Phyllis Anderson
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Express Scripts
St. Louis, MO
The words of renowned evangelical pastor Charles ?Chuck? Swindoll, ?We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations,? capture the essence of what underpins Phyllis Anderson?s professional success. Anderson is senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Express Scripts Holding Co., a leading pharmacy benefit management company in St. Louis, Missouri, that puts medicine within reach of 85 million Americans. She brings to that role critical skills honed in senior positions at Humana Inc., Bank of America, Nabisco Brands Inc. and Pillsbury Co. Her journey affirms the importance of developing the right relationships and recognizing and seizing opportunities to develop your skills. ?I have always had leaders who were clear about my strengths, as well as areas I could continue to develop. They provided me with opportunities to grow and apply my gifts to each new challenge. They allowed me, through my assignments and promotions, to always leverage my strengths,? she says. Strong family relationships and a deep Christian faith also buttress her professional growth. ?My faith grounds me, keeps me focused on what?s important, and guides all that I do,? she says.
In addition to a bachelor?s degree in psychology from Spelman College and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University, Anderson completed The Wharton School?s Strategic Thinking and Management for Competitive Advantage Executive Education program at the University of Pennsylvania. She serves on the boards of the Executive Leadership Council, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Center for Creative Arts, St. Louis?s largest multidisciplinary arts institution.
Anderson is hardly immune to the demands of her work and confesses that, with enough time and money, she would spend a year traveling with her family, ?immersing ourselves in the culture, customs and language of each place we visit, [having] fun and fellowship, not only as a family but also with the people we meet.?
