Alex Wong/Newsmakers
'Token' Force
Carol Bartz
Former CEO, Autodesk
Carol Bartz grew up in a small town in Wisconsin where she says the only job options for girls were becoming a teacher or a nurse. Instead, she became CEO of a wonky design software company and transformed it into a powerhouse with a market value of $8 billion. Beyond that, she became a force in the Valley, serving on the board of Cisco Systems (CSCO) and on the President's Science & Technology Council. Bartz left Autodesk at the top of her game in 2006 (BusinessWeek.com, 3/6/06). And she's unafraid to talk openly about being a woman and a mother, admitting she's benefited from being a "token" and that she "cried her eyes out" when she decided to leave Autodesk (ADSK).
