Meet A WEXer – Stella Hills

As executive assistant (EA) to our CEO since 2008, Stella Hills has a bird’s eye view of WEX that few share. Passionate about the role of an EA, she claims it’s a natural fit for her – tapping diverse skills from relationship development to organizational management.

Stella came to WEX in 2003 after 10 years in administrative support at another large Maine company. During her first five years at WEX, she supported our SVP of Customer Service along with a one-year stint working with then-CFO Melissa Smith. In 2008, CEO Mike Dubyak asked her to consider being his EA and Stella couldn’t resist the opportunity. As she says, “When the CEO calls to offer you a job, you say ‘yes’.”

When Melissa transitioned into the CEO role in 2014, Stella says it felt natural that she would stay and support the new CEO. That transition also brought to light the importance of building relationships with the executives she supports. Stella admits that process takes time, but is well worth it. Today, when she and Melissa have trouble connecting in the office, they’ll go for a run together outside, using the time to talk about what’s happening in the office or to catch up on their families.

On the Job with Stella

Supporting executives in a high-risk, high-stress job requires a skill set that starts with unflappable and extends all the way to inscrutable. Stella believes that the most valuable EA skills are the ability to always be thinking down the road and an inclination to see the big picture. To be successful, you need to forecast what your CEO will need long before she asks for it.

“Whether it’s a business trip, a meeting or a community event, my job is to make sure Melissa feels100 percent prepared and comfortable,” notes Stella. To accomplish that, she has to be a consummate multi-tasker with an enviable eye for detail. On the administrative side, Stella manages Melissa’s calendar for WEX, community and Board of Director activities. No small task for a global company CEO who is also very involved in community and industry activities.

Stella notes that the ability to troubleshoot technology issues is an unexpected, and valuable, skill for her. She manages a lot of offsite and virtual meetings, and is often the de facto manager of WebEx, conference calls and a variety of audio, visual and online technologies. Most of her technical capabilities were acquired by thinking on her feet with little formal training.

One of the other areas that Stella has really grown to enjoy is her involvement with the annual President’s Club awards and trip. She is intimately involved in most details of this monumental task, from site visitation to trip coordination, from gift bags to programs, from meals to flights, there isn’t an area of this event that she doesn’t touch. And, she loves it.

People Make It All Worthwhile

At the end of the day, Stella claims that her passion for her job is intricately tied to the people she works with. “There’s literally never been a morning where I’ve dreaded coming into work here. There’s a different mindset at WEX. People here are passionate about their jobs, the company, and our customers. It creates an environment where people work hard, and play hard, and constantly look for ways to improve the company and themselves.”

Looking forward, Stella is enthusiastic about the opportunities for herself and others. She enjoys seeing new faces join WEX who will help grow the company, and predicts that the next five years will be exciting for the entire workforce. And as she proclaims, “I plan to be here for it!”