Women CEOs of the Fortune 1000 & 500, Catalyst.org

Our Vision
Changing workplaces. Changing lives.

Our Mission
Expanding opportunities for women and business.

Our Values
Connect, Engage, Inspire, Impact

Catalyst Canada Honours

Celebrating Champions of Women in Canadian Business

This is a list of women who currently hold CEO positions at companies that rank on the 2013 Fortune1000 lists. Women currently hold 4.2 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions and 4.6 percent of Fortune1000 CEO positions.

Leadership at the top of corporations shapes companies, communities, and societies. A gender-diverse board of directors and senior leadership team (C-suite) will help corporations lead and manage sustainable, effective business strategies, role model employee opportunities, and enhance their reputation.

High-potential women advance more slowly than their male peers, in terms of both career progression and pay, even though they employ career management strategies similar to men’s. Organizations that neglect this critical talent-management issue risk lagging their competitors in attracting, developing, and retaining the best candidates to serve as the next generation of leaders.

Fortune 1-500 (21 CEOs)

• Meg Whitman, HP (#15)
• Virginia Rometty, IBM (#20)
• Patricia A. Woertz, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) (#27)
• Indra K. Nooyi, PepsiCo, Inc. (#43)
• Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin (#59)
• Ellen J. Kullman, DuPont (#72)
• Irene B. Rosenfeld, Mondelez International (#88)
• Phebe Novakovic, General Dynamics (#98)
• Carol M. Meyrowitz, The TJX Companies, Inc. (#115)
• Ursula M. Burns, Xerox Corporation (#131)
• Lynn J. Good, Duke Energy (#145)
• Deanna M. Mulligan, Guardian (#238)
• Sheri S. McCoy, Avon Products Inc. (#252)
• Debra L. Reed, Sempra Energy (#281)
• Denise M. Morrison, Campbell Soup (#338)
• Heather Bresch, Mylan (#374)
• Ilene Gordon, Ingredion Incorporated (#386)
• Kathleen M. Mazzarella, Graybar Electric (#465)
• Gracia C. Martore, Gannett (#467)
• Mary Agnes (Maggie) Wilderotter, Frontier Communications (#492)
• Marissa Mayer, Yahoo (#494)

Felice the Catalyst IC Catalog—proudly named for our founder, Felice N. Schwartz — is the premier reference for abstracts, citations, and where available, links to full text on issues relating to women and work. This free catalog contains more than 7,000 records from the Catalyst Information Center, and is continuously updated with new resources from distinguished publications around the world.

Fortune 501-1000 (25 CEOs)

• Beth E. Mooney, KeyCorp (#510)
• Cindy B. Taylor, Oil States International Inc. (#537)
• Karen W. Katz, The Neiman Marcus Group Inc. (#547)
• Laura J. Alber, Williams-Sonoma (#582)
• Elizabeth Smith, Bloomin’ Brands (#590)
• Gretchen McClain, Xylem, (#612)
• Patricia Kampling, Alliant Energy (#655)
• Constance H. Lau, Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (#656)
• Tamara L. Lundgren, Schnitzer Steel Industries (#661)
• Mindy F. Grossman, HSN (#666)
• Kimberly Harris, Puget Sound Energy (#673)
• Amy Miles, Regal Entertainment (#742)
• Diane M. Sullivan, Brown Shoe Company (#788)
• Sandra Cochran, Cracker Barrel (#793)
• Debra Cafaro, Ventas (#807)
• Gayla Delly, Benchmark Electronics (#821)
• Kay Krill, ANN Inc. (#842)
• Denise Ramos, ITT (#861)
• Linda A. Lang, Jack in the Box Inc. (#894)
• Patti S. Hart, International Game Technology (#899)
• Andrea Ayers, Convergys (#906)
• Judy McReynolds, Arkansas Best Corp. (#927)
• Linda Massman, Clearwater Paper (#981)
• Eileen McDonnell, Penn Mutual Life Insurance (#990)
• Jane Elfers, Children’s Place Retail Stores (#999)

Who We Are

We Are a Catalyst

Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization with a mission to expand opportunities for women and business. We are dedicated to creating more inclusive workplaces where employees representing every dimension of diversity can thrive.

We act as a catalyst through our pioneering research, our tools and services, our events, and our Awards. Together, our offerings raise awareness of how diversity benefits today’s global businesses, and provide guidance on how to enact real change.

We invite women, men, and organizations to join with us in building the inclusion that will make business, society, and lives change for the better.

Catalyst Today: A Global Force for Change

While we have made great progress, there is still plenty of work to be done. With offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, and India, Catalyst has more than 600 members around the world, including companies, firms, business schools, and associations that collectively employ millions of women. Our global lens and regional reach allow us to provide our members, the media, and the public with information and advice on creating workplaces that enable women and their employers to succeed.

Catalyst’s work is rooted in our research. We study women and men across job levels, functions, and geographies to learn about women’s experiences in business, barriers to their career advancement, and the individual and organizational strategies that lead to success. Our reports, which are often cited in international media, reveal the challenges and opportunities for organizations and women at work around the globe. We have an extensive compendium of Practices that provide models for change. From the most thorough and rigorous research to easily accessible data and graphics, Catalyst is the go-to source for information on women and work.

Methodology: This list is based on the Fortune 1000 list of companies published by Fortune magazine in May or June of each year. The number and rank of companies remains unchanged throughout the year until a new list is published. We update our list throughout the year whenever a woman becomes CEO or departs a CEO position at any of the listed companies. Women are counted in our list starting on the date they officially take over their positions. We strive to keep this list accurate and timely; if you have found that we have missed something, or have any questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

Catalyst celebrates the leadership, commitment, and dedication of individuals and organizations through its annual awards programs, recognition streams, and practices. Using rigorous research and selection processes, Catalyst evaluates individual champions and organizational initiatives that impact communities and workplaces around the world. By celebrating these individuals and initiatives, Catalyst inspires people and organizations around the world to continue to make meaningful change for women and business.

Catalyst Award
The Catalyst Award annually honors innovative organizational approaches with proven, measurable results that address the recruitment, development, and advancement of all women, including diverse women. Since 1987, Catalyst has recognized 82 initiatives at 76 organizations from around the world. These groundbreaking diversity and inclusion programs have changed workplaces, communities, and lives.

Topics: Corporate Governance, Women in Leadership

Catalyst also maintains an historical list of women CEOs that have appeared on the Fortune list. If you would like a copy of the list, email [email protected].