Packaging alum Tracy Nameth feels strong sense of belonging and support from fellow alumni

Tracy Nameth talks about how the School of Packaging provided opportunities to build relationships and support other Spartans

Alumni Feature

Tracy Nameth is 1999 School of Packaging graduate and has remained very involved as an alum. She has served on the MSU Packaging Alumni Association board of directors since 2012. She started her career in packaging at Campbell Soup and today serves as senior manager of packaging at Amplify Snack Brands in the greater Chicago area. She is responsible for packaging innovation and commercialization for Skinny Pop, Paqui, Oatmega, Pirate’s Booty and Krave brands produced at over 10 co-manufacturer locations across the country. She is founder/owner of The Packaged Deal, LLC, a women-owned consulting business offering independent packaging consulting and packaging development solutions to meet company needs. 

In this interview, Tracy talks about how her degree helped prepare her for working as a professional.

What did your degree prepare you for? 

The School of Packaging provided opportunities for me to build relationships and support other Spartans before and after graduation. I feel a strong sense of belonging, camaraderie and support from my fellow Spartan packaging alumni in the field. 

What you enjoyed most about your 20+ year career in the field of packaging? 

I have enjoyed watching the packaging field become much more diverse since I graduated from MSU. In 1976, less than 5% of packaging engineers were women. Today the number has risen to almost 40%. 

What do you look forward to next?

I look forward to seeing how the School of Packaging can adapt their curriculum as the industry of packaging evolves.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for packaging professionals moving forward?

One of the biggest challenges for packaging professionals moving forward is to drive innovation and sustainability in the ever-evolving e-commerce space. 

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