Carol Bartz: Difference between revisions

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| image        = Carol Bartz.jpg
| image        = Carol Bartz.jpg
| caption      = Bartz at her first Yahoo! all hands meeting (2009)
| caption      = Bartz at her first Yahoo! all hands meeting (2009)
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1948|8|28}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1948|8|28}}
| birth_place  = [[Winona, Minnesota]], U.S.
| birth_place  = [[Winona, Minnesota]], U.S.
| nationality  = American
| nationality  = American
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'''Carol Ann Bartz''' (born August 28, 1948) is an American business executive who served as the [[chief executive officer]] of [[Yahoo!]] from January 2009 to September 2011 and as chairman, president, and CEO of [[Autodesk]], the architectural and engineering design software company, for more than a decade. Born in [[Winona, Minnesota]], Bartz rose through the ranks of the technology industry during an era when women in executive leadership positions in [[Silicon Valley]] were rare. She built her reputation through a long and consequential tenure at Autodesk, where she transformed the company from a niche software maker into a global enterprise, before being recruited to lead Yahoo! during one of the most turbulent periods in the internet company's history. Known in the technology world for her direct, candid management style, Bartz became one of the most prominent women in American business, earning a place on the ''[[Forbes]]'' list of the world's most powerful women.<ref name="forbes-profile">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/carol-bartz/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her career has spanned decades in the technology sector, encompassing executive roles, corporate board service, and public commentary on leadership and entrepreneurship.
'''Carol Ann Bartz''' (born August 28, 1948) is an American business executive who served as president and chief executive officer of the internet services company [[Yahoo!]] from January 2009 until September 2011, and as chairman, president, and CEO of [[Autodesk]], the architectural and engineering design software company, for more than a decade before that. Born in [[Winona, Minnesota]], Bartz rose through the ranks of the technology industry during an era when few women held senior leadership positions in [[Silicon Valley]]. Her career has spanned roles at major technology firms including [[Sun Microsystems]], [[3M]], and [[Digital Equipment Corporation]], before she took the helm at Autodesk in 1992 and subsequently at Yahoo!. Known in the technology industry for her direct, no-nonsense management style and candid public commentary, Bartz has also served on the boards of directors of several prominent corporations, including [[Cisco Systems]] and [[Intel]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=http://investor.cisco.com/investor-relations/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx |publisher=Cisco Systems |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In 2011, ''[[Forbes]]'' ranked her number 37 on its list of the world's most powerful women.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/carol-bartz/ |publisher=Forbes |date=February 25, 2017 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Carol Ann Bartz was born on August 28, 1948, in [[Winona, Minnesota]].<ref name="betanews">{{cite web |title=Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> She grew up in the [[Midwestern United States]], an upbringing that observers and colleagues have noted shaped her forthright communication style and practical approach to business challenges.<ref name="wharton">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know' |url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/ |publisher=Knowledge at Wharton |date=2012-12-19 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Carol Ann Bartz was born on August 28, 1948, in [[Winona, Minnesota]], a small city situated along the [[Mississippi River]] in southeastern Minnesota. Her early life was shaped by hardship and family upheaval. Bartz has spoken publicly about the challenges of her upbringing, including the loss of her mother at a young age, which forced her and her siblings to be raised by their grandmother on a farm in Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World According to Carol Bartz |url=http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1 |publisher=More Magazine |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz's early life was marked by personal hardship. She lost her mother at a young age and was raised in part by her grandmother on a farm in Wisconsin.<ref name="jsonline">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz profile |url=http://www.jsonline.com/business/37551589.html |publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> These formative experiences, which she has discussed publicly in interviews over the years, instilled in her a sense of resilience and self-reliance that would characterize her leadership style throughout her career. Bartz has spoken about the influence of her Midwestern roots and family circumstances on her willingness to speak bluntly and take risks in business settings.<ref name="wharton" />
Growing up in a rural midwestern environment, Bartz developed what she later described as a practical, straightforward approach to problem-solving that would characterize her management style throughout her career. Her grandmother's influence instilled in her values of hard work, resilience, and self-reliance. Bartz has recounted that the experience of being raised in modest circumstances on a farm gave her an appreciation for directness and an intolerance for pretense — qualities that would later distinguish her among Silicon Valley executives.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know' |url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/ |work=Knowledge at Wharton |date=December 19, 2012 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
The loss of her mother and the difficult circumstances of her childhood became formative experiences that Bartz referenced throughout her professional life when discussing leadership, adversity, and personal growth. She has credited these early experiences with giving her the toughness necessary to navigate the male-dominated technology industry and to lead major corporations through periods of transition and uncertainty.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World According to Carol Bartz |url=http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1 |publisher=More Magazine |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Bartz attended [[William Woods University]], a private university in [[Fulton, Missouri]], where she began her higher education. She subsequently enrolled at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]], where she studied computer science.<ref name="betanews" /><ref name="jsonline" /> Her education in computer science at Wisconsin provided the technical foundation for her career in the technology industry, which she entered at a time when the field was undergoing rapid expansion and transformation. Bartz has credited her technical education with giving her credibility and confidence in an industry dominated by engineers and software developers.<ref name="stanford">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz — Stanford eCorner |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Bartz attended [[William Woods University]], a private university in [[Fulton, Missouri]], before transferring to the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]], where she earned a degree in computer science. Her education at the University of Wisconsin provided her with the technical foundation that would underpin her career in the technology sector. At the time Bartz was pursuing her degree, computer science was a relatively new academic discipline, and women were a small minority in the field.<ref>{{cite web |title=Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
Her academic background in computer science distinguished her from many corporate leaders who came from business or finance backgrounds, giving her a technical fluency that informed her decision-making at technology companies throughout her career.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early Career and Rise in Technology ===
=== Early Career ===


