Meet Marta Sylvester
Marta Sylvester’s journey began in Brooklyn, NY, where she spent her early years absorbing the energy of the bustling city. But it wasn’t until her family moved to Flushing, Queens, that her passion for the environment took shape, thanks to Rachel Carson Junior High School.
‘“With a name like that,” Marta recalls, “I figured Rachel Carson must be pretty amazing. Turns out, she was, and reading about her ignited a fire in me that still burns today.”
“I think I spent more time convincing people I didn’t want to be a secretary than actually finding a job.”
Experience With Packaging
What started as a supporting role quickly evolved as Marta soaked up everything she could about the industry. Plastics, molding, pharmaceutical regulations, Marta turned into Ms. Google in human form when it came to packaging knowledge. When a sales position opened up, she didn’t hesitate to apply. “It was pretty bold of me,” she laughs, “but hey, it came with a company car and a car phone, which back then was basically the height of luxury.”
Fast-forward two decades, and Marta had worked her way through both manufacturing and distribution, gathering knowledge and building a network of innovators along the way. But something had shifted. The environmental impact of the packaging industry weighed heavily on her mind. And then came the Sunday dinner that sealed the deal. “We were all sitting around the table, and out of nowhere, my older son looked right at me and said, ‘You guys are responsible for this mess with climate change. Don’t wait for us to fix it. ’” Marta laughs now, but at the time, his words hit hard. “For weeks, I couldn’t shake it. His voice was in my head, and it sounded a lot like Rachel Carson’s too. I knew he was right.”
The Birth of NuGen Packaging
That dinner conversation, mixed with Rachel Carson’s enduring influence, gave Marta the push she needed. In 2012, after 20 years in the industry, she founded NuGen Packaging. “I gave myself a year to figure out if this whole ‘entrepreneur thing’ was going to work,” she jokes. “I figured I’d either be celebrating or dusting off my resume by the end of it.”
Thankfully, NuGen Packaging took off. Today, the company is a leader in sustainable packaging, driven by Marta’s commitment to reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling. “It’s funny, Rachel Carson is still my hero, and now I’ve got my son keeping me accountable, too,” Marta reflects. “But hey, if saving the planet is a family affair, I’m all in.”
Building Towards A Sustainable Future
With the same determination that launched her sales career years ago, Marta continues to push the boundaries of packaging innovation, proving that one person can drive real change, especially with Rachel Carson’s inspiration and her children rooting for her success in building a more sustainable future.