
Autodesk, the San Francisco based software company, is not exactly a household name. But if you know an architect, animator, product designer or engineer, there's a good chance they are working with Autodesk software right now. Carol Bartz is Executive Chairman of Autodesk, after 14 years as Chairman, President, and CEO. During that time, company revenues grew from about $280 million to over $1.5 billion. She is still one of the few women at the top of a major technology company. In person, her optimism and energy is contagious. She likes to quote her grandmother's motto. "Get over it!" And when she says we should not be daunted by a tough economy, it is not from a lack of awareness or empathy. She has faced tremendous personal and professional obstacles and seems only to have grown more enthusiastic. She isn't dwelling on her past, or her difficulties, she's still looking ahead, eager to figure out what's next.