After completing her education, Bartz entered the technology industry and built her career through a series of positions at major technology companies. She gained experience in sales, marketing, and management, developing the executive skills that would later define her leadership roles.<ref name="economist">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz profile |url=http://www.economist.com/people/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12926536 |publisher=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her early career trajectory reflected a pattern of increasing responsibility and demonstrated an ability to navigate the competitive landscape of Silicon Valley during its formative decades.
Before assuming executive roles, Bartz built her career through a series of positions at prominent technology companies. She worked at [[3M]] and [[Digital Equipment Corporation]], gaining experience in sales, marketing, and management within the technology sector. These roles provided her with broad exposure to different facets of the technology business, from product development to enterprise sales.<ref>{{cite web |title=Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Prior to joining Autodesk, Bartz held positions at [[Sun Microsystems]], where she served as a vice president, gaining significant experience in enterprise technology sales and operations.<ref name="betanews" /> Her time at Sun Microsystems was instrumental in building her network within Silicon Valley and establishing her reputation as an effective technology executive.
Bartz subsequently joined [[Sun Microsystems]], the Silicon Valley hardware and software company, where she held senior positions. Her tenure at Sun Microsystems was instrumental in establishing her reputation within the technology industry and positioning her for the CEO role at Autodesk.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Autodesk (1992–2006) ===
=== Autodesk (1992–2006) ===


Bartz's tenure at [[Autodesk]] represented the longest and, by many measures, the most consequential chapter of her career. She joined the company as its chief executive officer in April 1992 and served in that role for fourteen years, also holding the titles of chairman and president during her time with the company.<ref name="economist" />
In 1992, Bartz was appointed chairman, president, and CEO of [[Autodesk]], the San Rafael, California-based company known for its [[AutoCAD]] design software used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals worldwide. When she took the helm, Autodesk was a company in need of strategic direction and operational discipline. Over the course of her tenure, which lasted more than fourteen years, Bartz transformed the company into a more focused and profitable enterprise.


When Bartz arrived at Autodesk, the company was a maker of [[AutoCAD]] software used primarily by architects, engineers, and designers. Under her leadership, Autodesk expanded its product lines, grew its global operations, and substantially increased its revenue and market capitalization. She oversaw the company's transition from a single-product firm into a diversified software enterprise with products spanning multiple design disciplines.<ref name="betanews" />
Under Bartz's leadership, Autodesk's annual revenue grew substantially, and the company expanded its product portfolio and global reach. She oversaw the company's transition through significant changes in the software industry, including the shift from standalone desktop applications to more integrated software suites and the early stages of internet-enabled software delivery. Bartz was credited with professionalizing Autodesk's operations and instilling a more disciplined corporate culture.<ref>{{cite news |title=Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


During her years at Autodesk, Bartz became one of the most prominent female CEOs in the technology sector. She was recognized for her management style, which combined technical understanding with a direct, no-nonsense approach to corporate leadership. Her tenure at Autodesk was characterized by steady growth and strategic acquisitions that broadened the company's reach into new markets, including digital entertainment, manufacturing, and geographic information systems.<ref name="economist" />
Her long and generally well-regarded tenure at Autodesk established Bartz as one of the most prominent female executives in the technology industry. During her time as CEO, she became a sought-after figure for corporate boards and a frequent speaker on topics related to technology leadership and management.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz stepped down as CEO of Autodesk in 2006, leaving behind a company that had been fundamentally transformed during her fourteen-year leadership. Her departure was planned and orderly, and she transitioned into a role that included corporate board service at several major technology companies.<ref name="betanews" />
Bartz stepped down as CEO of Autodesk in 2006, transitioning out of the role she had held since 1992. Her departure was planned, and she remained active in the technology industry through board memberships and advisory roles.


=== Yahoo! Appointment (2009) ===
=== Appointment as Yahoo! CEO (2009) ===


On January 13, 2009, Yahoo! announced that Bartz had been appointed as the company's new chief executive officer, replacing co-founder [[Jerry Yang]], who had stepped down amid controversy over his handling of a proposed acquisition by [[Microsoft]].<ref name="economist" /><ref name="kara-memo">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz's First Week at Yahoo: Memo to the Troops |url=http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090125/carol-bartzs-first-week-at-yahoo-memo-to-the-troops/ |publisher=AllThingsD |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
On January 13, 2009, Yahoo! announced that Carol Bartz had been named the company's new chief executive officer, succeeding co-founder [[Jerry Yang]], who had stepped down amid criticism of his handling of [[Microsoft]]'s takeover bid for the company. The appointment came at a critical juncture for Yahoo!, which was struggling to compete with [[Google]] in search advertising and facing questions about its strategic direction and corporate identity.<ref>{{cite news |title=What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Yahoo ousts Carol Bartz after just 30 months: Is a big deal on the way? |url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/yahoo-ousts-carol-bartz-after-just-30-months-big-deal-way |work=The Drum |date=November 10, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz's appointment was met with a mixture of optimism and scrutiny. Observers noted her long track record at Autodesk and her reputation as a decisive, operationally focused executive. However, questions were raised about whether her experience in enterprise software would translate to the fast-moving world of internet consumer services, where Yahoo! competed against [[Google]] and an emerging [[Facebook]].<ref name="betanews" /><ref name="economist" />
The ''Economist'' reported on the appointment, noting that Bartz brought a reputation for operational efficiency and straight-talking management to a company that had been perceived as drifting strategically.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz appointed Yahoo CEO |url=http://www.economist.com/people/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12926536 |work=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' also covered the announcement, noting Bartz's Wisconsin roots and her rise through the technology industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz named Yahoo CEO |url=http://www.jsonline.com/business/37551589.html |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In her first week at Yahoo!, Bartz sent a company-wide memo outlining her priorities and management philosophy. The memo, which was widely reported in the technology press, emphasized her intention to bring focus and accountability to Yahoo!'s operations.<ref name="kara-memo" /> She expressed a desire to streamline the company's sprawling portfolio of products and services and to re-establish Yahoo!'s competitive position in the internet marketplace.
In her first week at Yahoo!, Bartz sent a memo to all employees outlining her priorities and management philosophy. The memo, which was later published by technology journalist [[Kara Swisher]], reflected Bartz's characteristically direct communication style and her desire to bring clarity and focus to the organization.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz's First Week at Yahoo: Memo to the Troops |url=http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090125/carol-bartzs-first-week-at-yahoo-memo-to-the-troops/ |publisher=AllThingsD |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz's compensation package at Yahoo! included an annual salary of $1 million and a bonus target of $2 million, along with significant stock-based compensation, making her one of the highest-paid executives in the technology industry at the time of her appointment.<ref name="bi-pay">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz's Pay: $1 Million Salary, $2 Million Bonus |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/1/carol-bartzs-pay-1-million-salary-2-million-bonus-yhoo |publisher=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Bartz's compensation package at Yahoo! included a $1 million annual salary and a $2 million signing bonus, along with stock-based compensation, as reported by ''Business Insider''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz's Pay: $1 Million Salary, $2 Million Bonus |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/1/carol-bartzs-pay-1-million-salary-2-million-bonus-yhoo |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Tenure at Yahoo! (2009–2011) ===
=== Tenure at Yahoo! (2009–2011) ===


