Top 10 Female CEOs - Building Gender Balanced Business

A contributor to The New Agenda offers up one person’s opinion of which women rate as The 10 Most Successful Female CEOs of All Time. With only 18 women currently in charge of the Fortune 500, it is inspiring to see how a few female chief executives have made their way to the top and earned their reputations as great businesswomen.

1. Patricia Woertz
CEO, Archer Daniels Midland
“She has managed to help the company achieve record financial results and improve their sourcing, transportation, and processing networks with strategic investments and planning.”

2. Laura Sen
CEO, BJ’s Wholesale Club
“Sen has taken the company to new levels of success and efficiency. Her unique management style and accessibility to all workers has made her a true success in the business world.”

3. Ellen J. Kullman
CEO and chair of the board of DuPont
“Kullman has revolutionized the company’s customer relations and overall innovation by focusing on what customers need and letting that drive their decision-making.”

4. Gracia C. Martore
CEO, Gannett
“Martore’s rise to success was a symbol of achievement for female CEOs everywhere.”

5. Margaret Whitman
Former CEO of eBay and current chief executive of Hewlett-Packard
“While at eBay, Whitman helped the online retailer grow from a small start-up to a global giant.”

6. Indra K. Nooyi
CEO, PepsiCo
“She is credited for helping PepsiCo expand its brand options by including healthy products like Tropicana and Quaker Oats.”

7. Irene B. Rosenfeld
CEO and chairman of Kraft Food
“Rosenfeld’s strong work ethic and collaborative attitude have made her a strong leader at Kraft.”

8. Carol Meyrowitz
CEO, TJX Companies Inc.
“Meyrowitz’s longtime experience with TJX and deep understanding of off-price retail has made her an expert in the industry.”

9. Beth Mooney
CEO and chairman of KeyCorp
“She oversees about 15,000 employees and nearly $90 billion in assets.”

10. Ursula M. Burns
CEO and chairman of Xerox Corporation
“The first African-American woman CEO to run a Fortune 500 company, Burns got her start at Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering intern and later worked in product development and planning.”