Susan B. McCollum is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Major Brands, Inc., a leading Missouri distributor of premium spirits, wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages, and the only major wine and spirits distributor that is woman owned and operated. She succeeded her husband, the late Todd Epsten, and represents the third generation of family ownership. With offices in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia and Cape Girardeau, Major Brands, represents more than 400 suppliers, employs more than 600 team members and serves more than 9,000 retail customers. For more than 83 years, Major Brands has been known for its outstanding relationships, service and community involvement. McCollum also owns and serves as the CEO of Eagle Brands Sales, an Anheuser-Busch distributor in South Florida, that serves Miami, Homestead and the Keys and employs more than 320 associates.
Before joining Major Brands, McCollum was the founder and principal of McCollum and Associates, a strategic marketing and communications consulting firm and an adjunct professor of marketing at Webster University. Prior to that, she was the Director of Public Affairs at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, as well as the Director of Special Events and Media Relations at American University. In 2008, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon appointed McCollum Director of Transition Recruitment for his transition team.
McCollum is active in the community and currently serves on the boards of directors of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Forest Park Forever, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the St. Louis Regional Business Council and the board of trustees at Washington University in St. Louis. In 2015, she co-chaired the St. Louis Region’s United Way Campaign, leading it to record results. In 2016, St. Louis and Gazelle Magazines recognized her as one of the most powerful St. Louisans. That same year, St. Louis Small Business Monthly named McCollum one of St. Louis’ most admired business leaders. In 2014, the St. Louis Business Journal named her one of St. Louis’ most influential business women.
McCollum received her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and Economics and her Master of Business Administration degrees from The American University in Washington, D.C. She graduated with a Juris Doctorate from Washington University of St. Louis School of Law in 2015.