With Indra Nooyi stepping down from the helm at PepsiCo, that leaves only two dozen female CEOs among the companies today.
Nooyi in particular, having served 12 years as CEO at Pepsi, was viewed as a role model for other women in business. She led the world's second-largest food and beverage company through tumultuous times in the industry, setting the tone for a new behemoth in snacking to emerge. Now, President Ramon Laguarta will be taking her place later this year.
Other top women CEOs in the consumer and retail industries today include Michele Buck at Hershey, Mary Dillon at Ulta and Michelle Gass at Kohl's. A handful of women also hold the chief executive title in the health care, automotive and industrials sectors. One upcoming change to the list, Kathy Warden is set to become the CEO of Northrop Gruman, effective Jan. 1 of next year.
Though women earn more degrees than men, on average, and make up nearly half the labor force in the U.S., women are less represented in management positions the higher up they go, according to Catalyst, a nonprofit that promotes women in the workplace. Even with corporate board seats, the "overwhelming majority" of new directorships continue to go to men, Catalyst said.
Below is a list of the 24 women still serving as chief executive officers among the S&P 500 companies today, listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Mary Barra
Company: General Motors
CEO since: Jan. 2014
Company's market capitalization: $53 billion
Gail Boudreaux
Company: Anthem
CEO since: Nov. 2017
Company's market capitalization: $66 billion
Heather Bresch
Company: Mylan
CEO since: Jan. 2012
Company's market capitalization: $19.5 billion
Michele Buck
Company: Hershey
CEO since: March 2017
Company's market capitalization: $27 billion
Debra Cafaro
Company: Ventas
CEO since: March 1999
Company's market capitalization: $20.6 billion
Safra Catz
Company: Oracle
CEO since: Sept. 2014
Company's market capitalization: $193.2 billion
Mary Dillon
Company: Ulta Beauty
CEO since: July 2013
Company's market capitalization: $14.1 billion
Virginia Drosos
Company: Signet Jewelers
CEO since: August 2017
Company's market capitalization: $3.5 billion
Adena Friedman
Company: Nasdaq
CEO since: Jan. 2017
Company's market capitalization: $15.3 billion
Michelle Gass
Company: Kohl's
CEO since: May 2018
Company's market capitalization: $12.1 billion
Lynn Good
Company: Duke Energy
CEO since: July 2013
Company's market capitalization: $57.4 billion
Tricia Griffith
Company: Progressive
CEO since: July 2016
Company's market capitalization: $35.7 billion
Marillyn Hewson
Company: Lockheed Martin
CEO since: Jan. 2013
Company's market capitalization: $90.2 billion
Vicki Hollub
Company: Occidental Petroleum
CEO since: April 2016
Company's market capitalization: $63 billion
Patricia Kampling
Company: Alliant Energy
CEO since: April 2012
Company's market capitalization: $10 billion
Margaret Keane
Company: Synchrony Financial
CEO since: Feb. 2014
Company's market capitalization: $22.4 billion
Beth Mooney
Company: KeyCorp
CEO since: May 2011
Company's market capitalization: $22.6 billion
Phebe Novakovic
Company: General Dynamics
CEO since: Jan. 2013
Company's market capitalization: $57.2 billion
Patricia Poppe
Company: CMS Energy
CEO since: July 2016
Company's market capitalization: $13.7 billion
Barbara Rentler
Photo unavailable
Company: Ross Stores
CEO since: June 2014
Company's market capitalization: $33.6 billion
Ginny Rometty
Company: IBM
CEO since: Jan. 2012
Company's market capitalization: $134 billion
Susan Story
Company: American Water Works
CEO since: May 2014
Company's market capitalization: $16.2 billion
Lisa Su
Company: Advanced Micro Devices
CEO since: Oct. 2014
Company's market capitalization: $18.6 billion
Geisha Williams
Company: PG&E
CEO since: March 2017
Company's market capitalization: $22.9 billion