PW: What's your background?
Carnie: I have been general manager here for 11 years and had been West Coast assistant GM prior. I worked for PriceCo club stores before that. I've worked for club stores for a total of 29 years.
PW: What do you like best about your involvement
in packaging?
Carnie: It's one of the most unrestricted and thought-provoking jobs I can imagine. I'm sort of a freelancer in packaging development. I enjoy my work so much it scares me!
PW: Where do you get your packaging ideas?
Carnie: Everywhere. I listen to what's being talked about whether it be for food or baked goods or pet foods. I then select the best available materials for the right reasons.
PW: And those reasons are...?
Carnie: Packaging needs to be sustainable. And we must be able to use and run our packaging in an
efficient manner.
PW: Costco operates its own
thermoformers and tooling shop?
Carnie: Yes, we found it more efficient to have our own machine tooling shop, so I've set up CNC machinery here. Those machines are not cheap, but they are worth it.
PW: What would make club store packaging better?
Carnie: If I knew, I'd be making those changes right now or moving in that direction.
PW: What lesson have you learned over the years?
Carnie: To have our buyers and corporate managers together in the same room when I'm pitching a package.
(see the Costco feature story, Costco unboxed, also from the November 2006 issue)
