Michael Houston is a seasoned strategy-driven executive, packaging engineer, patent holder, innovator, and effective people manager with an extensive 20+ year track record. His professional journey reflects a profound commitment to sustainability, a passion he has nurtured throughout his career. A graduate of Tuskegee University, Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Material Science.
Before his tenure with Future Blue Group, Michael held key roles at prominent Fortune 100 consumer packaging giants, including Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, and Unilever. He has also contributed his expertise to successful start-ups such as Beachbody (IPO '21), The Honest Company (IPO '21), and Ritual. Michael's diverse experience encompasses various consumer packaging categories, spanning snacks, beverages, supplements, personal care, home care, beauty (cosmetics & skincare), cleaning, and charcoal. His proficiency extends across sustainability, product development, manufacturing, operations, international supply chains, consumer research, retail, and the direct-to-consumer business.
Knowledgeable with the following packaging formats and equipment: rigid packaging, secondary packaging, tertiary (corrugate), metals (e.g. aluminum), flexibles, filling equipment, automation equipment, post-consumer recycled materials (e.g. PET, PP, HDPE, and metals), and printing technologies.
Over the last decade, Michael has spearheaded teams of packaging engineers and scientists, driving the delivery of solutions that uphold business continuity, ensure quality, and propel new product development initiatives.
At Future Blue Group, his focus is embracing a circular economy. Leveraging his profound expertise in material science, packaging, and manufacturing, Michael endeavors to eliminate waste, incorporate reclaimed materials, explore compostable alternatives, and diminish our overall carbon footprint in the product creation process. This commitment is underscored by the utilization of a Life Cycle Analysis software tool called Compass to quantify the environmental impact of packaging decisions.
As a Packaging Consultant, his mission is to work towards a Zero Waste and Zero Carbon future, contributing to preserving our planet for future generations to come.
