Susan M. Cameron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reynolds American, will speak on the topic of corporate leadership and success for women at an event for students at Salem College. She will present How to climb the corporate ladder when you’re wearing a skirt: Lessons in leadership from a female CEO on Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Cameron’s visit to the 243-year-old institution is sponsored by the Salem College Center for Women in Business, in collaboration with the Office of the President of Salem Academy and College.

“Ms. Cameron’s visit reinforces the values and goals of the Center for Women in Business,” says Center director Alyson Francisco, who is also the Mary Ardrey Stough Kimbrough Professor in Business and Economics at Salem College. “It is important for young women to learn from strong leaders who have been in their shoes and who have found a path toward post-graduate success.”

Dr. D. E. Lorraine Sterritt, President of Salem Academy and College, hopes that more women will aspire to positions of leadership. 

“The Center for Women in Business is a program of great importance for our students, and we are delighted to bring to our campus Susan Cameron and other female leaders of the highest caliber,” says Sterritt.

Susan M. Cameron has been spotlighted in Forbes, FORTUNE, and Financial Times as one of the most powerful women in business. She became president and chief executive officer of Reynolds American on May 1, 2014—a role she had previously held for seven years before retiring. In July 2014, ten weeks after Cameron’s return, Reynolds American announced a plan to purchase Lorillard for $27.4 billion. It is reported to be the largest acquisition ever to be led by a female CEO. Cameron serves on the boards of RR Donnelly and Tupperware Brands Corporation. She is also a trustee for her alma mater, the University of Florida.

The Salem College Center for Women in Business was established in 2002. Its mission is to give Salem students a distinct advantage in the marketplace by promoting Salem as the intellectual and physical center for the region’s top professional women. Through the work of the Center, students are linked with business professionals for mentoring and internships. The Center also hosts an annual Women’s Conference, a mentoring series with HanesBrands Inc., and other events and workshops throughout the year.