Bartz's time as CEO of Yahoo! lasted approximately two years and eight months and was marked by significant organizational changes, strategic partnerships, and ongoing competitive challenges. She inherited a company that was struggling to define its identity in an internet landscape increasingly dominated by Google in search advertising and Facebook in social networking.
During her approximately two-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO, Bartz undertook a reorganization of Yahoo!'s corporate structure, which had been criticized as unwieldy and siloed. She attempted to streamline the company's operations and refocus its strategy around core properties and services. Bartz also oversaw a search partnership deal with Microsoft, under which Yahoo! outsourced its search technology to Microsoft's [[Bing]] search engine in exchange for a share of search advertising revenue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hof |first=Robert |date=September 6, 2011 |title=Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz—Here's Why |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2011/09/06/report-yahoo-cans-ceo-carol-bartz-heres-what-went-wrong/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


One of Bartz's early strategic moves was to negotiate a search partnership with Microsoft, under which Yahoo! would use Microsoft's [[Bing]] search engine to power its search results. The deal was intended to allow Yahoo! to reduce its investment in search technology while maintaining a share of search advertising revenue. The partnership represented a significant strategic shift for Yahoo!, which had long invested heavily in its own search infrastructure.<ref name="forbes-fire">{{cite news |last=Hof |first=Robert |date=2011-09-06 |title=Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz—Here's Why |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2011/09/06/report-yahoo-cans-ceo-carol-bartz-heres-what-went-wrong/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
However, Yahoo! continued to face significant challenges during Bartz's tenure. The company's share of the online advertising market continued to erode in the face of competition from Google, and its search market share declined. Critics argued that while Bartz had brought operational improvements, she had not articulated a compelling vision for Yahoo!'s future or addressed the fundamental question of what Yahoo! was as a company — whether it was a media company, a technology company, or something else entirely.<ref name="forbes-fired">{{cite news |last=Hof |first=Robert |date=September 6, 2011 |title=Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz—Here's Why |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2011/09/06/report-yahoo-cans-ceo-carol-bartz-heres-what-went-wrong/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz also undertook efforts to reorganize Yahoo!'s corporate structure, which had become unwieldy under previous leadership. She consolidated business units, eliminated redundant positions, and sought to impose greater operational discipline on the company's diverse portfolio of web properties, which included Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo! Sports, and Flickr, among others.<ref name="forbes-fire" />
Yahoo!'s web traffic, a key metric for an internet company, also remained a concern during this period. The company's global ranking and user engagement metrics were closely watched by analysts and investors as indicators of whether Bartz's strategy was working.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yahoo.com Traffic Details |url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/yahoo.com |publisher=Alexa Internet |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Despite these efforts, Yahoo!'s financial performance during Bartz's tenure did not meet the expectations of investors and analysts. The company's share of the online advertising market continued to decline relative to Google, and Yahoo!'s overall revenue growth remained sluggish. The Microsoft search partnership, while reducing costs, did not produce the competitive gains that some had anticipated, and Yahoo!'s display advertising business faced increasing pressure from Facebook and other emerging platforms.<ref name="forbes-fire" />
The research firm Glass Lewis included Bartz on its list of the most overpaid executives, drawing attention to the gap between her compensation and the company's stock performance under her leadership.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz, Glass Lewis Most Overpaid Executives |url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Carol-Bartz-Glass-Lewis-Most-Overpaid-Executives,news-8289.html |work=Tom's Guide |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Critics pointed to several factors that hampered Bartz's ability to turn Yahoo! around. The company faced deep structural challenges, including an aging technology infrastructure, a fragmented product strategy, and a corporate culture that some observers described as resistant to change. Additionally, Bartz's background in enterprise software, while lending operational rigor, may not have fully prepared her for the consumer-facing, advertising-driven business model that was central to Yahoo!'s operations.<ref name="forbes-fire" /><ref name="economist" />
=== Dismissal from Yahoo! (2011) ===


Bartz's compensation during her time at Yahoo! attracted scrutiny. In 2010, the executive compensation advisory firm Glass Lewis named her among the most overpaid CEOs in corporate America, citing a disconnect between her compensation and Yahoo!'s stock performance and financial results.<ref name="overpaid">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz, Glass Lewis Most Overpaid Executives |url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Carol-Bartz-Glass-Lewis-Most-Overpaid-Executives,news-8289.html |publisher=Tom's Guide |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
On September 6, 2011, Yahoo!'s board of directors terminated Bartz as CEO. The news was first reported by Kara Swisher of AllThingsD, who noted that Chief Financial Officer Tim Morse had been named interim CEO while the board conducted a search for a permanent replacement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive: Carol Bartz Out at Yahoo, CFO Interim CEO |url=http://allthingsd.com/20110906/exclusive-carol-bartz-out-at-yahoo-cfo-interim-ceo/ |publisher=AllThingsD |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Dismissal from Yahoo! (2011) ===
The manner of Bartz's dismissal became a notable event in the technology industry. She was informed of her termination by telephone, a fact she made public and expressed frustration about. Bartz subsequently sent a candid email to the entire Yahoo! workforce informing them of her firing. The email, in which she stated plainly that she had been "fired over the phone," was widely reported in the media and became emblematic of her direct communication style.<ref>{{cite web |title=Profiles in (Corporate) Courage: Yahoo's Carol Bartz Tells It Like It Is |url=https://www.ere.net/articles/profiles-in-corporate-courage-yahoos-carol-bartz-tells-it-like-it-is |publisher=ERE Media |date=January 2, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="drum">{{cite news |title=Yahoo ousts Carol Bartz after just 30 months: Is a big deal on the way? |url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/yahoo-ousts-carol-bartz-after-just-30-months-big-deal-way |work=The Drum |date=November 10, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


