Women, Minorities Lag In Executive Ranks

The study examined the financial industry's banking, credit, securities and insurance sectors, paying particular attention to the status of women and minorities in management positions at firms with at least 100 employees.

Women and African-Americans held higher percentages of upper-level positions in the banking/credit world, where women occupy 48.6 percent of management jobs and African-Americans just 7 percent. Each group is doing least well in the securities sector, where women hold 33.8 percent of official and management positions, and blacks hold 4.4 percent.

The percentage of Hispanic executives is highest in central banking (5.1 percent), and lowest in securities (2.9 percent). Meanwhile, the highest percentage of Asian executives is in securities (6.4 percent), while the lowest are in central banking and insurance (2.8 percent).

Dominguez said that because of the industry's expected growth in coming years, "we must continue to mentor professional women and people of color."