Ursula M. Burns made history when she became the first African American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company as the head of Xerox Corporation. Her trailblazing career is an inspiration.
Overcoming Humble Beginnings
Born in 1958 in New York City, Burns was raised by a single mother in public housing projects. Despite economic hardship, her mother encouraged her education, leading Burns to attend an all-girls Catholic high school.
In 1980, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. She went on to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University in 1981.
Rising Through the Ranks at Xerox
Burns began as a summer engineering intern at Xerox in 1980. After completing her master’s degree, she joined Xerox full-time in several product development and planning roles.
In 1990, a senior executive took notice of her talent and offered her a role as his executive assistant. Just a year later, she became executive assistant to the CEO, starting her meteoric rise.
Over the next decade, Burns was promoted to positions including vice president of global manufacturing and senior vice president of corporate strategic services. In this time, she worked closely with the incoming CEO, Anne Mulcahy.
Named First Black Woman CEO
In 2007, Burns was named president of Xerox. Then in July 2009, she succeeded Mulcahy as CEO, becoming the first African American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 firm.
During her tenure as CEO, Burns led major acquisitions to transform Xerox into a technology and services leader. She oversaw the company’s split into two public entities in 2016.
National Leadership Roles
Beyond Xerox, President Barack Obama appointed Burns in 2009 to lead the White House National STEM program, leveraging her passion for science and math education.
Obama later named her vice chair of the President’s Export Council from 2010 to 2016. She has served on the boards of organizations including FIRST, the MIT Corporation, the University of Rochester, and the National Association of Manufacturers.
Accolades for Pioneering Success
Forbes has repeatedly named Burns as one of the world’s 100 most powerful women, recognizing her influence.
In 2014, she was the 22nd most powerful woman globally according to Forbes. Her success as the first Black female Fortune 500 CEO was groundbreaking.
Now retired from Xerox, Burns remains an inspiration through her barrier-breaking career journey fueled by determination.
