Republican Presidential candidate John McCain issued the following press release announcing that eBay CEO Meg Whitman is joining his campaign as national co-chair. Whitman had been co-chair for Mitt Romney's campaign until he dropped out of the race, and Whitman is rumored to be considering a run for governor in her home state of California.
ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay, will join John McCain's team, serving as national co-chair. Whitman will play a lead role in the McCain campaign. In addition to helping with finance activity, Whitman will be a prominent surrogate for John McCain, travel the country on his behalf, and help the campaign with policy development.
Under Whitman's leadership since March 1998, eBay has grown from a start-up with 30 employees and $4 million in revenue to a Fortune 500 company with nearly 15,000 employees and almost $8 billion in revenue. The company has enjoyed more than 40 consecutive quarters of sequential revenue growth since its initial public offering in September 1998. Perhaps most significantly, more than a million people around the world make all, or part of their living on eBay.
"I'm honored that Senator McCain has asked me to become a part of his campaign," said Meg Whitman. "America needs John McCain's courageous leadership. His unshakable commitment to lower taxes, strong trade, and innovation sets the right course for America's economy and future prosperity. I'm enormously excited to be a part of his team and believe in his vision for our country."
John McCain thanked Whitman, stating, "I am honored to have the support of such a distinguished and recognized business leader. Meg will play a key role in our victory in November. I am pleased she will be actively involved in my campaign and look forward to her leadership and guidance throughout the coming year."
Among Whitman's many accolades in recent years, The Wall Street Journal named Whitman one of the 50 women to watch in 2005 and 2006; Fortune consistently ranked her among the top three most powerful women in business; and BusinessWeek included Whitman on its list of the best business managers from 2000 through 2004. Whitman is also one of the few women to have been consecutively ranked (2004 and 2005) among the world's most influential people by Time Magazine.
Prior to eBay, Whitman served in executive leadership positions at Hasbro Inc., Stride Right Corporation, Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD), and the Walt Disney Company. Whitman also worked for eight years at Bain & Company's San Francisco office where she was a vice president. Whitman began her career in 1979 at Procter & Gamble.
In January 2008, Whitman announced that she would step down as president and CEO of eBay on March 31, 2008. She will remain on the eBay Board of Directors and continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Procter & Gamble, DreamWorks Animation, and the eBay Foundation.
Whitman received a Bachelor of Economics from Princeton University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Whitman and her husband, Griffith R. Harsh IV, live in California and have two sons.
