Important Women in Finance

March is National Women's History Month, so today let's highlight some important women and their impact on the financial world.

Victoria Woodhull and her sister Tennessee Claflin established the first woman-owned stock brokerage (Woodhull, Claflin, and Company) in 1870. Despite the blatant sexism they faced in their struggle, the two sisters made millions advising clients like Cornelius Vanderbilt. The two sisters made enough money to put their male counterparts to shame.

Maggie Lena Walker became the first woman in the U.S. to charter a bank (St. Luke's Penny Savings Bank) in 1903. The institution had grown significantly by 1924 and, after mergers with two other banks, survived the Great Depression. Walker was a leading advocate for women and African Americans in the segregated south, and founded St. Luke's as a way to encourage them to harness their economic power by saving their money.

Muriel Siebert broke the gender barrier on Wall Street by becoming the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Known as the "First Woman of Finance," Siebert was a pioneer in the financial industry and went on to establish her own brokerage firm - Muriel Siebert & Co. She once said, "For ten years it was 1,365 men and me." Her achievements opened doors for future generations of women seeking careers in finance.

Sallie Krawcheck has held key positions at major financial institutions, including Citigroup and Bank of America. She is the co-founder and CEO of Ellevest - an investment platform designed to help women achieve their financial goals. Her dedication to gender diversity in finance has made her a leading advocate for women's financial empowerment.

Janet Yellen made history as the first woman to chair the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in its more than 100-year history. In serving from 2014-2018, her expertise and leadership were instrumental in guiding the United States through several economic challenges. She is currently serving as the U.S. Treasury Secretary - the first woman ever to do so. Her contributions to monetary policy and economic stability have solidified her as a trailblazer in the financial world.

Blythe Masters, a former executive at JPMorgan Chase, played a key role in the development of credit default swaps. She did groundbreaking work in the financial technology sector, especially with blockchain. She became CEO of Digital Asset Holdings, a company focused on leveraging blockchain technology for financial services. Masters is a founding partner of Motive Partners, a fintech-focused private equity firm. She is an Advisory Board member for the U.S. Chamber of Digital Commerce, the blockchain fintech Figure Technologies, and the enterprise quantum solution provider Sandbox AQ. Her innovative contributions have left an indelible mark on the intersection of finance and technology.

Let's continue to celebrate women's achievements and support women in their pursuit of success and equality!