Sep 14, 2025

Question of the Day: [Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month] Who was the first Latino man and the first Latina woman to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company?

 These leaders shattered barriers on their way to the top of corporate America.

Answer: 

 

  • Roberto Goizueta was the first Latino CEO of a Fortune 500 company when he became CEO of Coca-Cola in 1981

  • Geisha Williams was the first Latina CEO of a Fortune 500 company when she became CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in 2017

 

  

 

Questions:

  • What qualities do you think are most important for someone to become a CEO?
  • How might having more Latine leaders in top companies affect the decisions those companies make?
  • Do you think it matters who is represented in leadership positions? Why or why not?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

 

Behind the numbers (Qualtrics): 

In 2023, the CEOs of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies include six white women, one Hispanic/Latino man, one Hispanic/Latina woman, three South Asian men, one black man, and one black woman.

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Celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month With Us!

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About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.

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