ST. LOUIS – AAUW will host a panel discussion with two female heads of corporations to gain their perspective on the challenges women face while working in male-dominated industries. The panel, entitled "She-E-O Forum," will be offered Saturday, June 27, at the 2009 AAUW National Convention in St. Louis.
In 2009, women made up more than half the U.S. labor force; yet, the number of women CEOs in Fortune 500 companies stands at 13. In Fortune 1000 companies, only 25 women hold that position. At the current rate, it could take 40 years for the number of female CEOs to equal the number of male CEOs.
Speakers Erika Feinberg, CEO of ActiveForever.com, and Arlene Harris, chair of the board of GreatCall, provider of the Jitterbug phone and cellular service, draw upon different perspectives and come from diverse areas of expertise. Cordy Galligan, AAUW director of corporate relationships, will moderate.
Harris won industry-wide acclaim when she became the first female inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame. "Participating in AAUW's national convention and speaking with such a strong, energized audience is a real honor," said Harris. "It's important to know that women bring a wealth of insight, skills, and sensibilities to a business community primarily dominated by men. We do have the power to excel and to share the pressures with our male colleagues while all striving for success together to make the world a better, more prosperous place than it would be without our continued influence."
ActiveForever is now one of the top-ranked web businesses in the country; it is featured in SkyMall, often ranks as number one in Amazon's health and beauty department, and has won multiple awards and recognition for its business ethics, growth, and contributions to healthcare and nonprofits.
"Being asked to present at this conference and having this philanthropic partnership with an effective group like AAUW is an honor for us," said Feinberg. "I look forward to sparking everyone's imagination with my presentation, as well as soaking in the wisdom of the conference attendees."
"AAUW is delighted to have two trailblazers such as Arlene Harris and Erika Feinberg address our members. The theme of this year's convention is Breaking through Barriers, and these women certainly have broken through some difficult barriers to get where they are today," said panel moderator Galligan.
The panel is sponsored by AAUW's longtime fellowship and grants partner ACT.
