From Church Leadership to Firm Leadership: Religion of Early State Residents, State Institutions, and Present-Day Corporate Female Executives.

This article examines how the religious preferences of early residents at the time U.S. states were admitted to the Union have left enduring imprints on state constitutions, which in turn influence present-day female representation in corporate leadership. Specifically, it finds that a stronger Protestant imprinting—characterized by an emphasis on equality—during a state's founding is positively associated with higher female representation in leadership teams of S&P 1500 firms, mediated by the state's constitutional focus on equality. Conversely, historical Catholic immigration to states has acted as a counter-imprinting force, weakening this Protestant effect. The study contributes to imprinting theory by introducing the concept of dynamic counter-imprinting and highlights the significance of subnational institutional origins, particularly religious foundations, in shaping persistent heterogeneity in firm leadership and gender dynamics.