PSD Alumni Interview: Tyler Matusevich, Sustainability Director, Brook & Whittle
"Packaging Science at VT provided the foundational knowledge, experience and skills to be successful in this industry. It helped me land internships and ultimately paved the way to where I am today."
- Tyler Matusevich, 2013 B.S. & 2015 MS., PSD Alumni
Describe yourself in a couple sentences: where are you from, what degrees do you have, when did you graduate from VT, and give us some basics about your home life:
"I was born and raised a Hokie in the New River Valley bouncing around Radford and Blacksburg. I graduated from VT in the spring of 2013 with my B.S. in what is now the Packaging Science degree of SBIO, and with my M.S. in Natural Resources and Environment in the fall of 2015. My wife, Katie, and I live in Richmond, VA with our daughter, Adeline, two dogs, and two cats. We spend most of our summers in northern MI at Higgins Lake and spend most of our free time doing outdoor activities, exercising, reading, or watching sports."
What was your major in the SBIO department and what made you choose that major?
"Packaging Science – I came into the college of NR&E undecided but quickly found my home after taking the intro to packaging course my first semester. I chose (or it chose me) packaging because it blended science, engineering, and business with a favorable job market."
What jobs have you had since graduation, and what is your current job title?
"I’ve spent most of my career in the label industry working on sustainability, but also worked in corrugated, food packaging, and digital identification. My current job is Sustainability Director at Brook and Whittle. We’re a leading manufacturer of labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging in North America with a core pillar being sustainable design."
How did your choice of major and your education at VT help you decide on and qualify for your current position?
"Packaging Science at VT provided the foundational knowledge, experience and skills to be successful in this industry. It helped me land internships and ultimately paved the way to where I am today."
What does a typical workday look like for your current position?
"Every day is different, which is part of what I love about my position. Some days are spent engaging suppliers on sustainable sourcing and product design, some are spent consulting customers, some working internally on ESG frameworks and reporting, and others with important industry organizations such as The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), or The Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI) to name a few."
What have you learned in your SBIO department classes, or through your overall time at VT, that’s helped you the most with your career?
"While the course work is certainly important in giving foundational knowledge to be successful for a career in packaging, to me, it was lab work, mentors and friendships that helped get me to where I am today more than any one class could teach. Show up on time, be engaged, ask questions, network, fail fast and learn from your mistakes. Go Hokies!"
