In 126 years of operating, Dow Inc. has never had a Black woman CEO. Now, with the appointment of Karen S. Carter, that’s all about to change.

The Fortune 500 company recently announced that Carter, currently chief operating officer, will move up the ranks to the top spot on July 1st, succeeding Jim Fitterling, who will take an executive chair role. “I am deeply honored to assume the role of CEO and lead Dow into our next chapter," said Carter in a statement.

In a corporate landscape where Black women remain deeply underrepresented at the very top, Carter’s appointment places her among just a handful of Black female CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies. According to Fortune, Carter joins the likes of TIAA’s Thasunda Brown Duckett and DTE Energy’s Joi Harris at a moment when only about 50 women in total run Fortune 500 firms.

Carter’s path to the corner office spans more than three decades at Dow, where her career at the company began as an intern in 1994. Since then, the Howard graduate has led operations, sales, human resources, and diversity initiatives across multiple global businesses. She previously ran Packaging & Specialty Plastics, the company’s largest segment, and has been recognized on Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Diversity” and “Most Powerful Women in Corporate America” lists.

“She is a disciplined, highly respected leader with a deep understanding of Dow's businesses and customers,” said Richard Davis, who serves as Dow's Independent Lead Director, in a statement. “This appointment reflects our confidence in her ability to lead Dow forward into its next chapter of growth and value creation for customers, employees, and shareholders."