Diversity Woman Magazine Releases Premiere List During Business Leadership Conference Hosted by Publisher and Motivational Speaker Sheila Robinson

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Diversity Woman Magazine has released its first annual list of "100 Best Companies for Leadership and Executive Development for Women." The publication compiled the list after canvassing the country and researching Corporate America to find companies that demonstrate they care about female employees with a corporate culture and policies that support and develop women leaders of all races, cultures and backgrounds.

As companies were assessed, among the factors Diversity Woman Magazine considered were the presence of family-friendly programs such as telecommuting and flextime, the percentage of women who got raises and promotions, women's access to built-in succession plans, the number of female executives and board members, and strong mentoring programs for women.

"These are all indications that a company is committed to providing opportunities for its female employees and to the progress of women overall," says Sheila Robinson, publisher of Diversity Woman Magazine and a popular motivational speaker.

"It was not easy to narrow this list to 100, companies are finally taking leadership development for women seriously," says Robinson. "We have a ways to go, but we're moving in the right direction. I am proud and honored to say that Diversity Woman Magazine has been a part of that change."

Robinson says that even today, women can be savvy, talented and eager to climb the corporate ladder, but many companies do little to help women advance in their careers.

The list of "100 Best Companies for Leadership and Executive Development for Women" will be released during Diversity Woman Magazine's Business Leadership Conference October 29-30, 2012, at The Gaylord Resort in National Harbor, Md. With the theme "Lead with Passion, Power & Profits," women business executives and leaders will come together for the conference that is celebrating its 7^th year and has evolved into the premier networking and empowerment event for women of all races and cultures.

CNN Anchor Soledad O'Brien will be honored with the Mosaic Lifetime Achievement Award during the conference. Also to be honored are Lynn Tilton, Founder and CEO, Patriarch Partners; Pat Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer, McDonald's Corporation; and Michele Kang, CEO, Cognosante.

For more information on the conference and the "100 Best Companies for Leadership and Executive Development for Women" list, visit www.diversitywoman.com.

SOURCE Diversity Woman Magazine