There once was a time in American history when the thought of women working for complex, multi-national technology companies, giant advertising firms, and massive publishing houses was snickered at behind closed boardroom doors.
Today, women are running those companies—from some of those very same boardrooms.
But although women make up almost half of America's labor force, still only two Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs or presidents, and 90 of those 500 companies don't have any women corporate officers.
Catalyst, the not-for-profit New York-based women's research organization, points out, however, that its data shows a change over the last five years. A recent survey revealed that 10% of the Fortune 500 companies have women holding at least one-quarter of their corporate officer positions. This percentage rose from only 5% in 1995.
For the few women who have reached the highest ranks, they'd prefer not to talk about their gender. To them it's no longer an issue. Their accomplishments represent significant milestones—not just for women in business—but for women all over the world making career choices.
Here's a closer look at some of the most important women in business.
Catherine Elizabeth "Cathy" Hughes
Radio Personality, Executive
Born Catherine Elizabeth Woods, she attended Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha but did not graduate. Around 1969 she began working at KOWH, a black radio station in Omaha, handling various jobs, and becoming well known.
Her success prompted the School of Communications at Howard University in Washington, DC, to offer her a job as lecturer. In 1973 she became sales director at WHUR-FM. Two years later she became the station's general manager, boosting sales revenue to $3.5 million from $300,000.
In 1979, she and her husband, Dewey Hughes, purchased a small Washington radio station, WOL, creating Radio One. Her marriage eventually ended, and she bought her husband's share in the station. But Hughes was forced to give up her apartment and live at the station for a time in order to make ends meet.
Over time, she made the station profitable, and her own talk show became a hit. By purchasing stations in other cities, the company eventually became the nation's largest black-owned radio chain. She is the first African American woman to head a firm publicly traded on a stock exchange in the United States. She has been married twice and has one son.
Muriel "Mickey" Siebert
Stockbroker
Siebert attended Western Reserve University (now known as Case Western) but dropped out after two years when her father got cancer. In 1954 she arrived in New York City with $500 to search for a job. She was hired as a trainee research analyst at the Wall Street. firm Bache & Co. She later worked as an analyst at a number of firms.
In 1967 she became the first woman to purchase a seat on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). For ten years she was the only female among the 1,366 members. In 1969 she became the first woman to own and operate a brokerage firm that belonged to the NYSE, Muriel Siebert & Co, now Siebert Financial Corp.
In 1975 when the U.S. government abolished fixed commissions for stockbrokers, Siebert turned her company into a discount brokerage firm. In 1977 she was named New York State banking superintendent. She stepped down in 1982 to run for the senate but lost the Republican primary.
Since then Siebert has run her company and been involved with charitable work. She is often called "The First Woman of Finance." In 2002 her autobiography, Changing the Rules—Adventures of a Wall Street Maverick, was published.