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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 M A R C H 2 0 , 2 0 1 7 I t takes a village. at's the quick answer that WEX President and CEO Melissa Smith gives when asked what it took for WEX Inc. to join, by the end of 2016, IDEXX and L.L.Bean in the elite group of Maine companies earning more than $1 billion in yearly revenue. To be more precise: A village of 2,700 WEX employees worldwide, including 750 in Maine. Smith is quick to add: It also takes focus, discipline and a com- mitment to outstanding customer service and best-of-class technology in every segment of WEX's global business. In the past year, besides hitting the $1 billion in sales mark, WEX made an acquisition of $1.1 billion in cash and 4 million shares of common stock. "We touch so many types of busi- ness, both large and small. It's a lot of volume and we make money little bits at a time," Smith says. e company's value proposition to its customers in the fl eet, travel and corporate payments, and health-and-employee-benefi ts segments of its business, she says, is that there is both "security and reliability" and "a high standard of customer service" behind each and every one of those transactions. "People just presume it works, but there is a lot of eff ort that goes into making sure that is true," she says. Since becoming president in May 2013 as part of a planned leadership succession plan announced by WEX Inc.'s longtime president and CEO Michael E. Dubyak that culminated in her assuming the additional role of CEO in 2014, Smith has presided over an impressive trajectory of yearly growth. From $717.5 million in revenues for 2013, the company closed 2014 at $817.6 million, 2015 at $854.6 million and 2016 at $1.01 billion, a 19% increase. " e last $200 million we added was a lot easier than the $200 million before that," she says, noting that stra- tegic acquisitions WEX made in the past few years are making signifi cant contributions to the bottom line. 'Organic growth': The starting point Smith says the company's growth trajec- tory is shaped by three strategic priorities: 1. Drive continued growth: Smith says this is being achieved through a WEX Inc. 97 Darling Ave., South Portland Founded: 1983 (Name changed from Wright Express Corp. to WEX Inc. in October 2012) President and CEO: Melissa Smith Employees: 2,700 worldwide, 750 in Maine Sales: 2016 revenue increased 19% to $1.018 billion, up from $854.6 million in 2015. Contact: 207-773-8171 www.wexinc.com Thinking strategically Melissa Smith helps spur WEX Inc. to $1 billion milestone B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y LARGE COMPANY Melissa Smith President and CEO, WEX Inc. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Melissa Smith, president and CEO of WEX Inc., says there's 'more energy and innovation that comes with being a global company.'

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