Title: Chairman, President and CEO
Company: Archer Daniels Midland
Company rank: 52
Age: 55
Compensation: $7.6 million
Patricia Woertz doesn't let convention drive her career choices. For much of her professional life, she's worked in male-dominated fields, including 30 years devoted to the oil
industry. And in her latest stint as CEO of Archer Daniels Midland, the former Chevron executive vice president is proving she can take on just about any challenge--even agriculture,
an industry she never worked in before she became CEO in May 2006.
As Woertz learns about harvesting soy, wheat and corn crops, she's also busy making deals that will allow the company to commercially produce corn-based, biodegradable plastic.
NEXT: Indra Nooyi