When it comes to leading some of the largest public companies in Dallas-Fort Worth, very few women are at the top. D CEO tracked down three of the women who took the top seat in the past couple of years and have been taking their companies to new heights.
Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match Group; Melissa Reiff, CEO of The Container Store; and Shannon Greene, CEO of Tandy Leather Factory, all had interesting stories to tell, from their upbringing to their “ah-ha” moments to the times that things didn’t work out. And, between the three, we found several similarities: They all had a network of support that helped them reach the top; they each accomplished much more than they ever set out to do; and they all had disappointments and bumps in the road they had to overcome. And the other big commonality: they wanted to share their experience to help the next generation of women leaders.
It’s something D CEO finds women are willing to do more and more now, especially as more females find themselves rising up the ranks and blazing new trails. That’s why, three years ago, D CEO launched its inaugural Women’s Leadership Symposium in conjunction with its June women’s issue. The lead feature, which zooms into insight from Ginsberg and Reiff and Green, went online today.
This year, our third annual symposium drew about 600 people who heard from seven women leaders, learned from four panelists, and networked with other professionals in the room.
One of the most memorable moments of the conference was when LaShanda Reed-Larry, Essilor of America’s director of inclusion, diversity, and equity, shared a staggering figure: At the rate our society is moving, it will take 217 years for women to achieve gender parity in the corner office of Fortune 500 companies.
“Repeat after me,” she told the audience. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”And, the women leading three of DFW’s largest public companies would likely agree.
Meantime, stay tuned for more highlights from the symposium. And read more here about what Ginsberg, Reiff, and Greene had to say.
