Muriel Siebert

Muriel Siebert, a woman who knew a thing or two about breaking barriers, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to parents who were decidedly not Jewish, thereby eliminating any suspense about her ancestral score. She made her way to New York with ten years of college but no degree, preferring the school of hard knocks — or, as it turned out, the notoriously tough streets of Wall Street.

After working her way through various research and analyst positions, Siebert decided she'd had enough of knocking on the glass ceiling; she'd buy the whole building. In 1967, she borrowed money and purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, making her the first woman among 1,365 men. One imagines the welcome wagon was less than enthusiastic.

She wasn't just a token, either. Siebert later founded her own discount brokerage firm, Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc., proving she could not only enter the boys' club but also run her own, better club. She was also a fierce advocate for women in finance and a consumer champion, even serving as New York State's Superintendent of Banking. A true trailblazer, even if her heritage was as Gentile as a Christmas ham.