Meet Cooper Rood

We are delighted to introduce our teammate, Cooper Rood, who serves as our Manufacturing Analyst at Vantage Plastics. Cooper is a graduate of The University of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Cognitive Science with a focus on Computation. This field essentially explores human interaction with computational data, its analysis, and the comprehension of its meaning.

Cooper shares, “I enjoy what I am doing at Vantage Plastics. My position is almost the perfect role between manufacturing production and the business accounting side. I enjoy continuing to learn more about both. I like seeing how what I am doing affects our understanding of how we are performing as a team and areas where we can continue to improve.”

Regarding data, Cooper says, “I have an eye on capturing good data to analyze so we can help achieve consistency.” Cooper describes himself as having a “very analytical brain like a nerd,” as he is always running numbers through his head and counting things during lulls in conversations. His friends often refer to him as being like the characters in the movies the “Rain Man” or “The Beautiful Mind”.

When asked what he likes about Vantage Plastics, Cooper says, “Vantage Plastics has a very family-oriented culture. We are very close-knit as a team. Coming back from Ann Arbor and having interned at some large companies, I really appreciate how we can each be noticed as individuals making a contribution. It just feels so much more cohesive.” He also appreciates the laid-back nature of the Standish area.

Cooper grew up in the Standish area and has two brothers, Justin and Cody. He currently lives with his parents, Greg and Carol, about six miles from the Vantage Plastics facilities. Sports had a huge influence on him as he grew up. Cooper says, “Participating in sports helped me develop confidence, even with speaking with people. It also let me learn about teamwork and the importance of real communication between all members of the team, including coaches. Those same principles apply to organizations like ours here at Vantage.”

Because sports had such an impact on Cooper, he wants to help young people through similar experiences. He has been involved with coaching football at The Standish Sterling Schools for the last three years. During that time, he has largely worked with the Junior Varsity program. This year, he will also be part of the Varsity Football team coaching staff. He is excited to continue working with some of the players he started with on the junior varsity team as they transition to the varsity team, having known them for a few years. With football season ramping up, he’s currently involved with workout sessions two to three days a week, with full practices starting in August five days a week.

Outside of football, Cooper has a passion for golf, which he has been playing since he was fourteen years old after taking a job at a local golf course about ten years ago. Cooper says, “I find golf to be mentally relaxing, but it also feeds my need for competitiveness. I usually play with my father each week in a fun and relaxed fashion, but on weekends, I play in a competitive 'A' league flight of teams.” Since the Standish area is one of the best in the state for outdoor recreational activities, Cooper also takes advantage of whitetail deer hunting in the fall, both with rifles and bow and arrows. Recently, Cooper purchased thirteen acres of wooded land where he can hunt and hopes to potentially build a home.

We're excited to have Cooper on our team and look forward to seeing his continued contributions. As a member of the Vantage Plastics Family of Companies Team, Cooper Rood is clearly helping us fulfill the Vantage Plastics’ Mission of Forming Better Lives, Forming Solutions, and Forming Sustainable Futures. 

Experience the thriving work environment at Vantage Plastics, where positivity and professionalism flourish. Our exceptional team is the cornerstone of our success, and we invite you to be a part of it. Don’t miss out—apply today and join the Vantage Plastics team!