On September 6, 2011, Yahoo!'s board of directors terminated Bartz as CEO. She was informed of her dismissal by telephone, a detail that became widely reported and discussed in the business and technology press.<ref name="atd-fired">{{cite web |title=Exclusive: Carol Bartz Out at Yahoo, CFO Interim CEO |url=http://allthingsd.com/20110906/exclusive-carol-bartz-out-at-yahoo-cfo-interim-ceo/ |publisher=AllThingsD |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="forbes-fire" /> Tim Morse, the chief financial officer whom Bartz had brought into the company early in her tenure, was named interim CEO while the board conducted a search for a permanent replacement.<ref name="forbes-fire" />
''Forbes'' reported that Bartz's firing reflected the board's conclusion that Yahoo! needed a leader who could develop a more transformative strategy for the company. The publication noted that while Bartz had made some operational improvements, the company's core business had continued to deteriorate during her tenure, and she had not succeeded in reversing the fundamental competitive challenges facing the company.<ref name="forbes-fired" />


Bartz's response to her firing was characteristically blunt. She sent an email to the entire Yahoo! workforce informing them directly of what had happened, telling employees that she had been "fired over the phone by Yahoo's Chairman of the Board."<ref name="ere">{{cite web |title=Profiles in (Corporate) Courage: Yahoo's Carol Bartz Tells It Like It Is |url=https://www.ere.net/articles/profiles-in-corporate-courage-yahoos-carol-bartz-tells-it-like-it-is |publisher=ERE |date=2025-01-02 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The email was notable for its directness and lack of the diplomatic language typically associated with executive departures. Bartz's willingness to communicate openly about her firing was praised by some commentators as refreshing candor, while the broader circumstances of her departure underscored the challenges that Yahoo! faced as a company.<ref name="ere" />
The Drum reported that Bartz had been expected to be "the woman exec who blew the cobwebs away and got the internet pioneer humming again," but that after approximately 30 months, the board concluded that the company's turnaround had not materialized.<ref name="drum" />


The dismissal came after approximately thirty months in the role.<ref name="drum">{{cite news |date=2025-11-10 |title=Yahoo ousts Carol Bartz after just 30 months: Is a big deal on the way? |url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/yahoo-ousts-carol-bartz-after-just-30-months-big-deal-way |work=The Drum |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Following Bartz's departure, Yahoo! would go through additional leadership changes before ultimately being acquired by [[Verizon Communications]] in 2017.
=== Post-Yahoo! Career ===


