This Impressive Maine Woman is the No. 1 Highest-Paid Executive of Public Companies in the State

There are a lot of men at the helm of public companies in Maine, but the highest-paid is a woman.

Melissa Smith just celebrated 10 years as the CEO of WEX here in Maine. Melissa is one of those glass ceiling-breakers. Having joined WEX in 1997, she worked her way to CEO in 2014, and has remained in the position. She also became the only pregnant CEO of a major company in 2014. WEX is a Fortune 500 company, and only 7.4% of CEOs in this category are women. A proud born-and-raised Mainer, this woman proves that it IS possible!

READ MORE: Top 10 Highest Paid Executives of Public Companies in Maine

Melissa Smith celebrates 10 years as CEO of WEX in Portland, Maine

Melissa commented about her 10-year milestone on her LinkedIn page,

Ten years! I became CEO of WEX a decade ago, working my way from financial analyst in 1997 to CEO in 2014 (with stops along the way…). Every day, and especially during a milestone moment such as this, I am struck by the progress we have made together. A big thanks to our incredible customers and partners for their ongoing support. With ten years (and counting!) at the helm, I am as proud as ever to be a WEXer!

Melissa does a lot of interviews because she is so rare. A woman leading a Fortune 500 company? Wait, she's a mom too? And a wife!? Yes. She shared some tips on how you can have it all.

I love something she said in the above interview,

You have the power to impact the way others think and feel by your own actions. Everything you do affects the people around you whether you like it or not. You have to be thoughtful about that.

Melissa is a proud Mainer who worked on a potato farm and is now in charge of one of the world's most successful companies, employing 5,000 people. Maybe there is something to picking potatoes!