"Practically Alone at the Top: Only 14 Female Executives Dance on the U.S. Auto Industry’s Glass Ceiling," blares USA Today’s September 7 cover story, profiling the 14 female executives at Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and General Motors. While these 14 constitute an improvement from the early 1990s, some cite them as evidence of a glass ceiling, noting that the 14 amount to 7.1 percent of auto executives, compared to 11.1 percent for all Fortune 500 companies. But that claim amounts to false advertising.

The 7.1 figure must be compared to the percentage of women who are qualified for a senior position in this traditionally male-dominated industry. We must unravel this group by looking at qualifications, fields of study, educational attainment, and length of uninterrupted time in the labor force.

In the past, large numbers of women did not choose engineering as their field of study, a prerequisite for advancement in the auto industry. Hence, the qualified pool of women for climbing the auto industry executive ladder was very small. But times have changed and today women are entering engineering and related fields in droves.

Age is also an important factor when looking at the reasons behind the small number of female auto executives. The majority of the 14 female auto executives has not yet reached age 50. Yet, most auto industry chief executives are in their 50s and 60s. But age is less important than ability.

The Big Three automakers need qualified experts and specialists if their industry is to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Recall that only a few years ago, the U.S. auto industry lost major market share to the Japanese, whose quality product satisfied consumer’s demands. To do likewise, U.S. automakers must hire the best, regardless of race or gender.

Executives must not be shackled by those demanding equal numbers of males and females in their executive suites. Such draconian action, through quotas or government mandates, would lead to another decline and, ultimately, the demise of our auto industry.

At PRI, like those in the auto industry, we realize that we must encourage and provide opportunity for women to enter fields of study such as engineering, hard sciences, and technology, fields not previously dominated by women. Establishing networks and the mentoring of young women by more senior males or females are important for ensuring the growth of a pool of qualified candidates. Then, and only then, will the number of female executives increase in the auto industry. Women recognize this reality.

As GM VP and Saturn Chairman Cynthia Trudell says, "I will skip meetings to tackle my proteges’ serious concerns. A company is only as good as its people. My job, along with strategy and development, is to develop our future leaders."

Carleton S. Fiorina, the new chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard stated, "There is no need to focus on my gender in discussing the appointment." "I truly hope," she told reporters, "that we are at the point now where everyone has figured out that the accomplishments of women across the industry demonstrate that there is not a glass ceiling."

As a woman who entered the largely male-dominated economics profession some years ago, I fully agree. Success depends not on gender but hard work, ambition, and adding value to the bottom line. Women will never be alone at the top if they cherish and strive for these goals.

—Sally C. Pipes

President & CEO