CEO turnover rose in January

CHICAGO, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Turnover among chief executive officers of U.S. corporations climbed 57.6 percent in January, Challenger, Gray and Christmas reported Monday.

In January, 134 CEOs resigned, retired or were fired, the report says, compared with 85 in December 2007 and 114 in January 2007.

"As companies try to survive this economic slowdown and possible recession, CEOs are going to be under heightened scrutiny," Chief Executive Officer John Challenger said.

Layoffs trim operating costs. Outsourcing can help a corporation. "But, eventually, all eyes turn to the head of a company," Challenger said.

The health care sector led the CEO turnover rankings with 19. Departures of CEOs among technology companies ranked second with 18.

Among January's turnover at the top job, 35 retired and 28 stepped down, the report said.

Fourteen percent of those leaving CEO jobs were women and of the 101 CEO replacements that came on board in January, 11.8 percent were women, the report said. A majority (66 percent) of the women taking over a corporation were replacing a man.