Maggie Wilderotter is a pro at wheeling and dealing.
"It's in my DNA," the Frontier Communications CEO told CNNMoney, mentioning how her knack for negotiating started as a child when she sold holiday cards and Girl Scout cookies.
Those skills have allowed Wilderotter to pull off a wave of acquisitions over the past decade that have lifted it out of obscurity.
She did it again earlier this year, inking a $10.5 billion deal to purchase millions of Verizon (VZ) voice, broadband and video customers in certain regions. That's a huge deal considering Frontier by itself is valued at just $7.4 billion.
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None of this means Wilderotter, whose sister is Campbell Soup (CPB) CEO Denise Morrison, is spending recklessly. On the contrary, she calls herself "pretty cheap" and has pushed her employees to be "Frontier frugal."
"There's no deal worth doing at the wrong price," Wilderotter tells CNNMoney.
Investors will be sorry to see Wilderotter go when she steps down as CEO in April. Frontier's shares have spiked 64% over the year ending February 28, making them the top performer among the 24 S&P 500 companies run by women.
