Carly Fiorina Fast Facts

Here’s a look at the life of Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard CEO and 2016 Republican presidential candidate.

Birth date: September 6, 1954

Birth place: Austin, Texas

Birth name: Cara Carleton Sneed

Father: Joseph T. Sneed III, federal judge and law professor

Mother: Madelon Montross Juergens, artist

Marriages: Frank Fiorina (1985-present); Todd Bartlem (June 1977-1984, divorced)

Children: Two stepdaughters with Frank Fiorina: Traci and Lori Ann

Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1976; University of Maryland, M.B.A., 1980; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S., 1989; attended UCLA School of Law

The first woman to head a Fortune 50 company and a company among the Dow Jones Industrial Average when she became CEO and president of Hewlett-Packard Company in 1999.

The first person to head HP who came from outside the company.

The first female officer at AT&T. By the age of 40, she was leading AT&T’s North American operations.

Began her career as a secretary in a real estate office.

1980 – Begins working for AT&T as a sales representative.

April 1996 – Oversees the $3 billion initial public offering of Lucent Technologies, Inc. when it is spun off from AT&T.

1998 – Becomes president of Lucent Technologies’ global service-provider division.

1999-2005 – CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

2000 – HP names Fiorina chairman of the board.

September 3, 2001 – Hewlett-Packard buys Compaq Computer Corp., a move orchestrated by Fiorina amid opposition from both the Hewlett and the Packard families.

February 8, 2005 – Resigns as HP CEO.

October 9, 2006 – Her memoir, “Tough Choices,” is published.

October 2007 – Becomes a business commentator on the Fox Business Network.

2008 – Serves as an economic adviser to Sen. John McCain during his presidential campaign.

February 20, 2009 – Is diagnosed with breast cancer at age 54.

November 2, 2010 – Loses her bid to unseat California Senator Barbara Boxer. She campaigns against US President Barack Obama’s Affordable Healthcare Act and abortion rights.

2014 – Launches the Unlocking Potential Project, a political action committee that aims to inform women voters about conservative positions and issues.

February 24, 2015 – Supporters launch Carly for America, a super PAC to support Fiorina’s presidential bid.

May 4, 2015 – Announces her candidacy for US president, seeking the Republican Party’s nomination.

May 5, 2015 – Her book, “Rising to the Challenge: My Leadership Journey,” is published.

February 10, 2016 – Suspends her candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.

March 9, 2016 – Fiorina endorses Texas Senator Ted Cruz for US president.

April 27, 2016 – Cruz formally names Fiorina as his vice presidential running mate. Cruz suspends his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on May 3, 2016.

September 8, 2017 – Announces she will not seek the Republican nomination for US Senate in Virginia’s 2018 election.

March 2019 – Is appointed Distinguished Clinical Professor in Leadership at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America.

June 25, 2020 – Fiorina tells The Atlantic’s podcast The Ticket that she’ll vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.