Women CEOs That Are Paving The Way
By – Hayden L
Did you know that this company was woman-run?
Over the years the glass ceiling has served as a barrier across various different industries for different groups of people. This halt in advancement in one’s career particularly affects women. Today, men still occupy most top executive or power positions.
In 2021, only 41 CEOS that made Fortune’s ranked list of 500 of the United States largest companies were female. Despite these hurdles, many of the largest corporations that you may happen to shop at are run by women. Today, we would like to shine a light on these trailblazers who are working their way to crack that ceiling.
Karen Lynch
CEO, CVS
In February 2021, Karen Lynch assumed the CEO role over CVS. With over three decades of experience in the healthcare industry for various different providers, she previously was the Executive Vice President of CVS Health and the president of their insurance branch, Aetna. She now leads over 300,000 colleagues at CVS!
For the past five years (2016 to 2020), she was named to Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. Today, she is the highest ranked female CEO on the Fortune 500. CVS Health helps the lives of more than 100 million people per year- all under the leadership of Karen!
Rosalind Brewer
CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance
In March 2021, Rosalind Brewer was appointed as CEO of Walgreens COO of Starbucks from 2017-2021 and president and CEO of Sam’s Club! Brewer is only the third Black woman and one of 41 women to run a Fortune 500 company. Brewer was also the first woman and Black COO of Starbucks to spearhead its diversity initiatives, including racial bias training.
Under Rosalind’s surveillance, Walgreens fills more than one prescription from a mobile device every second, servicing millions! Rosalind is an experienced and inspiring woman who continues to make great changes in corporate America.
Mary Barra
CEO, General Motors
Since 2014, Mary Barra has served as Chair and CEO of General Motors. She is the first woman to be a CEO at GM and the first for a major automotive company in the United States. Previously, she served as vice president for the company. Barra began her career with GM back in 1980 as a General Motors Institute co-op student at the Pontiac Motor Division and worked her way up to where she is now!
Today, she and GM are leading the way for a transition to electric vehicles by 2035. Under Barra’s leadership, GM envisions a world with zero crashes, to save lives and zero emissions, so future generations can inherit a healthier planet.
Do Companies Need More Female CEOs?
Numerous studies in recent years have shown that women in executive positions can have a positive impact on a company overall. Companies with more women in high positions have been found to be more profitable, socially responsible, and provide high- quality customer experience.This can be traced to various factors, including the fact that the women that manage to break through the glass ceiling have fought tooth and nail to get to whatever position they desire and are among the most talented employees.
