Mother's Day Proclamation - Work/Life Debate Should be SOOOO Over

Enough already! The question has been answered. Yes, Virginia, a woman can be a mother and have a successful career.

So, on Mother's Day 2011, let's finally put the debate to bed.

Need proof? Of the F500 women CEOs past, present and announced, nearly every one of them has been a mother/stepmother - and often to 2 or more children.

In honor of these virtual mentors from whom we can learn so much, let's learn once and for all that work and motherhood are not mutually exclusive. Thank you:

• Brenda Barnes, retired Sara Lee
• Carol Bartz, Yahoo!
• Angela Braly, Wellpoint
• Ursula Burns, Xerox
• Carly Fiorina, retired HP
• Christina Gold, Western Union
• Susan Ivey, retired Reynolds
• Andrea Jung, Avon
• Ellen Kullman, Dupont
• Carol Meyrowitz, TJX
• Christine Morrison, announced Campbell's
• Anne Mulcahy, retired Xerox
• Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo
• Irene Rosenfeld, Kraft
• Mary Sammons, retired RiteAid
• Laura Sen, BJs
• Meg Whitman, retired eBay
• Patricia Woertz, Archer Daniels Midland

Apologies to Lynn Elsenhans, CEO Sunoco if she has children.  Online research turned up no references to any.

UPDATED 6/6: Financial News has a story about Helena Morrissey, head of Newton:

"ranked the Most Influential Woman in Asset Management at the Financial News Awards for Excellence in Institutional Asset Management Europe 2010, had a family of five when she took the job and has had four more children since her appointment."

To see what else we're keeping our eye on these days, check us out on Facebook.

Lead ON!
Susan
Susan Colantuono is CEO of Leading Women and author of No Ceiling, No Walls.
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