Tom Russo

President and CEO Plaid Enterprises

Last Reviewed: September 26, 2026

Executive Summary

Tom Russo is President and CEO of Plaid Enterprises, the Georgia-based craft and DIY products company founded in 1976 and best known for Mod Podge, FolkArt and Apple Barrel. In August 2024 he also took on the role of President and CEO of iLoveToCreate, the Fresno, California maker of Tulip tie-dye and Aleene’s adhesives, putting two long-established craft suppliers under the same chief executive. His tenure at Plaid has been marked by expansion beyond its core craft lines, most visibly the 2025 purchase of assets of Arteza, a fine art supplies brand with a strong direct-to-consumer business.

Career Highlights

• President and CEO of Plaid Enterprises, as quoted in the company’s releases from 2024 and 2025.
• Took on the additional role of President and CEO of iLoveToCreate effective 12 August 2024, announced by that company in June 2024.
• Announced Plaid’s acquisition of select assets of Arteza, Inc. in March 2025, which the company described as its entry into the fine art category.
• Fronted the September 2024 relaunch of PlaidOnline.com and, in August 2025, the addition of Arteza products to it.

Professional Journey

Plaid Enterprises has been in the craft business since 1976. Its portfolio, as the company describes it, runs from decoupage and acrylic craft paint (Mod Podge, FolkArt, Apple Barrel, Delta Ceramcoat) to Bucilla stitchery kits and Martha Stewart-branded products, much of it made in the United States and sold both through retailers and direct.

Russo leads the company as President and CEO. In June 2024 iLoveToCreate, a Fresno-based maker of tie-dye, fabric paint, adhesive and spray paint products, announced that he would add its President and CEO role to his Plaid duties from 12 August 2024. In September 2024 Plaid relaunched its own website, with Russo describing it as a commitment to “inspiring and empowering creators everywhere”.

In March 2025 Plaid announced that it had acquired select assets of Arteza, Inc., a fine art brand known for paints, drawing tools and an established e-commerce presence. Russo called it “a major milestone for Plaid as we expand into the fine art space”, arguing that Plaid’s distribution and manufacturing would let it bring new products to market faster. By August 2025 Arteza products were on sale through PlaidOnline.com alongside Plaid’s own brands, a move the company said followed record growth on the relaunched site.

His career before Plaid is not recorded here: the accounts of it found during research came only from LinkedIn and aggregator sources, which this profile does not use.

Education

No education record was found in the sources reviewed.