Susan Ivey
Encyclopedia
Susan M. Ivey is an American business person who is the chairman, president
and CEO of Reynolds American, Inc.
. Her father was a manager with General Electric
and her mother was a secretary and school volunteer. The family moved to Florida when she was two, and she graduated from Ft. Lauderdale High School in 1976. She earned a B.S. in business from the University of Florida
in 1980 and an MBA from Bellarmine University
in 1984.
in 1981. She was promoted to district sales manager in 1983, then moved to London in 1990 to serve as a brand director for Brown and Williamson's parent company, British American Tobacco. In 1994 she became Director of Marketing in China, based in Hong Kong, and moved back to England in 1996 to become Head of International Brands.
Ivey returned to the United States and to Brown & Williamson in 1999 to join the company's executive committee and serve as senior vice president of marketing. Ivey was named president of Brown & Williamson in January 2001.
In July 2004, Brown & Williamson combined with R. J. Reynolds, and Reynolds American, Inc.
was created as a new holding company, with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company as its chief operating subsidiary. Ivey became president and CEO of the company in 2004. She became chairman in January 2006. She also served as chairman of R. J. Reynolds from July 2004 through April 2008. As head of Reynolds American, Ivey has guided the company's efforts into the smokeless tobacco category, including the introduction of products such as Camel snus
and dissolvables
.
Ivey's compensation for 2009 was $16.2 million from a base salary of $1.2 million.
In 2009, Forbes
ranked Ivey as the 59th most powerful woman in the world.
, the University of Florida Foundation
and RR Donnelley.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO of Reynolds American, Inc.
Reynolds American
Reynolds American, Inc. is the second-largest tobacco company in the United States. Its holdings include R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, American Snuff Company , Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company and Niconovum AB...
Early life and education
Ivey was born Susan Hickok in Schenectady, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Her father was a manager with General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and her mother was a secretary and school volunteer. The family moved to Florida when she was two, and she graduated from Ft. Lauderdale High School in 1976. She earned a B.S. in business from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1980 and an MBA from Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University is an independent, private, Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. The liberal arts institution opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after the Cardinal Saint Robert...
in 1984.
Business career
Ivey's first job in the industry was as sales representative for Brown & WilliamsonBrown & Williamson
Brown & Williamson was an American tobacco company and subsidiary of the giant British American Tobacco, that produced several popular cigarette brands. It became infamous as the focus of investigations for chemically enhancing the addictiveness of cigarettes...
in 1981. She was promoted to district sales manager in 1983, then moved to London in 1990 to serve as a brand director for Brown and Williamson's parent company, British American Tobacco. In 1994 she became Director of Marketing in China, based in Hong Kong, and moved back to England in 1996 to become Head of International Brands.
Ivey returned to the United States and to Brown & Williamson in 1999 to join the company's executive committee and serve as senior vice president of marketing. Ivey was named president of Brown & Williamson in January 2001.
In July 2004, Brown & Williamson combined with R. J. Reynolds, and Reynolds American, Inc.
Reynolds American
Reynolds American, Inc. is the second-largest tobacco company in the United States. Its holdings include R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, American Snuff Company , Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company and Niconovum AB...
was created as a new holding company, with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company as its chief operating subsidiary. Ivey became president and CEO of the company in 2004. She became chairman in January 2006. She also served as chairman of R. J. Reynolds from July 2004 through April 2008. As head of Reynolds American, Ivey has guided the company's efforts into the smokeless tobacco category, including the introduction of products such as Camel snus
Snus
Snus , or Swedish snuff, is a moist powder tobacco product originated from a variant of dry snuff in the early 19th century in Sweden, consumed by placing it under the lip for extended periods of time. The precursor of snus, the dry form of snuff inhaled through the nose, was introduced in Europe...
and dissolvables
Dissolvable tobacco
Dissolvable tobacco is a tobacco product. Unlike ordinary chewing tobacco, it dissolves in the mouth. Major tobacco manufacturers that sell dissolvable tobacco products include R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Star Scientific...
.
Ivey's compensation for 2009 was $16.2 million from a base salary of $1.2 million.
In 2009, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
ranked Ivey as the 59th most powerful woman in the world.
Board memberships
Ivey serves on the boards of a number of philanthropic organizations. These include the Women's Leadership Initiative for the United Way of America, local chapters of the United Way and YWCA, as well as Senior Services, Inc. She also serves on the boards of Salem CollegeSalem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
, the University of Florida Foundation
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and RR Donnelley.