Why Empower?

In the state of Ohio, 51 percent of the population is female. Across the country, 40 percent of MBA graduates are women, and women hold 51.5 percent of all management and professional positions. With these numbers in mind, it would stand to reason that approximately half of all c-suite, high level business positions should be filled with women. But that’s not the case.

Currently, just 5 percent of S&P 500 businesses are led by a woman CEO. Within the same group, 27.2 percent of executive, senior-level officials and managers are female.

Empowering Dayton’s women

In the Dayton region, the numbers are similarly nonproportional. Out of 622 executives, 144 are women, according to Emsi, a labor market analytics firm.

The Dayton Area Chamber believes opening doors for all motivated leaders creates a more inclusive, productive work environment, and data shows that it makes good business sense. According to Harvard Business Review, businesses that have added women to c-suite positions have seen a 15 percent in profitability.

In order to help women business leaders in the Dayton region to overcome barriers to advancement and identify their own personal strengths while building a personal brand, the chamber created Empower.