=== Post-Yahoo! Career and Board Service ===
Following her departure from Yahoo!, Bartz remained active in the business community through corporate board service, advisory roles, and public speaking engagements. She served on the board of directors of [[Cisco Systems]], one of the world's largest networking and telecommunications companies.<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=http://investor.cisco.com/investor-relations/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx |publisher=Cisco Systems |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Following her departure from Yahoo!, Bartz remained active in the technology and business communities. She served on the boards of directors of several major corporations, including [[Cisco Systems]], where she contributed to governance and strategic oversight of one of the world's largest networking technology companies.<ref name="cisco">{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=http://investor.cisco.com/investor-relations/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx |publisher=Cisco Systems |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Bartz also joined the board of directors of PlanGrid, a construction productivity software company, bringing her experience from leading Autodesk, which served a similar market of architects, engineers, and construction professionals.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz Joins PlanGrid's Board of Directors |url=http://blog.plangrid.com/carol-bartz-joins-plangrids-board-of-directors/ |publisher=PlanGrid |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz also joined the board of [[PlanGrid]], a construction productivity software company, bringing her experience in design software and enterprise technology to the growing construction technology sector.<ref name="plangrid">{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz Joins PlanGrid's Board of Directors |url=http://blog.plangrid.com/carol-bartz-joins-plangrids-board-of-directors/ |publisher=PlanGrid |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In interviews and public appearances after leaving Yahoo!, Bartz continued to speak candidly about leadership, management, and her experiences in the technology industry. In a 2012 interview with Knowledge at Wharton, she discussed lessons about dealing with difficult bosses, the importance of choosing battles carefully in corporate environments, and the value of admitting when one does not have the answer to a question. She emphasized that executives who refuse to acknowledge uncertainty undermine their own credibility.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know' |url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/ |work=Knowledge at Wharton |date=December 19, 2012 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In the years following her departure from Yahoo!, Bartz became an active public speaker on topics including leadership, management, entrepreneurship, and the challenges facing women in the technology industry. In a 2012 interview with Knowledge at Wharton, she discussed lessons she had learned about dealing with difficult managers, choosing when to push back in corporate settings, and the importance of being willing to say "I don't know."<ref name="wharton" />
In a 2018 interview with CNBC, Bartz discussed her views on corporate leadership, offering three reasons why she believed most CEOs were "boring." She argued that corporate leaders too often relied on scripted communication, avoided taking risks in their public statements, and failed to show authentic personality, all of which she said harmed employee engagement and organizational culture.<ref>{{cite news |title=3 reasons why most CEOs are boring, according to former Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/former-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-3-reasons-why-most-ceos-are-boring.html |work=CNBC |date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In 2018, Bartz shared her views on corporate leadership in an interview with CNBC, identifying three reasons why most CEOs are, in her assessment, "boring"—and how that tendency could be detrimental to employees and corporate culture. She argued for more authentic and direct communication from corporate leaders.<ref name="cnbc">{{cite news |date=2018-03-28 |title=3 reasons why most CEOs are boring, according to former Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/former-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-3-reasons-why-most-ceos-are-boring.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In 2019, Bartz shared advice with entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry at a Forbes-covered event, drawing on her decades of experience in the technology sector. She emphasized the importance of resilience and willingness to fail quickly and move forward, advice she framed as applicable across industries and business stages.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hasse |first=Javier |date=February 20, 2019 |title=Former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz Shares Advice For Cannabis Entrepreneurs: 'You Have To Have Some Cojones' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2019/02/20/fmr-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-shares-advice-for-cannabis-entrepreneurs-you-have-to-have-some-cojones/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
In 2019, Bartz spoke to ''Forbes'' about advice for entrepreneurs in the emerging [[cannabis industry]], drawing on her decades of experience in the technology sector. She emphasized the importance of risk-taking and resilience, advising entrepreneurs to "fail" and "fast forward" rather than being paralyzed by setbacks.<ref name="forbes-cannabis">{{cite news |last=Hasse |first=Javier |date=2019-02-20 |title=Former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz Shares Advice For Cannabis Entrepreneurs: 'You Have To Have Some Cojones' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2019/02/20/fmr-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-shares-advice-for-cannabis-entrepreneurs-you-have-to-have-some-cojones/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Bartz has been noted for her direct communication style and candid public persona, traits she has attributed in part to her Midwestern upbringing and early life experiences.<ref name="wharton" /> She has spoken publicly about overcoming personal adversity, including the loss of her mother during childhood and being raised in part by her grandmother.<ref name="jsonline" />
Bartz has been relatively private about her personal life, though certain details have become publicly known through interviews and media profiles. She is a breast cancer survivor, a fact she has discussed publicly in the context of leadership and resilience. ''Fortune'' magazine included her in a profile noting unusual facts about the women on its Most Powerful Women list, referencing her personal history and her direct, sometimes colorful, manner of speaking.<ref>{{cite web |title=Most Powerful Women: 10 Strange But True Facts |url=http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/09/most-powerful-women-10-strange-but-true-facts/ |publisher=Fortune (CNN) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz is a breast cancer survivor, a fact she has discussed in public appearances and interviews. Her experience with the disease has informed her perspective on risk, resilience, and the importance of not deferring important decisions or goals.<ref name="more">{{cite web |title=The World According to Carol Bartz |url=http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1 |publisher=More Magazine |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Bartz grew up in the Midwest and has maintained connections to her roots in Wisconsin and Minnesota throughout her career, even after establishing herself in California's Silicon Valley. Her upbringing on her grandmother's farm after her mother's death has been a recurring theme in her public discussions of her background and the values that shaped her leadership approach.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World According to Carol Bartz |url=http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1 |publisher=More Magazine |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
In a 2009 profile, ''Fortune'' magazine noted several unusual facts about Bartz, including details about her personal interests and approach to life outside of the corporate boardroom.<ref name="fortune">{{cite web |title=Most Powerful Women: 10 Strange But True Facts |url=http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/09/most-powerful-women-10-strange-but-true-facts/ |publisher=Fortune (CNN) |date=2009-09-09 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Bartz received significant recognition throughout her career as one of the most prominent women in the American technology industry. In 2011, ''Forbes'' ranked her number 37 on its list of the world's most powerful women, reflecting her position at the helm of Yahoo! and her broader influence in the technology sector.<ref name="forbes-profile" />
During her career, Bartz received recognition from multiple business and media organizations. In 2011, ''Forbes'' ranked her number 37 on its annual list of the world's most powerful women, reflecting her position as CEO of Yahoo! and her broader influence in the technology industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/carol-bartz/ |publisher=Forbes |date=February 25, 2017 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Her inclusion on the ''Forbes'' Power Women list was one of several honors recognizing her role as a female executive in an industry where women have historically been underrepresented in senior leadership positions. Throughout her career, Bartz was frequently cited in media discussions about gender and leadership in Silicon Valley.
She was also included in ''Fortune'' magazine's Most Powerful Women rankings during her tenures at both Autodesk and Yahoo!. Her appearances on these lists reflected her status as one of the few women leading major technology companies during the late 1990s and 2000s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Most Powerful Women: 10 Strange But True Facts |url=http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/09/most-powerful-women-10-strange-but-true-facts/ |publisher=Fortune (CNN) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Bartz's candor and willingness to speak bluntly about corporate politics, management failures, and the realities of executive life earned her attention beyond the typical scope of CEO media coverage. Her email to Yahoo! employees following her firing in 2011 was widely discussed as an example of authentic leadership communication, and it contributed to public discourse about how corporate departures are handled and communicated.<ref name="ere" />
Bartz's profile has been included in ''Who's Who in America'', the reference publication cataloging notable Americans.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol A. Bartz — Who's Who in America |url=http://whoswhoinamerica.com/carol_a_bartz/internet_company_executive/occ20/4455358 |publisher=Who's Who in America |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


She has been featured in publications including ''[[The Economist]]'', ''[[Forbes]]'', ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'', ''[[CNBC]]'', and numerous technology industry outlets for her views on leadership, management, and the technology industry.<ref name="economist" /><ref name="cnbc" /><ref name="fortune" />
Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner (eCorner) featured Bartz in its series of discussions with technology leaders, reflecting her standing in the entrepreneurial and technology community.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Carol Bartz's career is notable for spanning two distinct eras of the technology industry. At Autodesk, she led a company through a period of sustained growth and diversification over fourteen years, establishing herself as one of the longest-serving and most effective CEOs in the design software sector. At Yahoo!, she confronted the challenges of leading a once-dominant internet company through a period of structural decline and intense competitive pressure.
Carol Bartz's career is notable for several reasons within the context of the American technology industry. As one of the few women to serve as CEO of a major technology company during the 1990s and 2000s, her leadership of Autodesk and Yahoo! placed her among a small group of female executives at the highest levels of Silicon Valley. Her fourteen-year tenure at Autodesk, during which she built the company into a more disciplined and profitable organization, is generally regarded as the more successful of her two CEO tenures.<ref>{{cite news |title=Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615 |publisher=BetaNews |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
Her tenure at Yahoo!, while ultimately cut short, highlighted the difficulties inherent in turning around large internet companies facing disruption from newer competitors. The challenges she encountered—including a fragmented product portfolio, a changing advertising landscape, and competition from Google and Facebook—were structural issues that continued to affect the company under subsequent leaders and ultimately led to its acquisition by Verizon.<ref name="forbes-fire" /><ref name="drum" />


