PETCO Executive, Richard Williams, Joins The Pet Care Trust Board of Trustees

March 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Richard Williams, Director of Companion Animal Merchandising for PETCO has joined the Board of Trustees of The Pet Care Trust in Bel Air, Maryland.  Williams joins current Trustees Lew Sutton, PetAg, Inc.; Brent Weinmann, Vitakraft; Kenneth Oh, J.W. Pet Company; Rob Chouinard, Gardner Distributing Co.; Steve Segner, LA Pet Food; and Mary Wyld, Wyld’s Wingdom, Inc.

With over 25 years in retail management and over ten years with PETCO, Williams brings valuable insights to the Pet Care Trust Board.  In 2003, Williams led PETCO’s newly formed Animal Care Department, creating policies, procedures and best practices around the care of PETCO’s animals.  Williams and Dr. Tom Edling created and implemented industry leading animal care practices for PETCO stores, vendors and customers.  More recently, Williams took on leadership of Live Animal Merchandising, as well as Companion Animal Supply Merchandising.  Williams is enthusiastic about joining the Pet Care Trust, saying, “I believe it is very important to educate kids on the fun and the responsibility of having a pet.  I have had pets my entire life and can’t imagine growing up without them.”  Williams welcomes the opportunity to become more involved in the Pet Care Trust’s efforts.

Pet Care Trust Board of Trustees President, Lew Sutton applauds the dedication to companion animals and the care that Williams has demonstrated throughout his career, and welcomes his input as a Trustee of the Pet Care Trust.  “Rich’s contribution to PETCO throughout his career clearly demonstrates his desire to promote the proper care of companion animals, educate consumers and elevate the standards of the pet industry,” Sutton said.  “Rich’s experience in the industry is invaluable, and we believe his personal ideals and those of PETCO mesh perfectly with the Pet Care Trust’s mission.”

The Pet Care Trust is a non-profit, charitable, public foundation that is instrumental in the sponsorship of programs supporting companion animal welfare and the benefits of owning companion pets as well as the development of educational programs demonstrating the importance of responsible companion animal ownership. The Pet Care Trust funds deserving programs through supporting grants awarded annually to non-profit organizations.  In addition, through their Pets in the Classroom program, in 2010 the Pet Care Trust awarded 2066 grants to public and private school teachers in grades Pre-K through 6th grade to support pets in the learning environment.