Ibm Miami Leader Mary Young Seeks To Leverage Technology As A Tool To Enhance Community And Open Doors To Opportunity

Mary Young has had a 27-year career in technology — a passion that began even before acquiring her first Radio Shack TRS-80 in 1978. In her second year as IBM’s Miami Location Leader, she directs 500 employees and the company’s strategic initiatives and goals while giving time to innumerable community organizations.

She held a variety of leadership positions at the Bell System, AT&T Communications and Price Waterhouse Consulting before joining IBM 17 years ago. She is the immediate past president of the YWCA of Greater Miami, was the first woman to chair the Coral Gables Community Foundation, and serves on the board of Goodwill Industries of South Florida and the Executive Committee of CHARLEE Homes for Children, among other groups.

Ms. Young has formed a new foundation to benefit the Miami-Dade Public Library System to promote both adult literacy and after-school science and math tutoring. The Miami Women’s Chamber of Commerce recognized Ms. Young and IBM as the outstanding corporation of 2006 for their work in the inner city to promote technology and engineering careers for women and girls.

She has been married to Frank Young for 29 years and is the proud mother of a menagerie of seven pets, six of whom were rescued.

She discussed the passions and challenges of her life and work with Miami Today staff writer Wayne Tompkins. This is an excerpt from the weekly profile article published in Miami Today. To read the entire article in full, order this issue or subscribe to the print edition of Miami Today. Advertisement