Ursula Burns
Encyclopedia
Ursula M. Burns serves as chairwoman and CEO
of Xerox
. She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500
company. She is also the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a Fortune 500
company. In 2009, Forbes
rated her the 14th most powerful woman in the world.
, a New York city housing project. Both of her parents were Panamanian immigrants. She attended Cathedral High School, a Catholic, all-girls school on East 56th Street in New York. She then went on to obtain a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of NYU in 1980 and a master of science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University
a year later.
in June 1991 and eventually becoming vice president for global manufacturing in 1999. In 2000 she was named a senior vice president and began working closely with soon to be CEO Anne Mulcahy
in what both women describe as a true partnership. She was named CEO in July 2009 succeeding Mulcahy, who remained as chairwoman until May 2010.
, Boston Scientific
, FIRST
, National Association of Manufacturers
, University of Rochester
, the MIT Corporation, the Rochester Business Alliance and the RUMP Group.
She will be the Commencement speaker at MIT's 2011 Commencement, which is also the conclusion of MIT's 150th anniversary celebration. She will also deliver the 2011 Commencement address at the University of Rochester.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
. She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
company. She is also the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
company. In 2009, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
rated her the 14th most powerful woman in the world.
Early life
Burns was raised by a single mother in the Baruch HousesBaruch Houses
Bernard M. Baruch Houses, or Baruch Houses, is a public housing development built by the New York City Housing Authority on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, at . The development is named after Bernard Baruch, a Wall Street trader, economic advisor during World War I and World War II, and...
, a New York city housing project. Both of her parents were Panamanian immigrants. She attended Cathedral High School, a Catholic, all-girls school on East 56th Street in New York. She then went on to obtain a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of NYU in 1980 and a master of science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
a year later.
Career at Xerox
Burns first worked for Xerox in 1980 as a summer intern and joined a year later after her master's degree. She worked in various roles in product development and planning throughout her 20s. Her career took an unexpected turn when in January 1990 Wayland Hicks, then a senior executive, offered her a job as his executive assistant. Initially fearing that this would be a dead-end job, she accepted and rose through the ranks becoming executive assistant to then chairman and chief executive, Paul AllairePaul Allaire
Paul Arthur Allaire is a businessman who served as CEO and Chairman of Xerox Corporation, and as a director on several other public companies.He was first hired by Xerox in 1966....
in June 1991 and eventually becoming vice president for global manufacturing in 1999. In 2000 she was named a senior vice president and began working closely with soon to be CEO Anne Mulcahy
Anne M. Mulcahy
Anne M. Mulcahy is former chairwoman and CEO of Xerox Corporation. She was named CEO of Xerox on August 1, 2001, and chairwoman on January 1, 2002. In addition to serving on the Xerox board, she has been a member of the boards of directors of Catalyst, Citigroup Inc., Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd...
in what both women describe as a true partnership. She was named CEO in July 2009 succeeding Mulcahy, who remained as chairwoman until May 2010.
Community activities
Burns serves on numerous professional and community boards, including American ExpressAmerican Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific
The Boston Scientific Corporation , is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, neuromodulation, neurovascular intervention,...
, FIRST
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
, National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Manufacturers
The National Association of Manufacturers is an advocacy group headquartered in Washington, D.C. with 10 additional offices across the country...
, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, the MIT Corporation, the Rochester Business Alliance and the RUMP Group.
She will be the Commencement speaker at MIT's 2011 Commencement, which is also the conclusion of MIT's 150th anniversary celebration. She will also deliver the 2011 Commencement address at the University of Rochester.
Personal life
Burns married Lloyd Bean, who also worked at Xerox, and she resides in Rochester, New York. She has a daughter Melissa (born c. 1992) and a stepson Malcolm (born c. 1989) who attends MIT.External links
- "Ursula M. Burns", Black Entrepreneur Profile Website