Ruth Leach Amonette (September 24, 1916 – June 21, 2004) was an American businesswoman, author, and educator. She was appointed as the first female executive and vice president at IBM in 1943,^[1][2] becoming one of only a few women in high-ranking corporate positions in the US at the time. She was renowned nationally for her work in business and as an educator.^[3]

Early life and education

Ruth Leach was born in 1916 in Oakland, California.^[4] She had one sister. She attended Piedmont High School in Piedmont, California.^[2] She attended the University of California, Berkeley starting in 1933.^{[3] [4]} She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.^[2] While in school, she played tennis.

After graduating in 1937 with a degree in political science, she worked as a dental assistant. Eventually, she quit to work at the Golden Gate International Exposition.^[4]

IBM

Amonette started working at IBM in February 1939 as a Systems Service Representative.^[1] She worked at the Golden Gate International Exposition, presenting demos of IBM typewriters.^[3][4] She trained in service system work for IBM and was sent to work at IBM's Atlanta, Georgia office. She became a teacher for IBM at the United States Department of Education in Endicott, New York, in July 1940. In October, she became the Secretary of Education for Women for IBM.^[3] That position had her training women throughout IBM about selling IBM products throughout North America.^[4]

Amonette became vice president of IBM on November 16, 1943. She credited Thomas J. Watson providing the "vision and foresight" to employ her in a high-level position.^[4] This position made her one of the few women in corporate "power" positions in the United States and one of the youngest people in the nation to hold a high-level position.^[2] In 1947, she recovered from tuberculosis, for which she had to take leave from IBM. She started work back at IBM that year. From 1947 to 1953, she was a board member for the Camp Fire Girls, the New York Public Library, the Professional Women's Club of New York, the American Association of University Women, and other organizations.^[4] In 1946, she served on the New York State Women's Council. She retired in 1953.^[4]

Later life and legacy

After retiring, she married Walter Bill Pollock in 1954.^[2] They lived near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a board member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. She and Pollock adopted a daughter in 1956. They relocated to Switzerland and then to California. Pollock died in 1977. Amonette remarried in 1988 to Wilbur K. Amonette. She published an autobiography in 1999.^[4] Amonette died in 1999.^[2] She died in Carmel, California in 2004.^[3]

Recognition

• 1945 – Outstanding American Woman of the Year, Women's National Press Club^[4]
• 1945 – Merit Award, Mademoiselle^[4]
• 1946 – Achievement Award, Women's National Press Club^[4]
• 1996 – Induction, Women in Technology International Hall of Fame, Women in Technology International^[4]

References