Pushing for fewer 'Ys' in the C-suite

In 2010, women comprised 8.8% of board and leadership positions in the top 100 publicly traded companies in Florida. Laura Marks, executive director of Women Executive Leadership, hopes to double that number during the next decade through events showcasing strategies used by women in that statistic.

WEL, a Fort Lauderdale-based non-profit organization, pumped up Tampa Bay business leaders lacking Y chromosomes this week with its presentation titled “Perspectives from the C-suite: Lessons from Extraordinary Leaders.”

The panel discussion took a turn toward advice for corporate leaders regardless of gender. Mindy Grossman, chief executive officer of HSN Inc., explains that with the transparency of today's corporations, a mixed gender boardroom attracts consumers and investors. “We don't want diversity for diversity's sake,” Grossman says. “People know what women bring to the table.”