiful things."
Looking ahead, Ms. Crooks plans to expand partnerships with schools, with the goal of serving 100 schools in the creation of letterman jackets. She also plans to increase machine capacity, add equipment and implement employee incentive programs that support growth and staff development. She already says she has 3,000-3,500 current customers, roughly half of whom have patronized her before.
"Alleen Crooks exemplifies the caliber of entrepreneur and skilled creative professional Marquis Who's Who is proud to chronicle," the editorial team stated. "Her work in embroidery, apparel decoration and letterman jacket design reflects a career defined by craftsmanship, resilience and care for each customer's vision." Through its interview and recognition of Ms. Crooks, Marquis Who's Who celebrates a business owner whose leadership continues to support students, companies and communities through personalized textile design.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who