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Campbell Soup CEO Denise Morrison and Frontier Communications CEO Maggie Wilderotter discuss how they are managing during challenging economic times.
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Call this is an interesting time to be a CEO it's a difficult time but listen if you get to be -- top spot and you happen to be.
The sister of somebody who is also in the top -- a fortune 500 club.
It's unbelievable that's what we have right here to look at the -- -- -- -- right now.
We are happy to be joined by Maggie Wilderotter with the CEO of frontier communications and Denise Morrison -- the CEO of Campbell Soup.
They're sisters and they are both on fortune's fifty most powerful women good to see about thanks for being here it's great to be here -- yeah.
Bit on the list Maggie a couple of times -- the -- this is your first time in -- week we found it funny that Denise did you higher than our sister but after that.
What about like it was in downgrade to make -- last it's a very a -- group and I'm very honored.
Well you came in at 21 -- you came in at 37 yeah.
Yeah absolutely and I keep that this might very near and I moved up beach -- so I think that making continuous progress has been yeah.
Long time since I've been 21 that.
-- -- What's exciting for them so that -- only five behind the Oprah yeah what about like look at -- credit.
Listen we're laughing about this but the serious aspect of the story is it's never happened before -- two sisters that made this listen -- -- -- the stories that there are only 3% of fortune 500 CEOs of women that's that's up but.
I I tend to not really focus on that kind of thing is I think it is quite you work hard that's really the success but what has been the secret of successfully.
I would say I'm not just working hard at taking every job and making that -- more valuable than it was my first check it.
And making sure that I got operational experience in addition to sales marketing finance so I was very well rounded that would prepare me to run a company to -- Obviously this is a huge deal for you worked in the that the food industry for many years but to get this top spot at an iconic American company.
The pressure is on its hands it is on.
But I'm not -- it.
We have a new strategy and we -- building our brands in coming out with all kinds of new innovation so I'm very excited and -- for the opportunity well we -- you -- I about the brands and innovation but if you've done a lot of things in the short time that you've -- ahead of campus safety -- -- -- -- some of The Sims because they've taken it out to -- -- -- like it that way but.
-- -- compare notes when it comes to leadership.
Absolutely we spent a lot of time together Denise and -- Do long walks together and during those -- Not only do we talk about our families and each other but we also talk about things challenges and opportunities and our businesses and how we can help each other.
And -- is given a lot of great advice over the years and I think vice -- now that she's a CEO I've been trying to help her tail as she faces new challenges that she hasn't -- For you know we're talking about the challenges for you obviously paying.
Frontier communications that you took on the Verizon Wireless operations in -- that synergy going we talk to analysts all the time yeah.
And it.
You would made I guess projection of having more than 500000 new customers in a couple of years.
Could you do it if you don't did knock off the a little bit from the the much appreciated dividend there frontier.
Actually the dividend is very safe and secure the company is doing well and we are really on plan based upon what we said we would do.
If you think about it lives a little over a year ago we tripled the size of this company.
We delivered over 400 million dollars in annualized synergies and we told the street that will do.
500 -- -- we announced the deal -- now up to six.
And we're bringing it in earlier than we thought we were gonna do -- we we feel very good about that we're in the process right now -- converting.
The rest of the rise and systems on to our legacy systems which is a huge step that will drive over a hundred million dollars in synergies.
And we -- 466000.
New broadband households in rural America in the last fourteen -- excuse -- the biggest liberal Lemerre.
-- and that it that's your -- meantime Denise is sitting there looking that are what they thought was isn't bothering me about campus and a half at what are you know about -- -- That again as I said the pressure is on certainly to get people back into eating your main.
Staple which is still how do you get up to be the hip thing again and American households we we believe that by doing more brand building an advertising.
We're shifting from driving stock up behavior which is not occurring in this economic recession.
And shifting more -- encouraging more product usage and nagging entails getting new users and new occasions and we're very excited about that apparent.
Have you met these accounts have reports Procter & Gamble among them Xerox is well you had sat on the Yahoo! board as recently as 2009.
Could let you go without asking what did you think of Carol Bartz another female CEO being jettisoned it and people really -- the -- at Yahoo! now.
Yeah well I think it's a tough situation you know it's always a tough situation where you have a disconnect with your CEO and the board.
And it becomes public no matter how you look at it that's glad you're off the board seat enough to be in line like there -- and might word was that I was -- the board.
The board -- Yahoo! as we finish up jobs a very tough time in America do you think that the president's jobs plan which she keeps saying.
Congress passed this.
Is the right mix is the right recipe to create jobs yeah.
I really believe that.
-- corporations.
The role of corporations is to create jobs.
And we need to drive growth in America and driving growth will create more opportunities for people.
And we need to secure our companies for the people that are working for us right now.
Yeah I would say two things were a 100% US based workforce -- -- 500 jobs back from India in the last twelve months that the Bryson acquisition at hired a thousand new employees and I've invested 750.
Million dollars in capital in the United States in the last twelve months.
It's up to business to do this and I think whatever the president can do to make it easy for business to have confidence.
And sit and to really put people back to work that's what He needs to do.
Ladies and gentlemen at two sisters from Jersey but look at the Jersey girl yeah.
Behind a hundred CEO -- in the real Jersey girls making fortunes.
Fifty most powerful women thank you so much for joining us now Maggie Wilderotter frontier and Denise Morrison temples and thanking my name thanks -- it's great to see if they do specialist over the Campbell signals -- think I think -- -- -- -- that that they got our credit that.
