Among the 400 California companies considered in this year's study, more than 90 percent of all board room seats and high paying executive positions are held by men. Just four percent of the companies are led by a female C-E-O.
Steven Currall is the Graduate School's dean. He says in tough economic times, companies shouldn't depend on the talents of only half the population.
"Women offer experiences, perspectives, and expertise that no company can afford to ignore, yet more than a third, 141 of the 400 companies in our census have no women at all on their boards or in top management."
Currall says there are some exceptions. At Hot Topic and LTC
Properties, women hold more than one-third of board seats and high
paying executive positions. He says only one company has an equal
of men and women serving in those roles. That's women's clothing
store Bebe.