How 30-year-old, woman-owned Premier Packaging is transforming the industry’s landscape
Companies in the packaging industry are typically either a manufacturer or a distributor, but that’s the beauty of Premier Packaging (Premier) – we do both,” opens Jill Gaynor, CEO. “With six manufacturing plants in the US and locations across the continent including Mexico, we’re in a strong position to create lasting solutions that improve efficiency and reduce overall supply chain costs for our customers.
“We see ourselves as problem solvers and solution providers, finding opportunities to make customers’ jobs easier and drive cost savings for all things packaging. Whether it’s right-sizing a package, recommending a different product or method, evaluating processes, identifying sustainable solutions, or recommending automation, we have an extensive portfolio of products, equipment, and services to meet a range of packaging needs.”
Seamlessly balancing the values of curiosity and collaboration with its owners’ entrepreneurial spirit, Premier not only celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, but the business also became female owned and operated. While still in the process of obtaining the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBNEC) certification, Premier is set for a new era of growth and innovation with Jill at the helm.
Inspirational leadership
With these achievements in mind, we’re keen to hear more about Jill’s career journey to CEO. “I started out working for an advertising agency based out of Louisville working in a Chicago territory. My husband, John, and his two business partners set up Premier, where I was often assisting them in whatever they needed in the background whether it was marketing materials or renovating buildings and space as they grew,” she explains. “Over time, John and I became the sole owners of Premier, and after raising our four children, I started an interior design and home staging business from the ground up. That business ran successfully for around 12 years before I was asked to come onboard with Premier in a more forward-facing role as Chief Marketing Officer.
“I was thrilled to officially establish a marketing department and build a team to take our marketing efforts to the next level. I’m very much a data girl, and while marketing is conceptual, it’s also very strategic in how you best advertise, promote, and communicate the company’s services across different platforms. The next big change came in 2024 when John transitioned to the role of President, and I became CEO. It has certainly been a very busy few years but it’s great to be in a better position to have more positive impacts on the business by implementing new policies to the company, such as our maternity and parental leave program.”
Following this, we ask Jill to share her reflections on being a woman in industry. “I personally don’t know anything different because I’ve always worked in male-dominated industries; I worked with a large trucking company in Chicago, then dealt with the construction world while managing my interior design business,” she shares. “When I was younger, I felt that I almost had to prove myself, but I think that has evolved in a more positive way for women joining these industries today. It’s important to learn a lot in those early years and develop a tough skin ready for leadership positions, but that really could be for anyone.
“It’s been an interesting journey but what matters more than anything is that I love who I work and interact with on a day-to-day basis. I’m constantly asking questions and challenging our employees to pass along their knowledge to not only share it with the wider team but also to train the next generation.”
Sustainable solutions
Elaborating on the company’s product portfolio, Jill continues: “We provide packaging solutions for any delivery that shows up on your front porch, whether that’s corrugated boxes, mailers, or any packaging inside the box like air pillows or protective paper. We offer a range of mailers including poly, paper, padded, and non-padded, as well as packaging supplies, and we can also provide luxury or sustainable solutions to meet specific requirements.
“I’m very excited to announce the launch of our first padded paper mailer into the market,” she reveals. “We successfully developed technology that enables existing equipment to create the paper mailers, and even have patents pending in this space. I’m constantly amazed by the talent and drive of our people, and I’m so proud to see how they come together to create innovative products that meet the needs of our evolving industry.
“Sustainability is a continuously evolving topic in the US, with many policies being state regulated rather than decided at a federal level. For Premier, sustainability is not just products but also processes. Right sizing a box, for instance, enables an increased transport load, which eventually reduces carbon emissions.”
Collaboration is key
With such a wide-ranging portfolio, a key part of Premier’s approach to customer service is identifying the correct solution for each application. “We’re constantly evolving the ways in which we work with customers to better understand their expectations and communicate effectively,” Jill says. “We have an internal onboarding process for each new customer to ask questions and gain an accurate understanding of the customers’ needs or problems.
“These core ethics and beliefs extend to all areas of the business, as we believe building positive relationships, whether with customers or suppliers, is necessary to any company’s success. John and I are very thankful for where we are and what we’ve achieved, so we’re passionate about giving back.
“We have a formal philanthropic system for financial contributions, where we provide corporate guidelines and allocate each region a budget but allow our employees to decide which organization to donate to. However, while financial tokens are wonderful, we also hold a ‘day of giving’ for employees to volunteer the gift of time to their chosen charity and we celebrate these days at the end of the year.”
Continuous investment
When it comes to manufacturing, Premier is actively investing to improve its operations and boost efficiency. “Around three years ago, we made significant investments to add state-of-the-art equipment and implement some automation across our plants,” Jill explains. “Our die cutting machine, for example, enables both inside and outside printing with one pass, and our vacuum transfer of the machine automatically picks and moves boxes more efficiently. These are just two examples of how such investments have dramatically enhanced our operational efficiency and reduced the ergonomic strain on employees.
“Future state, we’ll continue to equip our plants with best-in-class machinery, with potential to open new manufacturing plants in the future,” Jill concludes as we ask what the future holds. “We recently held an international manufacturing and distribution summit to ensure our goals for the year ahead are aligned. In 2025 and beyond, our goal is to continue developing sales, finding the right clients and fit for us to educate customers and improve our internal processes.”
Under Jill’s leadership, Premier will continue to flourish, solving customers’ packaging problems with an unrivaled manufacturing and distribution portfolio. Combined with the company’s core values and its commitment to finding innovative solutions, there’s no doubt that Premier will continue its current trajectory and soon be reaching more key milestones.