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: