News Bites: Susan Arnold on CEO short list
According to Out & Equal, LGBT people remain under-represented in top corporate executive positions based on the small number of openly LGBT C-level executives at Fortune 500 companies. Our CEO numbers might increase by 100 percent if The Wall Street Journal’s prediction comes true:
In stepping down from a top post at Procter & Gamble Co., Susan Arnold, a longtime trailblazer at the consumer-products giant, becomes a hot commodity for other major corporations in the market for a CEO.
Ms. Arnold is among the most prominent gay executives in corporate America — colleagues say she neither hides nor makes a point of her sexual orientation — and she and her partner have a teenage son and daughter.
I recall my Ten Money Questions interview with Richard Oceguera where he first introduced us to the stealth-like G Suite network; a group that emphasizes the importance of an out-of-the-closet CEO running a major Fortune 500 company:
The G Suite is both a movement and an exclusive social network that was born out of the increasing discontent among younger people at the absurdity of homophobia at the highest levels of industry, government and church hierarchies. It is being spearheaded by a circle of men and women of influence who have approached the MCC LGBT committee to help achieve the goal of placing an out-of-the-closet CEO at the helm of a Fortune 500 company by January 2009. At a time when corporate America is doing a great job at diversity at the middle management level and below, why does pressure remain on gay, lesbian or transgender C-level executives to stay closeted? The G Suite is working behind the scenes with senior executives, gay and straight, to make that change.
And while, they missed their January 2009 deadline, they still might declare success with Susan Arnold at some point this year.
Photo credit: The Wall Street Journal.
I have the conversation with my friends about “how high you can go” up the corporate ladder and still be out. It’s neat to hear about this woman. I wonder when we’ll ever have a gay president?!
It’s good to see more women at the top of that list, queer or not.