Born in Buffalo, New York, Jay Shutts moved to Darien with his family in 1960 and has maintained close ties to the community ever since. He graduated from Darien High School in 1977 and earned a degree in Economics and Business from the University of Richmond in 1981.
Jay began his professional career in sales with Procter & Gamble immediately after college. In 1989, he joined the book printing division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons, beginning a long career in the publishing and printing industry. He continues to work with Lakeside Book Company, a successor to R.R. Donnelley. In 2019, he added an entrepreneurial venture to his professional pursuits with the purchase of Frog Hooks by Sternmoor, a boat docking system used at facilities across the country, including the Darien Boat Club.
Jay has been an active contributor to Darien’s civic and nonprofit organizations for many years. He served as President of the Darien Land Trust from 1997 to 2003, a period that included the important acquisition of Mather Meadow. He subsequently served on the Darien Library Board from 2012 to 2018, including two years as Treasurer, and as President of the Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust, which supports Darien Scouting, from 2017 to 2019. He currently serves on the Town of Darien’s Advisory Conservation Commission.
An enthusiastic outdoorsman, Jay enjoys skiing, golf, bicycling, boating, and hiking, and is a regular at the Darien YMCA gym.
His two children, both graduates of Darien schools, have ventured farther afield. His daughter, Kendra, lives in London, while his son, Cameron, resides in San Francisco.
