Susan Packard
{{short description|American TV executive}}
{{for|the philanthropist|Susan Packard Orr}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Susan Packard
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| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan
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| occupation = Businesswoman, author
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| known_for = HGTV
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Susan Packard is an American business executive and author who was a cofounder of HGTV, DYI Network and several other Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI) network channels.
Packard also worked on the startup teams of HBO and CNBC. She is the author of New Rules of the Game: 10 Strategies for Women in the Workplace. In 2019 she authored Fully Human, Three Steps to Grow Your Emotional Fitness for Work, Leadership, and Life.
Early life and education
Susan Packard was born in Detroit, Michigan. During her secondary school summers, she worked for her father's direct mail business. After receiving her undergraduate degree in advertising from Michigan State University,{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Steve |title=Susan Packard |url=https://www.cablecenter.org/p-q-listings/susan-packard-legacy-project.html |website=The Cable Center}} in 1979 she graduated with a masters in advertising from the same school. She later completed an executive program at the University of Virginia.{{cite web |last1=Mink |first1=Michael |title=Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted |url=http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/susan-packard-drove-home-hgtvs-culture-while-ratings-sprouted/ |website=Investor's Business Daily}}
In 2019 Packard was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Michigan State .{{Cite web|title=Susan Packard, Doug Meijer to speak at MSU commencement|url=https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2019/susan-packard-doug-meijer-to-speak-at-msu-commencement/#:~:text=Susan%20Packard,%20an%20MSU%20alumna,2019%20MSU%20homecoming%20grand%20marshal.|access-date=2020-12-14|website=MSUToday {{!}} Michigan State University|language=en}}
Business career
Packard's first job out of graduate school was at Burke Marketing Research in Cincinnati.{{cite web |last1=Harrington |first1=Carly |title=HGTV co-founder inducted into Cable Hall of Fame |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/business/hgtv-co-founder-inducted-into-cable-hall-of-fame-ep-410769094-359703191.html |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}
Packard started out in the cable programming television business with the sales division of HBO in 1980, eventually becoming a regional manager in charge of distributing HBO to cable operators. In 1984, Packard became the director of the HBO Los Angeles market.{{cite web |last1=Mink |first1=Michael |title=Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted |url=http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/susan-packard-drove-home-hgtvs-culture-while-ratings-sprouted/ |website=Investor's Business Daily}} After this, she worked at NBC to help launch the network's cable properties beginning in 1988. Packagred was on the start-up team of CNBC,{{cite web |title=New Rules of The Game Book Review |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/susan-packard/new-rules-of-the-game |website=Kirkus}} where she served as the vice president of affiliate relations and national accounts.{{cite web |last1=Daily |first1=Bethany |title=LOUISVILLE: Why Working Women Need To Think Like Athletes |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2016/03/louisville-why-working-women-need-to-think-like.html |website=Bizwomen |publisher=Albuquerque Business First}}
In 1994 at E.W. Scripps Company, Packard helped cofound Home and Garden Television (HGTV), a place where she served as the chief operating officer until 2000. During this time she also cofounded the Scripps Networks, becoming the President of Scripp's New Ventures division in 2000. That year Packard was a co-founder of the Fine Living Network, which debuted in 2002.{{cite book |last1=Salkin |first1=Allen |title=From Scratch: The Uncensored History of the Food Network |date=2013 |publisher=Penguin |pages=179, 227, 383}}
Scripps eventually became Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI),{{cite web |last1=Mink |first1=Michael |title=Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted |url=http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/susan-packard-drove-home-hgtvs-culture-while-ratings-sprouted/ |website=Investor's Business Daily}} where Packard served as executive vice president. In this role she also co-founded the DIY Network.{{cite web |last1=Mink |first1=Michael |title=Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted |url=http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/susan-packard-drove-home-hgtvs-culture-while-ratings-sprouted/ |website=Investor's Business Daily}} The company grew to a $10 billion market valuation.{{cite web |last1=Malek |first1=Mitra |title=Patience Urged In Rise To The Top, Former HGTV Head Says |url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/mar/04/patience-urged-rise-top-former-hgtv-head-says/291401/ |website=Times Free Press}} In her final role before leaving SNI, Packard served as the Scripps Networks President of Brand Outreach.{{cite web |last1=Silverman |first1=Alex |title=Minding My Business With Pac-12 Networks Senior VP Art Marquez |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2014/06/04/People-and-Pop-Culture/MMB.aspx |website=Sport's Business Daily |publisher=Sport's Business Journal}} In addition to her business duties, she aligned Scripps corporate citizenship with external organizations, including Mobile Meals and Habitat for Humanity.{{cite web |last1=Harrington |first1=Carly |title=HGTV co-founder Susan Packard debuts new business book for women |url=http://archive.knoxnews.com/business/hgtv-co-founder-susan-packard-debuts-new-business-book-for-women-ep-938390603-353554971.html/ |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}
Packard was the first woman to serve on the board of Churchill Downs, Inc. She served for two terms, from 2004 to 2010.
