Collegiate Women in Business (CWIB) is sponsored by great companies known around the country. One of which is Altria – an umbrella corporation that encompasses six major players in the tobacco industry. These companies include Phillip Morris USA (the makers of Marlboro cigarettes) and Nat Sherman (a premium cigar manufacturer). In addition, the company claims a stake in the wine business, complementing their tobacco products with Ste Michelle Wine Estates. According to the corporate Altria website, the tobacco industry is changing for the better: “The future of our industry is about innovation, harm reduction and informed consumer choice.”
On their website, you can find a comprehensive definition of their mission and values. Check out the infographic below for a breakdown of their mission:
On the CWIB trek to Richmond last semester, our organization’s members were able to visit the headquarters and speak to a panel of women who work in various divisions of the company. Ashlin Webster, CWIB’s Co-CEO, remembers their large, beautiful campus and the strong network of Hokies who are employed there. “Most people assume Altria only has Marketing opportunities, however, their positions range from Business Information Technology to Finance to Accounting… they hire for almost every area.” The individual employees also stood out to Ashlin. In her words, “the people who work at Altria have really proved themselves to be top-of-the-line employees.”
Morgan Beavers, CWIB’s Vice President of Merchandise, recalls of her visit, “I was pleasantly surprised by the company culture at Altria… they have great programs for women, minorities, and interest groups and they care about the well-being of their staff. Altria also does a fair bit to give back to the community and are actively trying to combat their stigma with philanthropy and social responsibility.” The company emphasizes integrity, trust, and respect. Their values guide their behavior on their journey to pursue their mission, which is why they also focus on the passion to succeed, executing with quality, driving with creativity, and sharing with others. Kelsey Hill, a CWIB member also in attendance to the company visit states ,“Altria had a very open and welcoming culture… they spoke about their emphasis on personal growth and how they invest in people.”
While Altria calls Richmond their “home,” they still employ more than 8,000 people across the country. Their goal for their employees is to “develop high-performing and engaged employees who will help us tackle big challenges.” To help tackle those challenges, numerous women are employed as leaders and vice presidents. Overall, Altria is focused on promoting a vibrant and inclusive workplace, retaining talent, rewarding employees, creating a safe workplace, and more. Rajni Kapania, a CWIB member who also went on the Richmond trek last semester, remembers being impressed to see the amount of diversity in a well-known company. Altria employee, Erica Bank, even gave Rajni great advice on how to break into the corporate world as a minority woman! And if our members still haven’t convinced you of Altria’s great qualities, in a sample survey of Altria’s workers on salary, an astounding 84% recommended the company for is great workplace.
If you like what you see here, check out their website for more information: www.altria.com. In the top right corner of the home page, you’ll also notice a “Careers” link. Whether you are a soon-to-be graduate or searching for an internship, I highly recommend you check out the immense array of opportunities Altria offers. Since we are sponsored by this company, don’t be afraid to reach out to an employee and mention your involvement with CWIB! They would probably love to hear from an organization that has close ties with them! And as always, we thank them for their support of Virginia Tech’s Collegiate Women in Business!
