Deborah C. Hopkins, 46, is one of the highest-ranking women executives at a Fortune 500 company. It's been no secret that she has long viewed herself as a Chief Executive Officer in waiting. At the time I chose Deborah C. Hopkins as a manager for this report, she was ranked the second most powerful woman. Deborah was the Chief Financial Officer of Lucent Technologies, responsible for executive management and oversight of all financial operations for the company. Deborah has since left Lucent Technologies to pursue "other opportunities"ÃÂ* and plans to spend time with her children before deciding what to do next.
Hopkins earned a bachelor's degree from Walsh College at Troy, Michigan, when she took her first finance position with the First National Bank of Detroit and Ford Motor Company. She attended an executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. In 1999, Hopkins was recognized by the Walsh College Alumni Association and received its Distinguished Alumni Award.
English: Unisys office in Brazil in Rio
English: Unisys Calfornia Office
English: unisysShe supports the college as a member of the board of trustees.
Before joining Lucent Technologies as the CFO, Hopkins served as senior vice president and CFO for the Boeing Company. The question Boeing had; could an outspoken female CFO with no aerospace background put the company back on course? Hopkins was chosen for the position because of her successful track record as an agent of change. Hopkins, just 17-days on the job stated in a story to a journal that she would like to replace Phil Condit, CEO and chairman when he retired*. When she made this statement she thereby threw her hat into the ring with those who like all previous chief executives at the company that have risen through the ranks and have, of course, been male. Most thought Hopkins would crash and burn,