After earning a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and attending graduate school at Princeton University, I began my career at Colbert Packaging as an estimator. My father, Charles (Bud) Colbert, founded the business in 1959. At that time, more women were entering the workforce while also raising families, but when I joined Colbert, I was one of very few women working in the folding carton industry.
My time as the estimator enabled me to understand the intricacies and variables involved in packaging production. To learn more about the business, I visited other folding carton companies, paper mills, and industry conferences. I subsequently served as the assistant to my father, who at the time was Chairman of Colbert. I gained even more experience and knowledge about operating the company during the next 20 years, learning from the best—a true pioneer in the industry.
During mid-career, I was named Executive Vice President, responsible for overseeing HR functions at Colbert Packaging. In this leadership role, my mission was to motivate, communicate, and help steer the company into the future while preserving the family culture and values that make Colbert Packaging a great place to work; and to promote a supportive, positive work environment. I am enthusiastic about our talented associates, eager to provide them with opportunities for advancement and to further their packaging career development. I believe it is important that those of us currently working in the industry help guide and mentor the next generation of packaging professionals.
Over the past 20 years, I maintained ownership of Colbert Packaging and have served as the company’s Chairman and CEO. During that time, I have had the privilege of performing various functions as CEO. I still enjoy overseeing and guiding HR, as well as focusing on our business strategy and vision for the future. Our Company is fortunate to have an exceptionally accomplished leadership team, and many highly regarded customers. Through frequent interactions with these customers, we are able to gain a thorough understanding of their unique needs, challenges, and visions. We are able to determine the best ways to direct our investments, including state-of-the-art capital equipment, advanced technologies, and innovative products — all designed to enhance the products and services we provide.
Colbert Packaging’s headquarters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
| Image Source: Colbert PackagingColbert Packaging currently operates two manufacturing facilities, including our Kenosha, Wisconsin, headquarters and a production site in Elkhart, Indiana, as well as a distribution warehouse in South Bend, Indiana. At this time, we employ approximately 300 people. Using high-tech packaging converting equipment, our skilled associates produce paper-based secondary packaging, including both offset and flexographic printed folding cartons, micro-folded package inserts, and pressure-sensitive labels. One of our recent investments is a new 10-color RMGT printing press. At over 82-feet long, it is one of the largest RMGT presses in North America.
In 2024, we celebrated Colbert Packaging’s 65th anniversary in business, recognizing our commitment to maintaining our independence and our unique place within the packaging industry. Though Colbert has been women-owned and operated for more than one-third of our 66-year history, in 2024 we also took the required steps to become a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) company through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women. We found that many customers sought to include this supplier designation as part of their sustainability program, so we believe this certification will have a meaningful impact upon the future of our business, and benefit our employees, customers, and suppliers.
From its founding, Colbert has dedicated substantial resources to sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Our Company has earned an EcoVadis rating in the top 35% of rated companies, invested in wind power renewable energy credits, and we practice zero manufacturing waste-to-landfill in our operations. In 2023, Colbert Packaging’s Kenosha facility was named a “Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment” by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Association.
As our organization has grown and evolved, I believe my father would be proud, not only because of our success, but also because our leaders have maintained, and promoted, the culture and values he established for our company. I am grateful to him for his inspiration and mentorship, and thankful for his legacy and the opportunities it provided to me and all of our employees – past, present, and future.
