Silicon Valley's "All-Male" Boards of Directors Remain High Tech's Black Eye

Airbnb founders Nathan Blecharczyk (left)
CEO Brian Chesky (center) and Joe Gebbie (right).
(Image: skift.com and nbcnews.com)

The Ellen Pao gender discrimination lawsuit against Silicon Valley VC heavyweight Kleiner Perkins suggested the "boys club" remains alive and very well in High Tech's leading firms. The issue of frat house mores and overt sexism just won't go away in "America's best hope for its future." Interestingly, Fortune recently named names in the all-male-all-the-time world of Silicon Valley's corporate boards. Reporter Michelle Quinn noted the story in her siliconvalley.com column today.

The firms are a subset of privately held enterprises called "unicorns." These creatures are not only elusive, but individually command a market value over one billion dollars. Among the unicorns with all-male boards are Uber, Airbnb, and ironically, Pinterest. Why should one feel surprised by these findings? Frankly, many Silicon Valley firms act with a deep sense of entitlement. These so-called disruptors feel rules are for others to follow, and for themselves to selectively consider. One wonders how this group would manage in a world of female "unicorns." Think Ellen Pao might offer an answer?

What Do Pay Pal Founder Peter Thiel and Baseball Star A-Rod Have in Common?

Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel is something of a self-made zillionaire, thanks to his early investments in Pay Pal and Facebook. He's outspoken, as only an openly gay, openly Libertarian billionaire can be. Among his concepts is the creation of a republic on a yet-to-be-made man-made island, a sort of Atlantis in the Pacific. More recently, Thiel shared with Bloomberg's Silicon Valley talking head Emily Chang his quest to extend his life expectancy beyond normal actuarial standards. (The interview was presented in a boiled down version by siliconvalley.com's Michelle Quinn.) The magic ingredient is none other than HGH, or human growth hormone. Thiel noted its ability to help one maintain muscle mass.

HGH made its reputation, for better or worse, through its association with Major League Baseball players. They knew or believed the hormome had the potential to enhance their ability to perform and extend their careers. A number of stars took HGH, none brighter than Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod eventually became MLB's sacrificial lamb to demonstrate it didn't want players gaining advantage via the use of biochemical aids. Maybe Alex Rodriguez should have played the markets instead of hardball.