Three Haas alumnae—Connie Moore, MBA 80, CEO, BRE Properties; Jennifer Cook, MBA 98, senior VP, Genentech, and Kristin Groos Richmond, MBA 06, CEO, Revolution Foods—were featured on the San Francisco Business Times' List of Influential Women published April 27.
The list also included Maria Nondorf, executive director of Haas' Center for Financial Reporting and Management. (See separate article on Nondorf.)
A special supplement to the newspaper featured a full-page article on Moore, whose photo also was featured on the cover of the supplement. In the article, Moore talks about navigating a male-dominated business world. For instance, when she interviewed for a job at BRE before graduating from college in 1977, the CEO initially didn't want to hire her because he was worried, "What's my wife going to say when I travel with (you)?"
Moore still got the job, and went on to work for other real estate investment trusts for close to two decades before returning to BRE in 2002 as chief operating officer and then taking the helm as CEO in 2005. The company, which had $400 million in assets when she first worked there, now boasts $3.3 billion in assets and $347 million in annual revenue today.
"I think my influence comes from colleagues knowing I will do what I say I'm going to do—when I'm going to do it," she says. "It's all about integrity."
Cook works as Genentech's senior vice president of U.S. sales and marketing for immunology and ophthalmology. She said her proudest professional accomplishment was being part of bringing medicines to patients over the last 25 years and seeing people she has managed grow into successful leaders. Her influence, she says, stems from her diverse set of experiences across disciplines, which gives her perspective; authenticity; and having a "relentless 'do the right thing' mentality."
Groos Richmond says her proudest professional accomplishment is founding Revolution Foods to create healthier students by offering fresh, nutritious, and affordable school lunches. "We are shaping the conversation about health, access (to real food), and high expectations for our students and their families, nationwide," says Groos Richmond, who co-founded the company with Berkeley-Haas classmate Kirsten Tobey, also MBA 06.
Read more about Connie Moore in CalBusiness