2020 Women on Boards Los Angeles Applauds Increase in Numbers of Women on Corporate Boards in California

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Minor increases in numbers of women on corporate boards in California were applauded today at the fifth annual "2020 Women on Boards" event in Los Angeles, with audience of 360 business executives at the LA Hotel downtown. Largest of 19 separate events held today throughout the U.S., the Los Angeles 2020WOB supports the national initiative to build awareness toward achieving at least 20% of board seats held by women by the year 2020.

Co-chaired by Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, president of Berkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search, and Renee Fraser, Ph.D, CEO of Fraser Communications, the Los Angeles 2020WOB panel included Peter J. Taylor of Los Angeles, Edison International board; Marilyn A. Alexander of Newport Beach, Tutor-Perini, Torchmark and DCT Industrial boards; and Amanda Kimball of Sacramento, head of research, University of California Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM).

Among the 400 largest companies in California, the percentage of women directors has risen slowly to today's high of 13.3 percent in 2015 from the low 8.8 percent in 2006. Women hold 432 of 3,260 total board seats among California's largest 400 companies. San Francisco County has the highest percentage of women directors (20.2 %), and Orange County has the lowest (10.5 %), followed closely by Los Angeles County (11.6 %) and Santa Clara County (12.7 %). Statewide, the Bay Area (14.5%) is ahead of Southern California (11.7 %).

"Even though the increases are small, we are making progress," explain Berkhemer-Credaire and Fraser, also co-hosts of the Radio Show "Unfinished Business," www.UnfinishedBusinessTips.com. However, 92 of California's largest 400 companies still have NO women directors, and one-third of companies with no women on boards are headquartered in Silicon Valley. Berkhemer-Credaire is author of the book "The Board Game--How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors."

"The business case is clear that having greater gender representation on corporate boards leads to better performance, profitability and productivity," adds Fraser. "We are confident our volunteer efforts will add to the chorus for more women on boards."

2020 Women on Boards is a nonprofit organization launched in Boston in 2010 by Stephanie Sonnabend and Malli Gero. See www.WomenOnBoards.com.

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