The 'granite ceiling'

Women in New Hampshire comprise 47 percent of the workforce, 61 percent of recent college graduates, and just over half of the state’s managers and professionals, but represent a minority of those serving on governing boards and in executive positions, says a January report from the New Hampshire Women's Policy Institute.

Here are some other interesting facts from the report:

• Women represent 9 percent of directors of publicly held corporations, 21 percent of
financial institution directors, and 26 percent of hospital trustees in New Hampshire.

• Women in New Hampshire comprise 80 percent of the workforce in banking and in
hospitals, and about one-quarter of senior executives and one in five CEOs. Representation in financial institutions has increased in recent years, particularly among credit unions.

• National research suggests having three or more women on a board maximizes
contributions to governance. Most of the state’s hospitals and half of the credit unions had this level of representation; the majority of banks, trust companies, and public companies did not.

• Women represent the majority of college graduates in a shrinking pool of younger workers.

• Nationally, women are responsible for 83 percent of consumer purchasing, including 89 percent of new bank accounts and 80 percent of healthcare decisions.

Do you have an interesting story to share about breaking the "granite ceiling?" If so, write to the publisher at sjcald@comcast.net.