Avons First Female CEO: Ms. Andrea Jung :: Avon Business CEO Management

Each year Fortune magazine publishes its list of the top 500 U.S. companies ranked according to reported gross revenues. In the highly competitive world of business, the CEO's of these companies are responsible for making decisions that allow a company into this elite group and remain on the list year after year. Avon Products Inc. first appeared on the Fortune 500 list in 1955 inaugural year, ranked at number 455. Over the years, Avon has moved up and down the list of 500 managing to remain there since its first appearance as a top grossing corporation. In the mid 1990's the company was on the verge of falling back to its 1955 ranking. Hired as Avon's first female CEO in 1999, Ms. Andrea Jung, one of only 10 female CEO's listed on the 2006 Fortune 500 list; led the overhaul of Avon Products Inc. and brought the company from number 308 in 1999 to number 281 on the recently published 2006 list. Born in Toronto Canada to first generation Chinese immigrants in 1959, Andrea Jung credits part of her success to her family upbringing. Raised with traditional Chinese values and parents who placed an emphasis on education, Ms. Jung excelled in most of her endeavors. Growing up in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Ms. Jung flourished by earning top grades in academics, excelling in piano, and becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Her formal education was completed in 1979 after graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University with a bachelor's in English Literature. Ms. Jung has two children. A nine year old son she adopted with former husband Michael Gould and a seventeen year old daughter from a previous marriage. When her busy schedule allows, Ms. Jung frequently plays the piano as a way to relax. Her favorite piece of jewelry, a white pearl choker, has become one of her fashion trademarks. On a fun note, Ms. Jung was presented with a Barbie custom made by Mattel in recognition for her efforts in a cross promotional project between Avon and the toymaker. The Barbie features Ms. Jung's likeness complete with long black hair, dark pantsuit, and of course, a pearl choker. Upon graduation, Ms. Jung entered the management training program at Bloomingdale's and quickly rose through the ranks to vice president and merchandising manager by the age of 26.