Rj Karas

About Rj Karas

I specialize in the development of sourcing and merchandising infrastructure in DTC environments. Over the past decade, I\'ve sat at the intersection of Procurement and Category Management; managing spend categories exceeding $100M, leading large, complex networks of co-manufacturers and delivering millions in cost savings for pet industry giants like Chewy and Mars. Currently, I leverage the operational fundamentals that enabled my success in back-of-house functions to develop front-of-house category management strategies, helping Chewy\'s private label supplements portfolio win in one of retail\'s most competitive categories.

Experience

1. Sr Program Manger - Private Label Healthcare

   Chewy

   Jan 2026 — Present

   End-to-end operator bridging sourcing strategy, supplier relationships, and consumer-facing innovation to scale a high-growth supplement portfolio - Single-threaded owner of procurement, project management, and category management responsibilities for Vibeful, Chewy’s private label pet supplements portfolio - Responsible for sustained +50% YoY revenue growth & +500bps of margin accretion annually

Education

• The University of Dallas

  Business Leadership

  2003 — 2007

• University of Sydney

  Masters of Arts, International Studies

  2010 — 2010

Skills

• Event Planning
• Finance
• Process Improvement
• Financial Analysis
• Negotiation
• Politics
• Teaching
• Time Management
• Leadership
• Customer Service
• Writing
• Forecasting
• Sap
• Microsoft Office
• International Relations
• Research
• Strategy
• Supply Chain
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Valuation
• Marketing Communications
• New Business Development