Ursula Burns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Burns
|
|
|---|---|
Burns in 2004
|
|
| Born | September 20, 1958 New York City, U.S.
|
| Education | Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (BS) Columbia University (MS) |
| Known for | Former CEO of Xerox |
| Title | Co-Founder, Integrum Holdings and Non-Executive Chairwoman, Teneo |
| Spouse(s) | Lloyd Bean (died 2019) |
| Children | 2 |
Ursula M. Burns (born September 20, 1958) is a very successful American businesswoman. She is best known for being the CEO of Xerox from 2009 to 2016. During her time as CEO, Ursula Burns made history. She was the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. A Fortune 500 company is one of the 500 largest companies in the United States. She was also the first woman to take over as head of a Fortune 500 company after another woman.
Ursula Burns also served on the boards of many big American companies. These include Uber, American Express, and ExxonMobil. She was the chairperson and CEO of VEON, a large telecom company, from late 2018 to early 2020. Today, she is the Non-Executive Chairwoman of Teneo. In 2021, she helped start a company called Integrum Holdings.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama chose Ursula Burns to lead a special program. This program focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from 2009 to 2016. She also helped the President with export advice. In 2014, Forbes magazine named her the 22nd most powerful woman in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ursula Burns was born in 1958 in New York City. She grew up in a housing project called the Baruch Houses. Her mother raised her alone. Both of her parents came from Panama. Ursula went to Cathedral High School, an all-girls Catholic school in New York.
After high school, Ursula studied at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. This school is now part of New York University Tandon School of Engineering. In 1980, she earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. That summer, she worked as an intern at Xerox. This internship helped students from groups that were not often seen in engineering. It also helped her pay for her master's degree. She earned her master's degree from Columbia University in 1981.
Ursula Burns has also received many honorary degrees. These are special degrees given to people for their achievements. She has received them from universities like New York University, University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown University.
Business Career
Working at Xerox
Ursula Burns started at Xerox as a summer intern in 1980. She officially joined the company in 1981 after finishing her master's degree. For many years, she worked in different jobs. She helped develop new products and plan for the company's future.
In 1990, her career took a new path. A senior executive asked her to be his assistant. She worked for him for about nine months. Then, in 1991, she became the executive assistant to the chairman and CEO, Paul Allaire. In 1999, she became a vice-president for global manufacturing.
In 2000, Ursula Burns started working closely with Anne Mulcahy. Anne Mulcahy was about to become the CEO of Xerox. They worked together as partners. Two years later, Ursula became the president of business group operations.
In 2007, Ursula Burns became the president of Xerox. In July 2009, she was named the CEO. She took over from Anne Mulcahy. Ursula Burns was the first Black woman to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She was also the first woman to become CEO after another woman at a Fortune 500 company.
Soon after becoming CEO, she led Xerox to buy another company called Affiliated Computer Services. In 2013, she was recognized as an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2016, she led Xerox to split into two separate companies. She remained the chairwoman and CEO of Xerox until December 2016. She left the Xerox board in May 2017.
Serving on Company Boards
Ursula Burns has served on the boards of many important companies. A board of directors helps guide a company. She has been on the boards of companies like Exxon Mobil Corporation, American Express Corporation, and Nestlé. She joined Teneo as a senior advisor in 2017. She also joined the board of Uber in 2017.
She continues to serve on several private company boards. She also helps lead many community, educational, and non-profit groups. These include the Ford Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In April 2024, she was nominated to join the board of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, a major chip-making company.
Leading VEON
In 2017, Ursula Burns was chosen as the chairman of VEON. This company is one of the largest telecom service providers in the world. In 2018, she became the executive chairwoman. Later that year, she was appointed as CEO. She left her role as CEO in February 2020.
Starting Integrum Holdings
In 2021, Ursula Burns co-founded a private equity firm called Integrum Holdings. A private equity firm invests in companies. Her firm focuses on technology-enabled service companies.
Public Service and Community Work
President Barack Obama asked Ursula Burns to help lead the White House National STEM program in 2009. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. She led this program until 2016. In 2010, President Obama also appointed her as vice-chair of the President's Export Council. This council advises the President on trade.
In February 2022, Ursula Burns joined the U.S. Department of Commerce's Advisory Council. This council helps with supply chain issues.
Ursula Burns also gives her time to many community and non-profit groups. She helps organizations like FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), which encourages young people in science and technology. She also helps the National Academy Foundation and the U.S. Olympic Committee. She helped start Change the Equation, a group focused on improving STEM education in the U.S.
Forbes magazine has listed her many times as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. In 2015, she was listed as the 29th most powerful.
Personal Life
Ursula Burns was married to Lloyd Bean until he passed away in 2019. He also worked at Xerox. They lived in Rochester, New York. She has a daughter named Melissa and a stepson named Malcolm. Malcolm attended MIT. Ursula Burns has also given a lot of money to McQuaid Jesuit High School in New York.
Memoir
In 2021, Ursula Burns published a book about her life. It is called Where You Are Is Not Who You Are: A Memoir.
See also
In Spanish: Ursula Burns para niños
- List of International Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
