Our products:

Manos Preciosas, S.A./Precious Hands LLC is a company based in Antigua, Guatemala and Louisville, Kentucky, USA and is owned and run by Irma Yolanda Zuleta (Antigua, Guatemala), John Barker (Frankfurt, Germany), Pat Sellers (Louisville, Kentucky), and Alfredo Hernandez Lopez  (Antigua, Guatemala). 

In Antigua we work closely with the artisans, who live in the surrounding communities, in all stages of designing, creating, and producing their handmade products.    

In Louisville we market, sell and distribute our products to US and Asian markets.

In Frankfurt, we market, sell and distribute our products to European markets.  

Our mission is to help artisans make an honest living and prosper by helping them to design, produce, market and sell their handmadecrafts world-wide. We accomplish this in Guatemala by working closely with the artisans in all stages of product developments and production and in Louisville and Frankfurt by making available to them world-class marketing, sales and distribution technologies.

Irma Yolanda Zuleta:

Irma Yolanda Zuleta is Manos Preciosas’ Co-founder, Director and oversees operations in Guatemala. Irma is Guatemalan and she attended and graduated from high school in the United States (1979-1988). She has worked in the handicraft production and export business for more than 20 years. Prior to establishing Manos Preciosas with John Barker, Irma worked for 3 years in sales in the internationally known JADES, S.A. company based in Antigua, Guatemala and she spent 14 years building and managing the Guatemalan operations for the European based handicraft export company, “De la Selva”. All of this hands-on experience, working with her people, the artisans, in Guatemala and clients from around the world has given Irma a unique perspective on all aspects of the handicraft export business.  

Irma lives in Antigua, Guatemala where she regularly travels to the nearby villages of Chichicastenango , Panajachel, Chimaltenango and Tecpan to work with and visit the artisans and their families in their homes where they create and produce their handmade crafts. Irma recognizes that the success she has enjoyed in the handicraft export business is primarily due to the trust and respect she has developed over the years listening to and sharing her knowledge with her people, the artisans.  

Over the years, participating in international trade shows in Frankfurt, New York and Hong Kong has made it possible for Irma to meet with and discuss Guatemalan handicrafts with clients from around the world. An example of this is when she explains why products made from original huipils cannot be made in other colors or designs or in large quantities. Huipils are one-of-a-kind hand-weaved clothes made and worn as blouses by the Mayan women. Since the women make these huipils for themselves they use the best possible raw materials and workmanship.

Over the years Irma has been honest and open with her artisans and clients and in turn they have come to respect her and remain loyal to her.  Irma’s greatest joy, in her own words is “to introduce my clients from around the world to my people, the artisans, and their beautiful handmade crafts”.

Edgar Alfredo Hernandez Lopez:

Edgar Alfredo Hernandez Lopez is Director of Operations in Antigua, Guatemala. Born and raised in Antigua, Guatemala, Alfredo has been involved in all aspects of the handicraft industry from an early age. He has worked as an artisan in several different mediums such as ceramics, wood, leather and jade. 

Even though in the past several years Alfredo has focused most of his efforts on management, overseeing production and international sales he still finds time to get his hands dirty designing and producing several new products and working closely with artisans on their new creations.  

Alfredo's first-hand experience as a Guatemalan artisan and in sales and export gives him a unique perspective, enabling him to work closely with both the artisans and clients alike.

John Barker, MD:

Co-founder and Director of oversees operations, based in Frankfurt Germany. 

John is Argentine-American, born in the US and has lived many years in the US, Europe and Latin America. Though he was trained as a Surgeon and Scientist he says his true vocation is as an entrepreneur and philanthropist.

As an entrepreneur John has started, built and run several successful companies in such diverse areas as medical technology, real estate, import-export, food service and retail. As a philanthropist he has organized and participated in many medical missions and shipped donated medical and educational supplies throughout Central and South America. In addition he established and runs scholarship exchange programs between the US, Latin America and Europe.

In 2007 John joined forces with Irma Yolanda Zuleta to start Precious Hands/Manos Preciosas to apply his entrepreneurial know-how with his philanthropic desire to help artisans make honest livings from their craft. With Irma, based in Guatemala, other partners in the US, and Dr Barker based in Europe, together they are creating important synergies to provide artisans the tools and resources they needto design, create, produce, market and sell their handicrafts   directly to customers around the world.

John did his undergraduate studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara, earned his Medical Degree at the National University in Cordoba, Argentina and received his PhD at the University of Heidelberg, in Germany. He holds the position of Friedrichsheim Foundation Endowed Professor for Experimental Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Frankfurt, Germany.

Pat Sellers:

Chief Financial Officer and Director of US sales and logistics, based in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Born and raised in the US, Pat joined the Navy at an early age and during his 20 years of service, traveled the world. This experience left him with a deep appreciation for the many diverse cultures that make up the world and a thirst to learn more about them.

From an early age Pat has always had an interest in learning to speak Spanish. This interest has led him to aggressively pursue studies in basic and conversational Spanish and even enroll in immersion language courses and participate in humanitarian aid missions in Latin America.  In addition to learning enough Spanish to get by in his travels these experiences also sparked his interest in assisting the less fortunate. 

Recognizing that the best assistance is help that helps people help themselves, he joined forces with the founders of Precious Hands to build the business and in doing so build the prosperity of our business partners and artisans in Guatemala. 

Pat earned his Bachelors Degree in American History from the University of Louisville and his MBA at Michigan State University. His business experience includes retail sales and distribution logistics.

Amber Sellers:

Oversees US sales and is based in Los Angeles, California, USA.

After graduating from the University of Louisville, Amber moved to New York City where she assisted many of the world's top fashion stylists before making a name for herself in the Editorial and Advertising world. In 2006 she began Design Consulting and Product Development for several emerging designers. Amber's wide ranging knowledge of design, production, and trend forecasting enables her to work with the Guatemalan artisans  to create new products to bring to international markets. 

Amber received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Louisville.