Eight women leaders of Fortune 500<\/a> companies were once Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, or more, according to an analysis by Fortune<\/em> staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s no surprise that so many women in leadership roles were at one time a Girl Scout,\u201d the Girl Scouts of the USA\u2019s CEO, Bonnie Barczykowski, told Fortune <\/em>when asked about the results.\u00a0<\/p>\n Current Fortune 500 CEOs who are Girl Scouts alumnae include General Motors\u2019 Mary Barra, Centene\u2019s Sarah London, Oracle\u2019s Safra Catz, General Dynamics\u2019 Phebe Novakovic, Bath & Body Works\u2019 Gina Boswell, Edward Jones<\/a> Investments\u2019 Penny Pennington, and Graybar Electric\u2019s Kathleen Mazzarella.<\/p>\n Famous for their seasonal selection of delectable desserts including Thin Mints, Trefoils, Tagalongs, and Caramel deLites, the Girl Scouts actually operate the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, selling over 200 million boxes annually and generating about $1 billion, according to Barczykowski.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a period of time in which they engage into the financial education piece and learn how to promote their cookie business as young entrepreneurs,\u201d Barczykowski said.<\/p>\n Many of these CEOs told Fortune<\/em> that the experience really mattered for their careers.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a Girl Scout gave me an opportunity to explore new ideas and step outside of my comfort zone, which helped me gain confidence and a belief in my abilities,\u201d Mazzarella<\/a>, who\u2019s helmed Graybar Electric since 2012, told Fortune <\/em>in an emailed statement. \u201cThe timeless life lessons I learned as a Girl Scout influenced me throughout my career and continue to shape the way I lead today.\u201d<\/p>\n Pennington<\/a>, who joined Edward Jones in 2000 before becoming managing partner in 2019, spent several years as a Girl Scout in the early 1970s.<\/p>\n \u201cBrownies and Girls Scouts left a lasting impression on me\u2014my confidence in learning new things, the fun of working as a troop, and the commitment of adults who were guiding us,\u201d Pennington said in an emailed statement. \u201cThose are values I still talk about to this day and carry forward in life, decades later.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The list<\/a> also extends to former members of Fortune 500 C-suites, like former IBM<\/a> CEO Ginni Rometty, former Lockheed Martin<\/a> CEO Marillyn Hewson, and former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg. Other business leaders include former YouTube<\/a> CEO Susan Wojcicki, former JCPenny CEO Jill Soltau, and former Yahoo<\/a> CEO Marissa Mayer.<\/p>\n The 2023 Fortune 500<\/a> ranking marked a new milestone for female leaders, with more than 10%<\/a> of America\u2019s largest companies ranked by revenue being run by women for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n The last has shifted in the past year due to recent exits including Roz Brewer<\/a> from Walgreens Boots Alliance<\/a>, Elizabeth Burr<\/a> from Rite Aid<\/a>, Julie Sloat<\/a> from American Electric Power<\/a>, and Barbara Smith<\/a> from Commercial Metals<\/a>. Still, newcomers in the form of MDU Resources\u2019 Nicole Kivisto<\/a>, Levi Strauss<\/a> & Co.\u2019s Michelle Gass<\/a>, and Chemours\u2019 Denise Dignam<\/a> have ensured that 52 companies out of the 500 still remain led by women. (And yes, eight out of 52 members coming from the ranks of the Girl Scouts is a higher percentage than female CEOs on the Fortune 500, 15.3% to 10.4%.)<\/p>\n The 2024 Fortune 500 ranking will debut in June. Last year, the top 10 companies alone posted $3.7 trillion in revenue<\/a>, with the total list representing two-thirds of the U.S. GDP.<\/p>\n One in every three women in the United States was at one time a Girl Scout, according to Barczykowski, but the chief executive herself was not one of them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s always a mic drop when I share that I was never in Girl Scouting,\u201d Barczykowski said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Founded in 1912 with a mission of teaching young girls valuable skills like camping, community service, and first aid, the Girl Scouts of the USA has since grown<\/a> to over one million active members and 50 million alumnae.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I meet women from around the nation, and I ask them about their Girl Scout experience, whether they were in Girl Scouts one year, three years, 10 years, or 13, they all have memories and experiences that they tie back to that had influenced them in their lives,\u201d Barczykowski said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The organization\u2019s influence stretches across the country with 111 councils, and even outer space. The first American woman to walk in space, Kathryn Sullivan, said<\/a> she prioritized \u201cfilling up her sash\u201d with badges as a young troop member.\u00a0<\/p>\n The group\u2019s reach also extends to politics; the halls of Capitol Hill and the White House are filled with former members. According to the Girl Scouts, 56%<\/a> of women in the 117th Congress (2021-2022) were known to be alums. Plus, every female secretary of state in U.S. history was a Girl Scout or Girl Guide alum, including Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, and Hillary Clinton.<\/p>\n \u201cA majority of the women astronauts were at one time Girl Scouts, a majority of our folks who are in the Senate and the House were at one time Girl Scouts,\u201d Barczykowski said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hollywood also boasts a roster<\/a> of Girl Scout stars, including Carrie Fisher, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Reese Witherspoon. Music superstar Taylor Swift served as a Girl Scout in her native Pennsylvania, and notably donated<\/a> free tickets to her 2018 Reputation<\/em> tour to troops in New Jersey and Connecticut. Even more, the Girl Scouts can count on actual royalty as former members:s Meghan Markle<\/a>, Duchess of Sussex, and Grace Kelly<\/a>, Princess of Monaco.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I think of some of the leaders that lead different organizations, both nonprofits and corporations and foundations, they were at one time Girl Scouts,\u201d Barczykowski said. \u201cAgain, no surprise when you hear about the skills that they built from when they were young that they\u2019ve carried into these amazing careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies have partnered with GSUSA to fund new programs and curriculum for young girls\u2013complete with themed badges to fill their sashes.\u00a0<\/p>\nOn my honor<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Badges and business<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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