Women Executives: Muriel Siebert

Muriel "Mickey" Siebert has been an influential woman of business for decades. She earned the nickname "The First Woman of Finance" after starting the first female-run brokerage firm in the New York Stock Exchange in 1967. That firm, Muriel Siebert & Company, still exists today. And what's more remarkable is that Siebert's company is still the only woman-owned firm on the NYSE. Read more about Siebert's path to victory on the company's Web site.

Siebert retains her leading position at the company, which inspired a lengthy biography of her at Senior Women Web, a site dedicated to the work and accomplishments of women over 60. Senior Women tells us that Siebert, while being a one-of-a-kind finance maverick, also happens to be "the most unpretentious and generous of women in any field." An amusing anecdote: her pet Chihuahua is named "Monster Girl," and holds court at Siebert's sprawling office in New York City. Here Siebert points out that sometimes the plight of pre-Women's Movement mothers and wives can actually be the inspiration to pursue your dreams: Siebert's mother was a talented singer who wasn't allowed to perform. She in turn went after what she wanted. She was a "rebel," spurred by her mother's challenges.

Siebert was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1994, nearly 20 years after her company opened. Her key to the Hall: "The face of high finance in America was changed forever when Muriel Siebert became the first woman—one among 1,365 men" to sit on the NYSE. Visit the Hall of Fame site to read Siebert's and other's biographies.

An interview with BusinessWeek is a telling exposé of Siebert's method of operation when it comes to her career. BusinessWeek asks: Does being a woman make a difference? It may be a pre-feminist question, but as Siebert is still in a league of her own, it's an important one. Her answer sheds light on why women are still not as influential in this sector:

"Younger women are much more aggressive in financial matters. They aren't afraid of that. A lot of [older women] just have not been taught. And that's tough. They're scared. They're getting in there, but they just haven't been taught yet. Once they understand that they're going to have to do this, they get much better."

Among Siebert's numerous accolades is the American Woman Award granted by the Women's Research & Education Institute in 1997. The institute's site published an analysis of Siebert's career, including a great quote from Siebert herself, in which she discusses the advantage of a woman's perspective in the international field. The subjects of tradition and culture—of how foreign countries view women—is a touchy one, but Siebert tackles it head-on. She said American companies "will find that women executives can be a strong competitive weapon against Japan and Germany and other countries that still limit their executive talent pool to the male 50 percent of their population."

Siebert was also the superintendent of banking for New York State, and her book, "Changing the Rules: Adventures of a Wall Street Maverick," published in 2002, is a retelling of her experiences both financial and political. This is a well-reviewed autobiography of a woman who isn't a household name, but should be.

As Siebert has said, younger women are getting better at tackling finances; nowadays, they are more concerned with their money. But how can young people of either sex be better prepared for adulthood? Siebert had an idea. In 2005 she came up with a program that educates high school students on managing money, whether it's student loans for college, investments, retirement funds or salaries. Inc. magazine profiled Siebert in its "26 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs" article, discussing in particular Siebert's efforts to reach out to the younger generation. She's devoted "nearly $1 million from her own pocketbook" to the project, which is a 21-lesson program required of all New York City high schools and is spreading nationwide.