Yesterday, The Chicago Network released its 2007 Chicago Network Census report, Women Mean Business. The Chicago Network is an organization of the Chicago area’s leading professional women, and their annual Chicago Network Census report tracks the representation of women in key leadership positions (e.g., board members, executive officers and top earners) based on prior year proxy filings of the 50 largest publicly traded companies by revenue in the Chicago area (called ‘the Chicago 50′). Over the ten-year time period The Chicago Network has been conducting the census, women have made strides in business, but the results show that growth is coming in baby steps.

According to the report, women seem to be making bigger strides in the non-profit sector than the public sector. Some of the most interesting findings in the report show the percentage of female directors and board members for the Chicago 50.

The top five performers in the 2007 The Chicago Network Census report are:

The bottom five performers in 2007 The Chicago Network Census report are:

Click the link to view the full Women Mean Business census report from The Chicago Network. Many of the results are inspirational, but just as many are extremely disappointing.