Bartz's legacy also includes her role as a prominent female executive during a period when women remained significantly underrepresented in the C-suites of major technology companies. Her career at Autodesk and Yahoo! placed her among a small number of women who led major publicly traded technology firms, and her public commentary on leadership and corporate culture has contributed to broader discussions about management practices in the technology industry.<ref name="wharton" /><ref name="cnbc" />
Her time at Yahoo! was more contentious. While she brought operational discipline and reorganized the company's structure, she was unable to resolve the larger strategic questions that plagued Yahoo! during a period of intense competition in the internet industry. Her dismissal by phone, and her candid public response to it, became one of the more memorable episodes in Silicon Valley corporate history and reinforced her reputation for blunt honesty.<ref>{{cite web |title=Profiles in (Corporate) Courage: Yahoo's Carol Bartz Tells It Like It Is |url=https://www.ere.net/articles/profiles-in-corporate-courage-yahoos-carol-bartz-tells-it-like-it-is |publisher=ERE Media |date=January 2, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Her post-executive career as a board member, speaker, and commentator has extended her influence beyond her operational roles. Through board service at companies such as Cisco Systems and PlanGrid, and through public speaking and media appearances, Bartz has continued to shape conversations about leadership, entrepreneurship, and the evolving technology landscape.<ref name="cisco" /><ref name="plangrid" /><ref name="forbes-cannabis" />
In her post-CEO career, Bartz has continued to contribute to public discourse on leadership, corporate governance, and the challenges facing women in technology. Her emphasis on authenticity, directness, and willingness to admit uncertainty has influenced conversations about corporate leadership style, particularly in contrast to the more polished and scripted approach common among many public company executives.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know' |url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/ |work=Knowledge at Wharton |date=December 19, 2012 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=3 reasons why most CEOs are boring, according to former Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/former-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-3-reasons-why-most-ceos-are-boring.html |work=CNBC |date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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Carol Bartz
Bartz at her first Yahoo! all hands meeting (2009)
Carol Bartz
BornCarol Ann Bartz
28 8, 1948
BirthplaceWinona, Minnesota, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusiness executive
Known forFormer CEO of Yahoo!, former CEO of Autodesk
AwardsForbes Power Women list (2011)

Carol Ann Bartz (born August 28, 1948) is an American business executive who served as president and chief executive officer of the internet services company Yahoo! from January 2009 until September 2011, and as chairman, president, and CEO of Autodesk, the architectural and engineering design software company, for more than a decade before that. Born in Winona, Minnesota, Bartz rose through the ranks of the technology industry during an era when few women held senior leadership positions in Silicon Valley. Her career has spanned roles at major technology firms including Sun Microsystems, 3M, and Digital Equipment Corporation, before she took the helm at Autodesk in 1992 and subsequently at Yahoo!. Known in the technology industry for her direct, no-nonsense management style and candid public commentary, Bartz has also served on the boards of directors of several prominent corporations, including Cisco Systems and Intel.[1] In 2011, Forbes ranked her number 37 on its list of the world's most powerful women.[2]

Early Life

Carol Ann Bartz was born on August 28, 1948, in Winona, Minnesota, a small city situated along the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota. Her early life was shaped by hardship and family upheaval. Bartz has spoken publicly about the challenges of her upbringing, including the loss of her mother at a young age, which forced her and her siblings to be raised by their grandmother on a farm in Wisconsin.[3]

Growing up in a rural midwestern environment, Bartz developed what she later described as a practical, straightforward approach to problem-solving that would characterize her management style throughout her career. Her grandmother's influence instilled in her values of hard work, resilience, and self-reliance. Bartz has recounted that the experience of being raised in modest circumstances on a farm gave her an appreciation for directness and an intolerance for pretense — qualities that would later distinguish her among Silicon Valley executives.[4]

The loss of her mother and the difficult circumstances of her childhood became formative experiences that Bartz referenced throughout her professional life when discussing leadership, adversity, and personal growth. She has credited these early experiences with giving her the toughness necessary to navigate the male-dominated technology industry and to lead major corporations through periods of transition and uncertainty.[5]

Education

Bartz attended William Woods University, a private university in Fulton, Missouri, before transferring to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she earned a degree in computer science. Her education at the University of Wisconsin provided her with the technical foundation that would underpin her career in the technology sector. At the time Bartz was pursuing her degree, computer science was a relatively new academic discipline, and women were a small minority in the field.[6]

Her academic background in computer science distinguished her from many corporate leaders who came from business or finance backgrounds, giving her a technical fluency that informed her decision-making at technology companies throughout her career.[7]

Career

Early Career

Before assuming executive roles, Bartz built her career through a series of positions at prominent technology companies. She worked at 3M and Digital Equipment Corporation, gaining experience in sales, marketing, and management within the technology sector. These roles provided her with broad exposure to different facets of the technology business, from product development to enterprise sales.[8]

Bartz subsequently joined Sun Microsystems, the Silicon Valley hardware and software company, where she held senior positions. Her tenure at Sun Microsystems was instrumental in establishing her reputation within the technology industry and positioning her for the CEO role at Autodesk.[9]

Autodesk (1992–2006)

In 1992, Bartz was appointed chairman, president, and CEO of Autodesk, the San Rafael, California-based company known for its AutoCAD design software used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals worldwide. When she took the helm, Autodesk was a company in need of strategic direction and operational discipline. Over the course of her tenure, which lasted more than fourteen years, Bartz transformed the company into a more focused and profitable enterprise.

Under Bartz's leadership, Autodesk's annual revenue grew substantially, and the company expanded its product portfolio and global reach. She oversaw the company's transition through significant changes in the software industry, including the shift from standalone desktop applications to more integrated software suites and the early stages of internet-enabled software delivery. Bartz was credited with professionalizing Autodesk's operations and instilling a more disciplined corporate culture.[10]

Her long and generally well-regarded tenure at Autodesk established Bartz as one of the most prominent female executives in the technology industry. During her time as CEO, she became a sought-after figure for corporate boards and a frequent speaker on topics related to technology leadership and management.[11]

Bartz stepped down as CEO of Autodesk in 2006, transitioning out of the role she had held since 1992. Her departure was planned, and she remained active in the technology industry through board memberships and advisory roles.

