Black Enterprise Announces 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America

The new February 2015 issue of Black Enterprise features a cover story chronicling the 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America. The final 50, chosen from thousands of women in positions of leadership across industries across America, overseeing budgets totaling billions of dollars.

Heading divisions or departments that affect the bottom line of their business and fiscal health, these power ladies move and shake the country. Each chosen for the list will be honored Wednesday at a farewell celebration and dinner for Black Enterprise’s Women of Power Summit, hosted by State Farm, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Our editorial team developed this list to not only celebrate the black female business elite, but to demonstrate that it requires unparalleled expertise and resilience to break through barriers that female executives continue to face today,” said President and CEO of Black Enterprise, Earl “Butch” Graves Jr.

[Related: WATCH LIVE: The Women of Power Summit Video]

For women, the hurdles to achieving leadership are proven by 2014’s Center for American Progress study, which shows that the

percentage of women in top management positions and on corporate boards has stalled. Less than 9% of top managers are women, and women of color hold only 11.9% of managerial and professional posts, with just 5.3% of African American women in those positions.

Black Enterprise’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America highlight leaders who break barriers and help close the gap to achieving entry into the executive suite. Check out the list on the next page:

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot 

The 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America:

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, EVP & Treasurer—Walmart Stores Inc.

Lilicia Bailey, EVP & Chief People Officer—Belk Inc.

Alicia Boler-Davis, SVP, Global Connected Customer Experience—General Motors

Rosalind G. Brewer, President & CEO, Sam’s Club—Walmart Stores Inc.

Thasunda Brown Duckett, CEO, Chase Auto Finance—JPMorgan Chase

View the rest of the list on the next page …

Glynis Bryan, CFO— Insight Enterprises Inc.

Ursula M. Burns, Chairman & CEO—Xerox Corp.

Ann-Marie Campbell, President, Southern Division—The Home Depot Inc.

Pamela Carter

Pamela Carter, President, Distribution Business—Cummins Inc.

Dedra N. Castle, EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer—Rite Aid Corp.

Bernice Clark, SVP, Marketing Operations & Campaign Planning—Macy’s Inc.

Edith W. Cooper, EVP & Global Head of Human Capital Management—The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Laree R. Daniel, SVP & Chief Administrative Officer, Administrative Operations—Aflac

Jerri DeVard, SVP & Chief Marketing Officer—The ADT Corp.

Lori Dickerson Fouché, CEO, Prudential Group Insurance—Prudential Financial Inc.

Check out the rest of the list on the next page …

Debbie Dyson, Corporate Vice President, Client Experience and Continuous Improvement—ADP L.L.C.

Esi Eggleston Bracey, VP & General Manager, Global Cosmetics—Procter & Gamble

Amy Ellis-Simon

Amy Ellis-Simon, Head of Global Corporate Access, Global Research—Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Felicia J. Fields, Group Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Services—Ford Motor Co.

Tamara Franklin, EVP, Digital—Scripps Networks Interactive Inc.

Mirian Graddick-Weir, EVP, Human Resources—Merck & Co.

Marion K. Gross, SVP, Supply Chain Management, North America and U.S. Sustainability, McDonald’s USA —McDonald’s Corp.

Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management & Managing Director & Senior Client Advisor— Morgan Stanley

Lara Jordan James, VP, Brand Strategy—MassMutual Financial Group

Melissa E. James, Global Head of Loan Products Group—Morgan Stanley

Read more on the next page …

Lisa Jeffries-Caldwell

Lisa Jeffries Caldwell, EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer—Reynolds American Inc.

Myrtle Jones, SVP, Tax—Halliburton

Suzan B. Kereere, SVP & GM, National Client Group, Global Merchant Services—American Express Co.

Gale V. King, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer—Nationwide Insurance Co.

Debra Lee, Chairman & CEO, BET Networks—Viacom Inc.

Michelle Y. Lee, President, Community Banking, Eastern Region—Wells Fargo & Co.

Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D., Chief Medical Officer & EVP—Pfizer Inc.

Cynthia Marshall, SVP, Human Resources—AT&T

Glenda G. McNeal, EVP & GM, Global Client Group—American Express Co.

Corlis D. Murray, SVP, Quality Assurance, Regulatory and Engineering Services—Abbott Laboratories

Check out the rest of the list on the next page …

Lisa Opoku

Lisa Opoku, COO, Securities Division Asia Pacific—The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Richelle Parham, VP & Chief Marketing Officer, eBay North America—eBay Inc.

Debbie Roberts, President, Northeast Zone, McDonald’s USA—McDonald’s Corp.

Michelle A. Robinson, President, Southeast Region—Verizon Communications Inc.

Brenda Ross-Dulan, EVP & Regional President, Southern New Jersey—Wells Fargo & Co.

Coretha M. Rushing, Chief Human Resources Officer—Equifax Inc.

Susan Somersille Johnson, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer—SunTrust Banks Inc.

Colleen Taylor, EVP & Head of Treasury Management and Enterprise Payments, Market President, Brooklyn & Queens—Capital One

Sharon C. Taylor, SVP, Human Resources—Prudential Financial Inc.

Tracey T. Travis, EVP & CFO—The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.

Kathy N. Waller, CFO & EVP—The Coca-Cola Co.

Robin L. Washington, EVP & CFO—Gilead Sciences Inc.

Teresa L. White, President, Aflac U.S.—Aflac

Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, EVP & Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. —Walgreen Co.

Mary A. Winston, EVP & CFO—Family Dollar Stores Inc.

Profiles of select executives on the 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America listing are available in the February 2015 issue of Black Enterprise, currently available on digital newsstands.