Al Puntillo is Co-CEO and Chief Merchandising Officer for Mud Bay based in Olympia, Washington. Al has a long history in the pet industry. Before joining Mud Bay in 2013, he partnered with them on the manufacturing and distribution sides of its business. Al is a proud graduate of WSU’s Animal Sciences Department, and began his career in the pet industry as one of the first outside sales reps for Animal Supply Company (ASC), a NW pet food and supplies distributor. He enjoyed helping independent retailers grow their businesses by educating them on the product innovations that were helping to grow the pet industry. After 5 years in outside sales with ASC he accepted a position as a Regional Manager for Nutro Products, a manufacturer of premium diets for dog and cat, where he managed a sales team of five and a demo team of 30 covering the Rocky Mountain states. In 2005, after having completed a major acquisition, ASC asked Al to return as Director of Sales. Al helped develop ASC’s approach to vendor management, overhauled their pricing platforms, and built a customer-centric sales team devoted to delivering success to independent retailers. As Mud Bay’s Chief Merchant, Al, along with his teams, have the very rewarding jobs of ensuring that the products Mud Bay sells and the information that Mud Bay publishes meet high standards and Mud Bay’s mission: to contribute to the health of dogs and cats and the happiness of those who care for them. As Co-CEO, he contributes additionally to overall company strategy. Al, his wife Carrie, and their son and daughter enjoy biking, skiing, travel and live with a lovely Portuguese water dog called Ella.