The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, March 31, 2008, Monday

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

March 31, 2008, Monday

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Study finds few female executives in N.Y.

Matthew Daneman • Staff writer

More than 60 years after cultural icon Rosie the Riveter symbolized women's emergence in the workplace, the state's corporate boardrooms and corner offices remain largely a boys-only club.

A study released this month by Cornell University's Institute for Women and Work found that women hold less than 15 percent of board directorships and executive officer positions at the 100 largest publicly traded companies based in New York.

In business decisions, "There is a very glaring lack of a point of view of half the population," said institute Director Francine Moccio. "(Female executives) would bring a different experience about what women want in the economy, as employees, as consumers."

At Eastman Kodak Co., the area's largest publicly traded company, women hold 12 of 35 executive officer positions and two of 12 board seats.

At Xerox Corp., the second-largest, women hold 12 of 35 executive officer positions and four of 11 board seats. The company's two top executives are women — CEO Anne Mulcahy and President Ursula Burns.

Jonna L. Martin, president of the Rochester chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, started the image consulting and training firm AdvanceMe Associates in 2001 after leaving a vice presidency at Merrill Lynch. She said family responsibilities, such as caring for children or aged parents, often push women into careers outside corporate life.

"My decision to start a company was because I could succeed in that structure, but only if I focused all my energies in that direction," Martin said. "I said, 'OK, I'm not going to work six days a week; I'm only going to work five days a week.'"

Moccio said the institute plans to repeat this first study every other year to gauge any change.