Voice of Experience: Dianne Ledingham, Director, Bain & Company

ledingham_diane_print_color_1_.jpgby Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

The Glass Hammer recently spoke with Dianne Ledingham, Director in Bain’s Boston office, member of Bain’s North America Telecom, Media & Technology Practice and leader of the consulting firm’s Global Sales Effectiveness group. Ms. Ledingham has played various local and global governance roles in the firm and is currently a member of Bain’s Worldwide Compensation and Promotion committee. In addition to serving corporate clients, Ms. Ledingham has advised several early stage technology start-ups in her career at Bain. She is also a Board member of City Year, a multi-regional non-profit.

Read more

/by

Voice of Experience: Anne Wallace, Executive Director, Identity Theft Assistance Center

Anne_Wallace1_1_.JPGby Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

Anne Wallace is a trailblazer. In a 35-year career in banking and financial services that has taken her from the public to the private sector and back again, Wallace has broken down barriers for women and has reshaped the industry in the process.

Read more

/by

Movers and Shakers – Financial Data Services

stockticker.JPGby Sima Matthes (New York City)

All eyes are on the market today, looking to see if the $700 billion “rescue plan” will have the desired effect of soothing nervous investors and turning around the downward market spiral. This intense market scrutiny put us in mind of those who, among other things, process the market transactions. And, as we focus on the stock tickers and market fluctuations, it seemed appropriate to note some women leading the way in the Financial Data Services industry.

Read more

/by

Executive Personal Shoppers

bfashion.JPGy Caroline Shannon (Dayton, OH)

Sure, “girls just wanna have fun” and “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but, despite conventional wisdom, shopping can sometimes rank pretty low on the list of fun things to do — especially, when you are a busy business professional who can barely squeeze in lunch let alone a trip to the department store.

Read more

/by

25 Women to Watch in Banking and Finance

bank2.JPGby Sima Matthes (New York City)

We love it when companies on the Fortune 1000 are recognized for having women at the top! The October issue of U.S. Banker, profiles the 25 Women to Watch, a ranking that honors women whose leadership continues to shape the financial services industry.

Read more

/by

Voices of Experience: Alice Wang, Managing Director, Global Credit Markets, J.P. Morgan

by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

“Nothing is impossible – there is always a solution,” advised Alice Wang, Managing Director of Global Credit Markets when interviewed by The Glass Hammer. In 23 years with J.P. Morgan, Ms. Wang has seen the company and the industry change dramatically.

She started her career in investment banking after a stint as a CPA with responsibilities that included auditing banks, government entities and non-profits. “When I joined J.P. Morgan, it was still thought of as The Morgan Guaranty Trust Company–the bank–not J.P. Morgan, the investment bank that we think of today. I was offered a role as an internal consultant, which at the time felt like a good fit, as problem solving was and continues to be very appealing to me.”

Read more

/by

Intrepid Women: Ice Dreams

ice hotel_1.JPGby Kate St. Vincent Vogl (New York City)

Walking pneumonia would not keep Christin Walth from attending her business meeting. She was Microsoft’s representative to the Bluetooth team, and she could and would pull her weight for that lineup of seven industry leaders now that she wasn’t contagious. The conference had started two days before, and she knew at the backend she’d have to go directly to Israel to outfit those border guards, but she wasn’t about to miss this first meeting—at the Ice Hotel.

Read more

/by

Movers and Shakers: Internet and Retail

internet.JPGby Sima Matthes (New York City)

When you think cutting edge, you think Silicon Valley. Within the Valley, there’s a smaller community of internet companies, and, regrettably, these companies can hardly be called cutting–or leading–edge on gender equity.

So why the dearth of women? Quoted in a 2007 article in the Guardian UK, Jenny Slade, the communications director of the National Center for Women and Information Technology [UK] said “There were fewer women in 2006 getting computer degrees than in 1985. Women’s participation in computer-related occupations is low overall and it decreases as women climb the corporate ladder.”

That said, the following women are proof that there are some exceptionally qualified women who are blazing trails along the high tech highway:

Read more

/by

Voices of Experience: Rachel Glaser, COO/CFO at Reunion.com

by Natalie Sabia (New York City)

Her journey started immediately after business school when she landed a much-coveted job at Disney. Over twenty years, she worked her way up in the company, holding various leadership positions in finance, operations and technology with studio entertainment, as well as corporate and consumer products divisions.

The imminent birth of her first child was a turning point. About to go on maternity leave with her first child, she was debating whether to take time off to be a stay-at-home mother. Her boss at the time talked her into coming back to work part-time. She was concerned, not sure how to manage the competing demands of work and motherhood. “I was nervous for the change, but I tried not to second guess my decision,” Glaser said. “If he hadn’t invited me back, I would never be in the position I am now.” By accepting the offer, she was able to raise her kids but also keep her foot in the door.

Read more

/by

Intrepid Women: My Life on the Street, Part II

by Paige Churchman (New York City)

The next morning, Genro and Paco marveled that we hadn’t been chased out, and we set off for breakfast at the St. Francis Mission, more than 50 blocks north. Outside a church on some midtown street, we joined a long line, spreading ourselves out among the real homeless people as Genro and Paco had urged. The streets hadn’t really come alive yet, but a few people in suits scuffed by without seeing us. I wondered what breakfast would be. I pictured a big basement room with tables and bowls of oatmeal. But when the line finally started moving, I found the payoff was a table on the sidewalk where a monk silently handed me two ham and cheese sandwiches in clear wrap. I gave one to another woman who hesitated and then took it with a smile. I saved the other for someone else later. I wondered, if I really were homeless, would I have to eat meat so as not to starve?

Read more

/by