Susan Packard is an American business executive. She is a cofounder of HGTV, and several other Scripps Networks Interactive network channels. Packard additionally 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.
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, in 1979 she graduated with a masters in advertising from the same school. She later completed an executive program at the University of Virginia.
Business career
Packard’s first job out of graduate school was at Burke Marketing Research in Cincinnati. 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, and in 1984, becoming the director of the Los Angeles market. After this she worked at NBC to help launch the network’s cable properties beginning in 1988. Here she was on the start-up team of CNBC, where she served as the vice president of affiliate relations and national accounts. In 1994 at E.W. Scripps,’ Packard helped cofound Home and Garden Television, 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. Scripps eventually became Scripps Networks Interactive, where she served as executive vice president. In this role she also co-founded the DIY Network. The company grew to a $10 billion market valuation. In her final role before leaving SNI, Packard served as the Scripps Networks President of Brand Outreach. In addition to her business duties, she aligned Scripps corporate citizenship with external organizations, including Mobile Meals and Habitat for Humanity. Packard was the first woman to serve on the board of Churchill Downs, Inc., owner of the Kentucky Derby and other horseracing properties. She served for two terms, from 2004-2010.
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. In the book Packard uses personal anecdotes from the breadth of her career as well as stories about other businesspeople who successfully managed various competitive situations. These were taken with interviews that Packard did with c-level executives or company presidents, nine of which were women and three were men. Packard advises on issues surrounding competition in the workplace. New Rules of the Game is intended to serve as a guide for women looking to take on leadership positions in business. Packard’s second book, Fully Human, 3 Steps to Grow Your Emotional Fitness for Work, Leadership, and Life, takes a new look 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.
