Faces + Places: In Memoriam
Estée Lauder Mourns Death of Roger Caracappa
The packaging industry has lost one of its most inspirational leaders. Roger Caracappa, executive vice president of global packaging, quality assurance, store development, and design and merchandising for The Estée Lauder Companies (New York City) passed away in July.
“Roger was known to many, both in this company and within the industry, for his innovative ideas and outstanding thinking,” said William Lauder, Estée Lauder’s CEO. “He was a consummate professional and marked a special place within The Estée Lauder Companies. The company’s leadership position within the packaging and merchandising arena is due in no small part to Roger’s contributions.”
In addition to his many leadership roles, Caracappa was also a member of CPC Packaging’s Editorial Advisory Board and was instrumental in several key strategic editorial decisions. No matter how busy his schedule, he was always so generous is sharing his knowledge and advice with the magazine’s editors.
When CPC Packaging profiled Roger in its 2004 Portraits in Leadership showcase, Caracappa’s team members called him “a champion at empowering people,” someone who is dynamic, leads by example, is always open to new ideas, and who strongly encourages innovation.
Caracappa began his career 36 years ago in Estée Lauder’s Melville, NY, plant. Having risen through the ranks of the shipping, quality control, purchasing, and package development departments, he spearheaded all promotional marketing for the Estée Lauder brand in North America, as well as marketing operations and merchandising, for 20 years.
He was a member of both the advisory council and the action council for the Fashion Institute of Technology’s (FIT) department of international trade and marketing. He also served on FIT’s MPS Executive Committee and mentored for FIT’s student mentor program.
Caracappa also served on the advisory council for the International Package Design Competition. He was a Cartier Scholarship FIT Honor Roll Award recipient for his participation in the Cosmetic/Fragrance Action Council. Among his many accomplishments, he was instrumental in establishing the first masters program in cosmetic and fragrance marketing at FIT and was an active participant on its board of directors.
Estée Lauder’s Harry Bennett and Roger at CPC Packaging’s 2008 Editorial Advisory Board lunch in May.In 2002, Caracappa was named the Packaging Executive of the Year by Health & Beauty America Global Expo. He was inducted into the New Jersey Packaging Executives Hall of Fame in 2004.
Caracappa was a member of the American Society for Quality. In addition to serving on the editorial board of CPC Packaging, he also served on the advisory board of Global Cosmetic Industry magazine and was an active member of the Cosmetic Industry Buyers and Suppliers association.
Roger will be remembered for his extraordinary ability to reach out to people and challenge the status quo. He was a strong mentor to his team and a highly respected member of the cosmetics community. Roger established the Estée Lauder Packaging University to develop internal candidates for future jobs in packaging. In addition, he served as a Principal for a Day at PS 205 in the Bronx, and in recent years, as an ongoing mentor to the students’ efforts, often participating in their “Read to Me” days for fourth graders.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Park Caracappa and his children Roger, Adam, and David Caracappa, and Michael and Lindsay Park. Roger is also survived by his mother, Theresa Caracappa, and his brother, Victor Caracappa.
Contributions in Roger’s memory may be sent to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, P.O. Box 27106, New York, NY 10087. Please address contributions to “In Memory of Roger Caracappa.”
“Roger will be sorely missed,” said William Lauder. “Our company lost someone uniquely special.” We at CPC Packaging will miss him as well.