The First Lady of Finance

Of course, with such attention comes negative press as well. Vanity Fair dedicated a lengthy feature in late 2008 to an apparent feud between Maria and Erin Burnett, the anchor of CNBC’s Street Signs, who the article described as “the hottest star to come along in business television since…Maria Bartiromo.” There are also the various controversies surrounding some of her personal and professional relationships, but, if the accusations bother Maria, she certainly doesn’t let it show.

She manages to balance the never-ending business, her personal life, the media attacks, and her personal endeavors with ease, even finding time to give back. “I think that success comes on so many levels,” she says. “For me, certainly it is fun to have monetary ‘stuff,’ but my success has been about the satisfaction of being involved in a growth opportunity and being involved in helping people, and helping people make a positive change.” She is on the board of her alma matter NYU, and she just stepped off of the board of the New York Ballet after an eight-year stint, which is the company’s limit.

In the coming months, in addition to her typical hosting duties, Maria will be putting together a special for CNBC called The Business of Innovation, which will focus on alternative energy and technology, as well as The Meeting of the Minds, a gathering of eight leaders to talk about the issues of the day (past segments of Meeting of the Minds have included business leaders discussing capitalism and healthcare professionals discussing their industry). She is also working on The State of States, while planning an extensive travel itinerary that will take her to Singapore in November. But rest assured, viewers will still be able to tune in and be educated by her invaluable insights about the market she knows so well.