Feel the power
(Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)
It’s time for Forbes‘ list of the world’s 100 most powerful women. These are women who have achieved great things in the public and the private sector. They’ve made contributions to society that will not be forgotten, and as a result they’ve garnered no small amount of fame. If I can in any way parlay the glow of their accomplishments into hawking auto loans and the best payday loans on the World Wide Web, I’ll be very happy. Please apply here by clicking the green button below. It’s green because it’s safe.
Who makes the list?
Corky Siemaszko of the New York Daily News reports that America’s First Lady, Michelle Obama, has debuted on the list and is poised to rise to even greater heights next year. Mrs. Obama took the 40th spot. By contrast, Laura Bush peaked at number 60 in 2007.
“Not only is she a First Lady, she’s the first African-American First Lady and that accords her a certain amount of power,” said Heidi Brown of Forbes.
“A media magnet”
Brown, who was one of the compilers of the list, told Siemaszko that the Forbes 100 most powerful women list takes into account how much total media attention a candidate receives, and judging by how often Michelle Obama appears in the media for things as serious as political issues or as splashy as what she’s wearing, it’s clear that she’d a “media magnet.”
“She’s done a lot to get her message out,” Brown said. “She’s been effective at reaching out not only to the media, but to regular people as well.”
More Obama administration members made the list
Michelle Obama is definitely not alone on the Forbes magazine “100 Most Powerful Women” list. Additional ranking members include Homeland Security leader Janet Napolitano (51), Security and Exchange Commission chief Mary Schapiro (55) and Health and Human Services leader Kathleen Sebelius (56). Perhaps Sebelius received that ranking before she came out in public and said that the public option was “not the most important” part of President Obama’s health care reform initiative.
Justice and a New York state of mind
Apply Now!New Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor made her debut on the Forbes 100 most powerful women list at 54, but she has some catching up to do with fellow justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who sits at 48. Both justices are New Yorkers, but they are not the state’s highest ranked woman. That honor belongs to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, who continued her hold on the number three slot.
Speaking of New York, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is still on the Forbes 100 most powerful women list at 36th, but she has lost a little ground since the 2008 presidential election, when she ranked at number 28.
More from the corporate world
Yahoo! head Carol Bartz ranked high on the Forbes 100 most powerful women list at number 12. This proved to be more than enough to earn her the cover shot on this edition of Forbes magazine.
Heidi Brown told the Daily News that another woman on this year’s Forbes 100 most powerful women list who should prove to be an up-and-comer is Sallie Krawcheck. While she was forced out of Citigroup, she quickly caught on with Bank of America, where she is now the Chief Executive for Global Wealth Management. Krawcheck ranks 87th on the list in 2009.
Mary Erdoes of J.P. Morgan may bring up the rear on Forbes 100 most powerful women list, but that certainly doesn’t mean that her accomplishments in the banking and investment world have not been tremendous.
Where’s the media?
Forbes decided that they’d introduce a separate list of female media “movers and shakers,” said Brown. That’s why people like “Today” show host Meredith Viera, “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric or “Good Morning America” co-host Diane Sawyer don’t appear in the Forbes 100 most powerful women list.
“They wield a different a different kind of influence,” Brown said.
“And the winner is…”
For the fourth year running, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken the number one spot on the Forbes 100 most powerful women list. She finished ahead of America’s Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chair, Sheila Bair. Bair was last year’s runner up, too, although if America’s banking crisis is turned around, I’d say that Bair deserves serious consideration for the number one slot in 2010. Healthier banks and a stronger flow of auto loans and the best payday loans would indicate a healthier economy, which is something that should make anyone smile.
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Great list and inspiring for women from all over the world!
Thanks for sharing!