Ilitch School helps compile Inforum report on women in leadership
When it comes to equality and representation of women in top jobs and on corporate boards of Michigan’s largest 100 public companies, it’s been a slow go over the past decade. On a positive note, there was a 79 percent increase in the number of women holding board positions over the past 10 years among Michigan’s 15 Fortune 500 companies, according to a new report. Those 15 also are among Michigan's largest public companies. Women now hold 25 percent of board seats at those 15 companies. On a negative note, there are fewer women in executive officer positions (including CEO) at Michigan’s largest 100 public companies (76 total now versus 88 in 2007). For women of color, the numbers haven’t budged from 10 years ago (there are four executive officers and nine board members among Michigan’s largest 100 firms). The numbers are among the findings of Inforum’s 2017 Michigan Women’s Leadership Report, which looked at the state’s 100 largest public companies and what roles that women play at them. The Inforum report will be unveiled Tuesday at a luncheon in Detroit. Inforum has issued periodic reports on the status of women in business in our state since 2003. This latest report was compiled with help from the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University. Inforum was founded as the Women’s Economic Club in 1962.