Appointment as Yahoo! CEO (2009)

On January 13, 2009, Yahoo! announced that Carol Bartz had been named the company's new chief executive officer, succeeding co-founder Jerry Yang, who had stepped down amid criticism of his handling of Microsoft's takeover bid for the company. The appointment came at a critical juncture for Yahoo!, which was struggling to compete with Google in search advertising and facing questions about its strategic direction and corporate identity.[12][13]

The Economist reported on the appointment, noting that Bartz brought a reputation for operational efficiency and straight-talking management to a company that had been perceived as drifting strategically.[14] The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also covered the announcement, noting Bartz's Wisconsin roots and her rise through the technology industry.[15]

In her first week at Yahoo!, Bartz sent a memo to all employees outlining her priorities and management philosophy. The memo, which was later published by technology journalist Kara Swisher, reflected Bartz's characteristically direct communication style and her desire to bring clarity and focus to the organization.[16]

Bartz's compensation package at Yahoo! included a $1 million annual salary and a $2 million signing bonus, along with stock-based compensation, as reported by Business Insider.[17]

Tenure at Yahoo! (2009–2011)

During her approximately two-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO, Bartz undertook a reorganization of Yahoo!'s corporate structure, which had been criticized as unwieldy and siloed. She attempted to streamline the company's operations and refocus its strategy around core properties and services. Bartz also oversaw a search partnership deal with Microsoft, under which Yahoo! outsourced its search technology to Microsoft's Bing search engine in exchange for a share of search advertising revenue.[18]

However, Yahoo! continued to face significant challenges during Bartz's tenure. The company's share of the online advertising market continued to erode in the face of competition from Google, and its search market share declined. Critics argued that while Bartz had brought operational improvements, she had not articulated a compelling vision for Yahoo!'s future or addressed the fundamental question of what Yahoo! was as a company — whether it was a media company, a technology company, or something else entirely.[19]

Yahoo!'s web traffic, a key metric for an internet company, also remained a concern during this period. The company's global ranking and user engagement metrics were closely watched by analysts and investors as indicators of whether Bartz's strategy was working.[20]

The research firm Glass Lewis included Bartz on its list of the most overpaid executives, drawing attention to the gap between her compensation and the company's stock performance under her leadership.[21]

Dismissal from Yahoo! (2011)

On September 6, 2011, Yahoo!'s board of directors terminated Bartz as CEO. The news was first reported by Kara Swisher of AllThingsD, who noted that Chief Financial Officer Tim Morse had been named interim CEO while the board conducted a search for a permanent replacement.[22]

The manner of Bartz's dismissal became a notable event in the technology industry. She was informed of her termination by telephone, a fact she made public and expressed frustration about. Bartz subsequently sent a candid email to the entire Yahoo! workforce informing them of her firing. The email, in which she stated plainly that she had been "fired over the phone," was widely reported in the media and became emblematic of her direct communication style.[23][24]

Forbes reported that Bartz's firing reflected the board's conclusion that Yahoo! needed a leader who could develop a more transformative strategy for the company. The publication noted that while Bartz had made some operational improvements, the company's core business had continued to deteriorate during her tenure, and she had not succeeded in reversing the fundamental competitive challenges facing the company.[19]

The Drum reported that Bartz had been expected to be "the woman exec who blew the cobwebs away and got the internet pioneer humming again," but that after approximately 30 months, the board concluded that the company's turnaround had not materialized.[24]

Post-Yahoo! Career

Following her departure from Yahoo!, Bartz remained active in the business community through corporate board service, advisory roles, and public speaking engagements. She served on the board of directors of Cisco Systems, one of the world's largest networking and telecommunications companies.[25]

Bartz also joined the board of directors of PlanGrid, a construction productivity software company, bringing her experience from leading Autodesk, which served a similar market of architects, engineers, and construction professionals.[26]

In interviews and public appearances after leaving Yahoo!, Bartz continued to speak candidly about leadership, management, and her experiences in the technology industry. In a 2012 interview with Knowledge at Wharton, she discussed lessons about dealing with difficult bosses, the importance of choosing battles carefully in corporate environments, and the value of admitting when one does not have the answer to a question. She emphasized that executives who refuse to acknowledge uncertainty undermine their own credibility.[27]

In a 2018 interview with CNBC, Bartz discussed her views on corporate leadership, offering three reasons why she believed most CEOs were "boring." She argued that corporate leaders too often relied on scripted communication, avoided taking risks in their public statements, and failed to show authentic personality, all of which she said harmed employee engagement and organizational culture.[28]

In 2019, Bartz shared advice with entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry at a Forbes-covered event, drawing on her decades of experience in the technology sector. She emphasized the importance of resilience and willingness to fail quickly and move forward, advice she framed as applicable across industries and business stages.[29]

Personal Life

Bartz has been relatively private about her personal life, though certain details have become publicly known through interviews and media profiles. She is a breast cancer survivor, a fact she has discussed publicly in the context of leadership and resilience. Fortune magazine included her in a profile noting unusual facts about the women on its Most Powerful Women list, referencing her personal history and her direct, sometimes colorful, manner of speaking.[30]

Bartz grew up in the Midwest and has maintained connections to her roots in Wisconsin and Minnesota throughout her career, even after establishing herself in California's Silicon Valley. Her upbringing on her grandmother's farm after her mother's death has been a recurring theme in her public discussions of her background and the values that shaped her leadership approach.[31]

Recognition

During her career, Bartz received recognition from multiple business and media organizations. In 2011, Forbes ranked her number 37 on its annual list of the world's most powerful women, reflecting her position as CEO of Yahoo! and her broader influence in the technology industry.[32]

She was also included in Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women rankings during her tenures at both Autodesk and Yahoo!. Her appearances on these lists reflected her status as one of the few women leading major technology companies during the late 1990s and 2000s.[33]

Bartz's profile has been included in Who's Who in America, the reference publication cataloging notable Americans.[34]

Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner (eCorner) featured Bartz in its series of discussions with technology leaders, reflecting her standing in the entrepreneurial and technology community.[35]

Legacy

Carol Bartz's career is notable for several reasons within the context of the American technology industry. As one of the few women to serve as CEO of a major technology company during the 1990s and 2000s, her leadership of Autodesk and Yahoo! placed her among a small group of female executives at the highest levels of Silicon Valley. Her fourteen-year tenure at Autodesk, during which she built the company into a more disciplined and profitable organization, is generally regarded as the more successful of her two CEO tenures.[36]

