A true free enterprise hero in the Carolinas who was innovative in branding and marketing strategies that set the industry standard. He established innovative working conditions in his business and generously provided his employees with higher pay and shorter working hours.
FREE ENTERPRISE HERO
1850 - 1918
FOUNDING MEMBER CHARLES A. CANNON FREE ENTERPRISE HALL OF FAME
R.J. Reynolds
2001 INDUCTEE
His Work & Legacy
CHILDHOOD
CAREER
R.J. REYNOLDS
Hard work and perseverance
LEGACY
CHILDHOOD / EARLY YEARS
AT 25, REYNOLDS OPENED A CHEWING TOBACCO COMPANY IN WINSTON, NC (NOW WINSTON SALEM, NC) BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, 150,000 POUNDS OF TOBACCO WERE PRODUCED.
Reynolds left his small Virginia town at an early age to establish his own company. He anticipated the growth in the smoking tobacco market and developed a line of pipe tobaccos. His innovative branding and marketing strategy set the industry standard.
NEXT: CAREER
BACK: HERO
His Career
Richard Joshua Reynolds was born in 1850 to a tobacco farmer.
BORN IN PATRICK COUNTY, VA
There were 15 other tobacco businesses in Winston, NC when Reynolds arrived. Eventually he owned most and put the rest out of business.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
CAREER / ACHIEVEMENTS
THE FIRST AMERICAN BLEND CIGARETTE, CAMEL, WAS MADE USING TURKISH PAPER
His innovative branding and marketing strategy set the standard for the industry. Reynolds was well known for his relationship with his employees, and he enabled many employees to gain financial stability by creating stock options and a profit-sharing plan.
Expanded his successfull business
His Legacy
BACK: CHILDHOOD
HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT
Reynolds introduced the brand “Camel” in 1913 and undercut the cost of his competiton. It’s no wonder that Winston Salem, NC is known as “Camel City.”
AN UNDISCOVERED MARKET
There was thought to be no national market for pre-packaged cigarettes, but he sold 425 million packs of Camels in the first year.
NEXT: LEGACY
THE BELK COMPANY WAS ONE OF THE LAST PRIVATELY OWNED RETAIL CHAINS IN THE USA. IN 2015 BELK COMPANY WAS ADQUIRED BY SYCAMORE PARTNERS, BASED IN NEW YORK.
Senator Helms was a strong supporter of the men and women in North Carolina’s tobacco industry, which was a major force in North Carolina’s economy.
R.J. Reynolds innovation in the tobacco industry brought economic development to North Carolina.
SENATOR HELMS AT A TOBACCO MARKET OPENING AUGUST 8, 1989.
Community impact and legacy
By the time of his death in 1918, Reynolds’ tobacco company took up 121 buildings in Winston Salem, NC.
Click to view more
BACK: CAREER
Hero Quiz
NEXT: QUIZ
Click the “Next Question" button to go to the next and final question
How old was Reynolds when he opened his first chewing tobacco manufacturing company?
YOUR ANSWER WAS CORRECT!
YOUR ANSWER WAS INCORRECT!
Click the “Next Question” button to go to the next and final question
The correct answer is #3
CLICK YOUR ANSWER
HERO QUIZ
1 / 2
28 years old
1
He was
32 years old
2
25 years old
3
Next Question
The correct answer is #1
Click the “Finish Quiz” button to finalize the experience.
What benefits program did Reynolds devise that helped his employees achieve financial security?
2 / 2
Stock options and profit sharing
IRA
2
401(k)
Finish Quiz
the                         experience
THANKS
WE HOPE YOU LEARNED A LITLE BIT MORE ABOUT ONE OF OUR FREE ENTERPRISE HEROES. BE SURE TO VISIT THE OTHER HERO PILLARS TO LEARN MORE AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE
Thank you for completing
FREEENTERPRISEHEROES.ORG
Start Over Experience
RESTART EXPERIENCE