31 Women Appointed to Board of Director Seats in September 2011, No More Waiting for the Next Generation!

31 women were appointed to seats on the Board of Directors of companies in September, 2011 as reported on NewsonWomen.com. This is up from the 26 appointed last month and a significant improvement over September 2010 when only 23 women were appointed. Going over 30 is amazing, but more significant is the quarterly totals which show a huge improvement! The third quarter of 2011 had 79 appointments versus 47 appointed in the third quarter of 2010, more proof positive that companies are getting the message. Major companies appointing women in September included Dell, which appointed two women! - Janet Clark (pictured) and Laura Conigliaro. Also appointing women this month were eBay, IAC, Piper Jaffray, Radio Shack, West Marine Inc, Altera, Cabot Corp, Signature Bank, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and TigerLogic.

It seems the pressures from Europe (where quotas have become the solution to a lack of representation of women on boards) are working even if they are not popular, particularly among men. A new study by Heidrick & Struggles, WomenCorporateDirectors, and Dr. Boris Groysberg of the Harvard Business School shows that 53 % of women vs. 18% of men thought "quotas are effective for increasing board diversity". The study also shows that men still think there are not enough women candidates for board seats, which anyone who reads NewsonWomen, and sees the terrific women in the workforce, knows is not true!!