ENTREPRENEURS OF PURPOSE Most people spend their lives seeking comfort. Mary Schreiber Swenson spends hers seeking growth. At an age when many people begin slowing down, Mary made a different choice. She climbed Africa’s highest mountain, summited Mount Kilimanjaro, completed the New York City Marathon, traveled the world in pursuit of new ideas, and continues to reinvent herself as an entrepreneur, leader, and builder of organizations. Her philosophy is deceptively simple. “Become a beginner again.” That mindset has defined a remarkable career built on courage, curiosity, and purpose. Raised with a strong sense of faith, resilience, and service, Mary has spent decades identifying problems others overlook and creating innovative solutions around them. Whether launching businesses, influencing public policy, or opening global trade opportunities, she has repeatedly stepped into spaces where no roadmap existed. “I’ve always found niches that people weren’t filling,” she says. “Then I built organizations around them.” One of her earliest leadership accomplishments came when she was asked to establish Delaware’s first Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprise. At a time when women-owned businesses received only a fraction of government contracting opportunities, Mary helped create pathways for greater access and inclusion. That pattern of pioneering continued throughout her entrepreneurial journey. Recognizing that patients often lacked access to specialized treatments, she founded a medical tourism enterprise that connected individuals and organizations with leading healthcare providers around the world. Long before global healthcare navigation became mainstream, Mary was helping families explore treatment options across borders and helping employers reduce healthcare costs while improving outcomes. When the pandemic disrupted that business, she adapted once again, launching a vegan skincare company that she quickly scaled and sold. Then she turned her attention to dentistry. Working with industry leaders and policymakers, Mary helped develop a transparent dental pricing platform designed to make care more affordable and accessible. Her efforts contributed to legislative changes in dozens of states, helping consumers better understand costs and navigate treatment options. Each venture reflected the same instinct: see a problem, imagine a better future, and build toward it. Today, as President and CEO of the World Trade Center Delaware, Mary is applying that entrepreneurial mindset on a global scale. In just a few months, she has begun expanding international partnerships, exploring new markets, and positioning Delaware businesses to compete in an increasingly interconnected economy. She believes the future of trade will extend beyond traditional goods and services. Her latest challenge? Exploring how emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, biosciences, and life sciences can become the next generation of tradable global assets. Yet for all her professional accomplishments, Mary often points to Mount Kilimanjaro as one of her most important leadership lessons. The climb began as a personal challenge. Surrounded by marathon runners, military veterans, and seasoned hikers, she was considered one of the least likely members of her team to reach the summit. Instead, she discovered something powerful. Success depended not on individual strength, but on collective support. The twelve climbers shared knowledge, resources, encouragement, and responsibility. Together, with the help of 74 Tanzanian guides and porters, they all reached the summit, a feat few groups accomplish. The experience reinforced Mary’s belief that leadership is not about being the strongest person on the mountain. It is about helping everyone get to the top. That same spirit shapes her commitment to Entrepreneurs of Purpose and her vision for legacy. Whether studying the lives of influential women throughout history, mentoring future leaders, expanding opportunities for women in business, or building bridges across global markets, Mary continues to ask the same question: “What else can I become?” For Mary Schreiber Swenson, purpose is not a destination. It is a lifelong practice of learning, leading, and courageously beginning again. This version captures her entrepreneurial achievements, Kilimanjaro leadership story, global trade vision, and the powerful theme that runs through her life: the courage to become a beginner again. EOP Member Legacy Spotlight Mary Schreiber Swenson Becoming a beginner again 66 enterprising Women
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