previously worked as an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand and as an HMO accounting specialist at Nationwide, which gave her entrance into the insurance business. James says her philosophy for success is the same in business as it is in her personal life: stay focused on doing what’s right in any given situation and don’t get caught up in emotion and politics. -Patrice D. Johnson
D. Steve Boland, President & Managing Director LandSafe Inc., Countrywide Financial Corp., Age: 36A 15-year veteran of the mortgage banking industry, Boland joined Countrywide in 1997 as first vice president and director of Fair Lending and House America. In 1998, he was promoted to regional vice president in the consumer markets division. The following year, LandSafe Inc. became a new subsidiary of the company, offering a full range of real estate information and closing services to its parent company and lenders nationwide. Today, Boland is president and managing director of its four business units, a position he assumed in April 2004. In 2001, LandSafe hit revenues of $129 million. Boland, who holds a bachelor’s from Northwestern University, was the former vice president and national director of the affordable lending division for Fleet Mortgage Group.
Thomas K. “Tony” Brown, Senior Vice President, Global Purchasing, Ford Motor Co., Age: 48, Brown is responsible for more than $90 billion of production and nonproduction procurement worldwide for all eight of Ford’s automobile brands (Ford, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, and Mazda). Since joining Ford in 1999, Brown has held various positions, including executive director for manufacturing procurement operations. Ford spent $3.2 billion in 2003 on products and services from minority-owned suppliers. During his tenure, Brown has sought to push that number higher each year. Prior to joining Ford, he was vice president of supply management at United Technologies Automotive, after having served as executive director of corporate purchasing and transportation for QMS Inc., a maker and provider of network enterprise printing solutions.
Ursula M. Burns, President, Business Group Operations & Sr. VP, Xerox Corp., Age: 46, Burns joined Xerox as a mechanical engineering intern in the summer of 1980, and subsequently held several engineering positions in product planning and development. In 1990, she changed gears to become executive assistant to then-Chairman Paul A. Allaire. She has since led several teams including the office network copying business and the departmental business unit. Today, she is a corporate senior vice president at Xerox and president of business group operations. She also heads a $12 billion division that consists of five major operations: production, office, worldwide ma
nufacturing and supply chain, information management, and the Xerox engineering center. Burns holds a master’s from Columbia University and serves on a number of corporate boards.
Frank M. Clark, President, ComEd; Exec. VP & Chief of Staff, Exelon Corp., Age: 59, After joining ComEd in 1966, Clark literally worked his way up the ranks. This Vietnam vet began his career at the Illinois electric company as a mailroom clerk and has since been responsible for leading