Inspiring Women CEOs

cheapskate · 03-27-2008, 11:06 AM

As a 20-something woman, it's so inspiring to see ladies taking the professional world by storm. I've been reading lots lately about Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsi, and see her lauded in Forbes a lot. Here's a recent article on her as a favorite female CEO. Anyone else got professional role models?

The Honest Dollar · 03-27-2008, 05:34 PM

Not a CEO, but Annie Duke. She graduated from my alma mater, and she's one of the few women who poker fans will recognize. Poker is truly a man's world in the sense that there are very few female pros, and even fewer famous ones.

I think it's fantastic that women are really breaking into the upper echelons of every field. For example, I'd say most people would recognize Danica Patrick, even though car racing is definitely dominated by men.

There's still a ways to go, though!

gt0163c · 03-28-2008, 04:45 AM

I'm probably in the minority here, but to me, gender isn't a really big deal. I'm a woman and am a working aerospace engineer. The aerospace industry has always been male dominated. Looking around, the male to female ratio is probably 10 or 12 to 1. It might be a little lower if you look at the younger engineers. When I was in school, there was a similar ratio in the aerospace school. It's not unusual for me to be in a meeting and, in a boring moment, look around and notice that I'm the only woman in the room. When I travel for work, it's not unusual to have to ask a couple of people before I can find out where the women's restroom is. And I often have it to myself, especially if I'm working nights supporting a wind tunnel test.

The thing is, this doesn't bother me. I haven't noticed that I've been treated differently due to being a woman other than that people usually seem to remember my name and face a little bit easier. But that also could be because my name is Ruth Ann and people don't meet many Ruth Anns. Maybe it's because I was raised in a home and a community where gender wasn't really an issue. Anyone could be and do and was expected to at least think about being and doing just about anything. I remember, being in 4th grade and choosing which instruments we were going to play in band. I really wanted to play the drums. A friend of mine told me that was a "boys' instrument" and I though that was just silly. I played the drums.

Now, I hear that there are "concerns" that not enough girls and young women are studying math, science and engineering. These concerns seem to be based on the gender ratio of students graduating in these majors at large universities. And I can understand that happening. But I'm not so certain it's cause for concern. I think it's probably due to men and women, generally, having different temperments and different interests. It's not to say that just because someone is a woman she won't make a great engineer anymore than it is to say that just because someone is a man he won't make a great kindergarten teacher. It's just that people have different interests.

I guess it's important for people to see people who look like them in high level positions, particularly in fields that they are interested in. But I think that, perhaps, it would be better if we focused on convincing all people that just about every career path is open to them, rather than focusing just on the women, or the blacks or the hispanics who have reached certain levels.

cheapskate · 04-02-2008, 12:14 PM

Interesting thoughts, gt0163c. In many ways I agree with you too. I guess it's just exciting to see more women like Nooyi evening the playing field. I think it's great to note the women who are leading traditionally male-dominated fields like poker and in this case, the beverage biz.

Any aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

03-27-2008, 11:06 AM	#1
cheapskate Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 50 Reputation: (10)	Inspiring Women CEOs As a 20-something woman, it's so inspiring to see ladies taking the professional world by storm. I've been reading lots lately about Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsi, and see her lauded in Forbes a lot. Here's a recent article on her as a favorite female CEO. Anyone else got professional role models?

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03-27-2008, 05:34 PM	#2
The Honest Dollar Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New York Posts: 90 Reputation: (63)	Not a CEO, but Annie Duke. She graduated from my alma mater, and she's one of the few women who poker fans will recognize. Poker is truly a man's world in the sense that there are very few female pros, and even fewer famous ones. I think it's fantastic that women are really breaking into the upper echelons of every field. For example, I'd say most people would recognize Danica Patrick, even though car racing is definitely dominated by men. There's still a ways to go, though!

03-28-2008, 04:45 AM	#3
gt0163c Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 210 Reputation: (33)	I'm probably in the minority here, but to me, gender isn't a really big deal. I'm a woman and am a working aerospace engineer. The aerospace industry has always been male dominated. Looking around, the male to female ratio is probably 10 or 12 to 1. It might be a little lower if you look at the younger engineers. When I was in school, there was a similar ratio in the aerospace school. It's not unusual for me to be in a meeting and, in a boring moment, look around and notice that I'm the only woman in the room. When I travel for work, it's not unusual to have to ask a couple of people before I can find out where the women's restroom is. And I often have it to myself, especially if I'm working nights supporting a wind tunnel test. The thing is, this doesn't bother me. I haven't noticed that I've been treated differently due to being a woman other than that people usually seem to remember my name and face a little bit easier. But that also could be because my name is Ruth Ann and people don't meet many Ruth Anns. Maybe it's because I was raised in a home and a community where gender wasn't really an issue. Anyone could be and do and was expected to at least think about being and doing just about anything. I remember, being in 4th grade and choosing which instruments we were going to play in band. I really wanted to play the drums. A friend of mine told me that was a "boys' instrument" and I though that was just silly. I played the drums. Now, I hear that there are "concerns" that not enough girls and young women are studying math, science and engineering. These concerns seem to be based on the gender ratio of students graduating in these majors at large universities. And I can understand that happening. But I'm not so certain it's cause for concern. I think it's probably due to men and women, generally, having different temperments and different interests. It's not to say that just because someone is a woman she won't make a great engineer anymore than it is to say that just because someone is a man he won't make a great kindergarten teacher. It's just that people have different interests. I guess it's important for people to see people who look like them in high level positions, particularly in fields that they are interested in. But I think that, perhaps, it would be better if we focused on convincing all people that just about every career path is open to them, rather than focusing just on the women, or the blacks or the hispanics who have reached certain levels.

04-02-2008, 12:14 PM	#4
cheapskate Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 50 Reputation: (10)	Interesting thoughts, gt0163c. In many ways I agree with you too. I guess it's just exciting to see more women like Nooyi evening the playing field. I think it's great to note the women who are leading traditionally male-dominated fields like poker and in this case, the beverage biz. Any aspiring entrepreneurs out there?