Stats from CA

"The fourth annual UC Davis Study of California Women Business Leaders found that only 13 of California's 400 largest public companies have a woman CEO. Overall, women hold just 10.9 percent of board seats and executive positions -- insignificant progress from 2007, when the figure was 10.4 percent, and from 2006 and 2005, when it was 10.2 percent...

And another testament to the positive impact for women of having women at the top.

"For the second year in a row, the No. 1 company was Nara Bancorp Inc., a Los Angeles-based firm that serves consumers and minority-owned businesses through 21 branches in California, New Jersey and New York. Half of the firm's executive and board seats are held by women.

"Top talent and diversity go hand-in-hand, and makes us a stronger company," said Min Kim, president and CEO of Nara Bancorp. "We believe a passion for one's job, a desire to learn and lead, and a commitment to work/life balance will always win."

Joining Nara Bancorp in the top five were Bare Escentuals, headquartered in San Francisco, with women in 45.5 percent of top leadership posts; Bebe Stores, headquartered in Brisbane, with women in 42.9 percent of top leadership posts; AMN Healthcare Services, based in San Diego, with women at 36.4 percent; and Hot Topic, based in City of Industry, at 36 percent...

MORE...

Women in top executive suites

• The percentage of companies with a female CEO has remained stuck at 3 percent since 2005.
• Overall, only 12 percent, or 334, of the 2,782 senior executive officers in California's largest 400 public firms are women, up slightly from 11.6 percent in 2007 and 11.7 percent in 2006. Women held 8.2 percent of the highest-paid executive posts at the 200 firms studied in 2005.
• It's lonely at the top. Of the 206 companies that have women in top management, only 61 have two women on the executive team (executive teams average seven members). Only 26 companies have three or more."