HOW WE SELECTED OUR MOST POWERFUL WOMEN
What does it take to be named one of Black Enterprise’s 75 Most Powerful Women in Business? To identify our senior corporate executives and leading entrepreneurs–women responsible for developing product lines, positioning brands, operating core business areas, generating revenues, and with profit & loss oversight at the highest levels–our editorial and research teams pored over hundreds of biographies and résumés, as well as conducted interviews with potential candidates and leading trade associations for several months. Our selections met the following criteria:
Corporate business: Executives who hold C-Suite and/or president positions and have the title of senior vice president or above at the parent company. Managing significant lines of businesses, they serve as a representative on the executive leadership team of the top 1,000 publicly traded corporations; 400 largest privately held companies; leading global businesses with strong U.S. operations; or biggest financial services firms and contribute to the development of the business and financial strategy for the entire entity. Also on our listing are female executives who either retained their positions or have been promoted since their inclusion on BE’s 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America released in February 2009. None of the executives listed have primary responsibilities for staff functions. This list does not include general counsels, chief diversity officers, domestic human resources officers, presidents of corporate foundations, or executives who oversee corporate communications, investor relations, community development, government affairs, and public/media outreach.
Entrepreneurship: Female BE 100s CEOs, COOs, and presidents with oversight of revenue generation, profitability, product and service development, and brand management for the entire company, as well as having gained industry-wide reputation and corporate board positions outside the company. Those included on the list run BE 100s companies that met the following criteria: industrial/services companies with gross revenue of $250 million or more; advertising agencies with gross billings of $250 million or more; commercial banks with assets of $200 million or more; asset managers with assets under management of $1 billion or more; private equity firms with capital under management of $2 billion or more; and investment banks with lead issues of $2 billion or more on either the taxable or tax-exempt rankings.
Our list, which begins on the next page, does not include any elected or appointed political representatives who currently hold national, state, or local office, including state treasurers, comptrollers, or commissioners who have oversight of corporations and industries. This list also excludes educators, activists, and heads of nonprofit and civic organizations.
You can also view the list here.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS! Join us for the landmark 10th Annual Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit hosted by State Farm, March 2—4, 2015, at Fort Lauderdale Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL. This exciting, one-of-a-kind executive leadership summit is designed to train, equip and encourage women to become industry leaders, learn career strategies, and discover proven work—life balance techniques. Register Now! https://blackenterprise.com/wps