The Disney movies Camille Sackett grew up with, where the prince would need to save the princess, galled her, even as a child. In response to the gender stereotypes, she said, she wanted to "debunk the myth that females are weak and need rescuing."
"I wanted to do everything on my own, as if I had something to prove to society and myself. It's taken a lot of microfailures to get me to the place where I am at today. Asking for help takes courage, strength and humility. There's nothing weak about it," she said in her Women Breaking the Mold survey. "Because of this lesson learned, I have matured to be comfortable to lean on my team and others — at work and home."
Sackett is the director of business development and engineering support at Rochester, N.Y.-based Accede Mold & Tool Co. Inc., where she contributes to business strategy, manages marketing and supports sales and service.
She studied manufacturing engineering technology at Rochester Institute of Technology and received associate degrees in mechanical engineering technology and mechanical engineering science from the State University of New York Monroe Community College. She is a current student at SUNY Empire State College in the combined Bachelor of Science/MBA program in business administration.
Sackett is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, Plastics Industry Association, American Mold Builders Association, Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association, and Society of Plastics Engineers.
She worked part time as a high school co-op at Eastman Kodak in the midnight engineering group, designing gauges and fixtures for film production. She worked as a mold design apprentice and college co-op at Accede in the design engineering department in 1993.
"I didn't grow up to be a teacher, or a secretary, an accountant or a stay-at-home mom — the popular choices for young American women as I was growing up. All are noble paths and beneficial for society," she said about the personal mold she's breaking. "I went into manufacturing, specifically for plastics. And that's noble and necessary, too, even for a woman."
Find more profiles of Women Breaking the Mold here.
Q: What is your current challenge at work?
Sackett: Current challenge at work is having the discipline and patience to not scale too quickly.
Q: What about the plastics industry surprises you?
Sackett: What surprises me the most about this great big industry is how small a world it actually is! Plastics is the third-largest manufacturing industry in the U.S. and employs over 700,000 people, but still when you go to events like NPE, it feels like it's such a small world.
Q: What emerging technology or market most interests you?
Sackett: Most exciting emerging technology and research, in my opinion, is with the resin suppliers and sustainability. Exciting research has been coming out of Cornell University on sustainable plastics. I'm also interested in infrastructure necessary for a viable circular economy.
Q: What advice would you give to a person considering a career in the plastics industry?
Sackett: Don't stop asking questions and learning. Ever.
Q: Greatest achievement?
Sackett: Being a mom of three amazing kids.