Angela Rodenburgh once called Google, Chanel, Tiffany and Co. and Williams-Sonoma clients of hers — for her sugar cookie side business she started in 2012 and sold two years ago. And that was already on top of doing marketing at Langley, British Columbia-based plastics and rubber fabricator Redwood Plastics and Rubber and being president of marketing services agency Ladder Up.
Rodenburgh was a marketing administrator in 2002 at the Redco Group, which owns Redwood. She became marketing director of Redwood in 2003 and was responsible for planning, sales strategy development, creative development, media buying, trade show activity management and more until taking a hiatus for about seven or eight years and doing contract work.
In October 2017, she was named vice president of marketing of Redwood. In May 2018, she was named vice president of sales and marketing.
Rodenburgh, 39, said Redwood saw value in what she had contributed to the company over the last 15 years, offering her shares of the company as well as a board position.
"From a career standpoint, I would say even my recent promotion at Redwood Plastics was a really big deal because I had worked for that company for so long or beside that company for so long," she said. "It's always been a family-run business, so to finally get a slice of the pie in ownership in the company and become a board member and part owner, those kinds of things have been something that I have always worked toward, but I think the door opened really quickly from that standpoint. A lot of work that I had done in the background for a lot of the years finally came to fruition, so it was a really big deal."
Rodenburgh has had experience working with all different kinds of companies both inside and outside the plastics industry.
"As far as the plastics industry is concerned," she said, "I'd have to say, you know, I was talking about this with someone recently and the fact that it's a really unique business in the fact that it really acts like a family and there are so many good stories and good experiences that you have in the business and outside of the business in regards to things that you get to encounter and the people that take care of you, give you advice, help you out.
"As far as all the other different industries I've been involved in, I've never seen competitors come together as much [as] suppliers or manufacturers. Everybody is just as willing to help everybody else," she added.
Dale Delmage, president of Redwood, nominated Rodenburgh and described her as "well-respected" and, "successful businesswoman" with many achievements. Delmage added that Rodenburgh is "a recognized mentor to many young woman entrepreneurs," "passionate about giving back to the industry" and "a humble, professional, family-focused young lady."
Rodenburgh is involved in the International Association of Plastics Distribution, Society of Plastics Engineers, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.
"With all the success Angela has achieved," Delmage said about Rodenburgh, "she is only now realizing the potential she has to make a real difference in our industry. … Angela will be successful in whatever field she chooses. She has already built two successful businesses, and she is well on her way to making ours even more successful."
Read more about Women Breaking the Mold, and find links to other profiles.
