Wendy N. Ross
Marketing Director,
American Express-Enterprise Growth
American Express Co.
New York City
Age: 38?
Wendy N. Ross, marketing director in the Enterprise Growth group at American Express, is passionate about building brands. She previously served as a product manager, responsible for driving growth of the American Express Prepaid Card. With more than 15 years of combined business experience in the sports and entertainment, management consulting, consumer packaged goods and financial services industries, she has also held leadership positions at BearingPoint, Procter & Gamble Co. and Kraft Foods.
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Of the many achievements on her ?pathway to success,? Ross is most proud of her marketing role as a member of the product launch team for ?Bluebird by American Express? in 2012. A strategic partnership between American Express and Wal-Mart, Bluebird is a checking and debit alternative for traditionally underserved consumers. ?I feel so good about the product we launched and knowing that Bluebird is offering these important consumers a viable alternative to their traditional banking or prepaid products,? Ross says.
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Outside of her professional life, Ross is a volunteer mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, and she participates in the activities of her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Her community involvement has given her life greater purpose, she says. ?I realize that everyone does not have the strong support system that I have, and so I feel like it?s my duty as a member of the community to help people in any way that I can.?
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A native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a die-hard fan of the city?s professional sports teams, Ross enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends or playing tennis, her new sport of choice. She refers to the game as the ?gentle woman?s gladiator sport.?
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Ross earned a bachelor?s degree from Morgan State University?s Earl G. Graves School of Business and an MBA from The University of Michigan?s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