Books
In 2015 Packard wrote the book New Rules of the Game: 10 Strategies for Women in the Workplace, which applies the concept of “gamesmanship” for the use of women in their careers. The book “cultivates creativity, focus, optimism, teamwork and competitiveness,” according to San Diego Metro.{{cite web |title=Celebrating Women's Roles |url=http://www.sandiegometro.com/2015/03/celebrating-womens-roles-in-the-world/ |website=San Diego Metro}} In the book Packard uses personal anecdotes from the breadth of her career{{cite web |last1=Harger |first1=Jim |title=HGTV Co-founder Shares Her Success Secrets With Women's Networking Group |url=https://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/11/hgtv_co-founder_shares_success.html |website=MLive Media Group |publisher=Advance Local Media LLC.}} as well as stories about other businesspeople who successfully managed various competitive situations.{{cite web |last1=Lindsay |first1=Lavine |title=10 New Books We'll Be Reading This Year |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3040972/10-new-books-well-be-reading-this-year |website=Fast Company}} These were taken with interviews that Packard did with c-level executives or company presidents, nine of which were women and three were men.{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Mike |title=Speaker Offers Game Plan for Successful Women |url=https://www.grbj.com/articles/83804-speaker-offers-game-plan-for-successful-women |website=Grand Rapids Business Journal}} Packard advises on issues surrounding competition in the workplace.{{cite web |last1=Shellenbarger |first1=Sue |title=How Do You Survive Office Competition? |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-do-you-survive-office-competition-1461088682 |website=Wall Street Journal}} New Rules of the Game is intended to serve as a guide for women looking to take on leadership positions in business.{{cite web |last1=Harrington |first1=Carly |title=HGTV co-founder Susan Packard debuts new business book for women |url=http://archive.knoxnews.com/business/hgtv-co-founder-susan-packard-debuts-new-business-book-for-women-ep-938390603-353554971.html/ |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}
Packard's second book, Fully Human, 3 Steps to Grow Your Emotional Fitness for Work, Leadership, and Life, looks at emotional intelligence and how it can propel the reader to find fulfillment and success. She uses lessons from her career as well experiences of many others that she interviewed for the book, from all levels of various organizations.
Recognition
Packard was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2008. She has also received awards including the Women in Cable & Telecommunications Woman of the Year award, YWCA Tribute to Women Award, and E.W. Scripps William R. Burleigh Award for Distinguished Community Service.{{cite web |last1=Harrington |first1=Carly |title=HGTV co-founder inducted into Cable Hall of Fame |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/business/hgtv-co-founder-inducted-into-cable-hall-of-fame-ep-410769094-359703191.html |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}
References
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Category:American television executives
Category:American women television executives
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Businesspeople from Detroit