Her time at Yahoo! was more contentious. While she brought operational discipline and reorganized the company's structure, she was unable to resolve the larger strategic questions that plagued Yahoo! during a period of intense competition in the internet industry. Her dismissal by phone, and her candid public response to it, became one of the more memorable episodes in Silicon Valley corporate history and reinforced her reputation for blunt honesty.[37]

In her post-CEO career, Bartz has continued to contribute to public discourse on leadership, corporate governance, and the challenges facing women in technology. Her emphasis on authenticity, directness, and willingness to admit uncertainty has influenced conversations about corporate leadership style, particularly in contrast to the more polished and scripted approach common among many public company executives.[38][39]

References

  1. ↑ "Board of Directors".Cisco Systems.http://investor.cisco.com/investor-relations/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ "Carol Bartz".Forbes.February 25, 2017.https://www.forbes.com/profile/carol-bartz/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ "The World According to Carol Bartz".More Magazine.http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know'".Knowledge at Wharton.December 19, 2012.https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "The World According to Carol Bartz".More Magazine.http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo".BetaNews.http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner".Stanford University.https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo".BetaNews.http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner".Stanford University.https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo".BetaNews.http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner".Stanford University.https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo".BetaNews.http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Yahoo ousts Carol Bartz after just 30 months: Is a big deal on the way?".The Drum.November 10, 2025.http://www.thedrum.com/news/yahoo-ousts-carol-bartz-after-just-30-months-big-deal-way.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Carol Bartz appointed Yahoo CEO".The Economist.http://www.economist.com/people/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12926536.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Carol Bartz named Yahoo CEO".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.http://www.jsonline.com/business/37551589.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Carol Bartz's First Week at Yahoo: Memo to the Troops".AllThingsD.http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090125/carol-bartzs-first-week-at-yahoo-memo-to-the-troops/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Carol Bartz's Pay: $1 Million Salary, $2 Million Bonus".Business Insider.http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/1/carol-bartzs-pay-1-million-salary-2-million-bonus-yhoo.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ HofRobertRobert"Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz—Here's Why".Forbes.September 6, 2011.https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2011/09/06/report-yahoo-cans-ceo-carol-bartz-heres-what-went-wrong/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 HofRobertRobert"Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz—Here's Why".Forbes.September 6, 2011.https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2011/09/06/report-yahoo-cans-ceo-carol-bartz-heres-what-went-wrong/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Yahoo.com Traffic Details".Alexa Internet.http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/yahoo.com.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Carol Bartz, Glass Lewis Most Overpaid Executives".Tom's Guide.http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Carol-Bartz-Glass-Lewis-Most-Overpaid-Executives,news-8289.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Exclusive: Carol Bartz Out at Yahoo, CFO Interim CEO".AllThingsD.http://allthingsd.com/20110906/exclusive-carol-bartz-out-at-yahoo-cfo-interim-ceo/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Profiles in (Corporate) Courage: Yahoo's Carol Bartz Tells It Like It Is".ERE Media.January 2, 2025.https://www.ere.net/articles/profiles-in-corporate-courage-yahoos-carol-bartz-tells-it-like-it-is.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Yahoo ousts Carol Bartz after just 30 months: Is a big deal on the way?".The Drum.November 10, 2025.http://www.thedrum.com/news/yahoo-ousts-carol-bartz-after-just-30-months-big-deal-way.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Board of Directors".Cisco Systems.http://investor.cisco.com/investor-relations/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ "Carol Bartz Joins PlanGrid's Board of Directors".PlanGrid.http://blog.plangrid.com/carol-bartz-joins-plangrids-board-of-directors/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  27. ↑ "Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know'".Knowledge at Wharton.December 19, 2012.https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  28. ↑ "3 reasons why most CEOs are boring, according to former Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz".CNBC.March 28, 2018.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/former-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-3-reasons-why-most-ceos-are-boring.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  29. ↑ HasseJavierJavier"Former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz Shares Advice For Cannabis Entrepreneurs: 'You Have To Have Some Cojones'".Forbes.February 20, 2019.https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2019/02/20/fmr-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-shares-advice-for-cannabis-entrepreneurs-you-have-to-have-some-cojones/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  30. ↑ "Most Powerful Women: 10 Strange But True Facts".Fortune (CNN).http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/09/most-powerful-women-10-strange-but-true-facts/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  31. ↑ "The World According to Carol Bartz".More Magazine.http://www.more.com/work-money/work/the-world-according-to-carol-bartz/?page=1.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  32. ↑ "Carol Bartz".Forbes.February 25, 2017.https://www.forbes.com/profile/carol-bartz/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  33. ↑ "Most Powerful Women: 10 Strange But True Facts".Fortune (CNN).http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/09/most-powerful-women-10-strange-but-true-facts/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  34. ↑ "Carol A. Bartz — Who's Who in America".Who's Who in America.http://whoswhoinamerica.com/carol_a_bartz/internet_company_executive/occ20/4455358.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  35. ↑ "Carol Bartz — Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner".Stanford University.https://web.archive.org/web/20090121191900/http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?author=2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  36. ↑ "Uppercase and straight lace: What Carol Bartz might bring to Yahoo".BetaNews.http://www.betanews.com/article/Uppercase_and_straight_lace_What_Carol_Bartz_might_bring_to_Yahoo/1231877615.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  37. ↑ "Profiles in (Corporate) Courage: Yahoo's Carol Bartz Tells It Like It Is".ERE Media.January 2, 2025.https://www.ere.net/articles/profiles-in-corporate-courage-yahoos-carol-bartz-tells-it-like-it-is.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  38. ↑ "Carol Bartz on Bad Bosses, Picking Your Fights and Saying 'I Don't Know'".Knowledge at Wharton.December 19, 2012.https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/carol-bartz-on-bad-bosses-picking-your-fights-and-saying-i-dont-know/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  39. ↑ "3 reasons why most CEOs are boring, according to former Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz".CNBC.March 28, 2018.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/former-yahoo-ceo-carol-bartz-3-reasons-why-most-ceos-are-boring.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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