2010 Top 200 U.S. CEOs

Biography
Joseph W. Saunders, age 64, was named Chairman of the board and Chief Executive Officer of Visa Inc. upon its formation in May 2007. Prior to this role, Mr. Saunders served as President of Card Services for Washington Mutual, Inc., a financial institution, from October 2005 to February 2007. Mr. Saunders was President and Chief Executive Officer of Providian Financial Corporation from November 2001, and Chairman of the board of directors from May 2002, until Washington Mutual's acquisition of Providian in 2005. From 1997 until 2001, Mr. Saunders served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Credit Card Services at FleetBoston Financial Corporation. Mr. Saunders also was a member of the Visa U.S.A. board of directors from October 2002 to February 2007 and a member of the Visa International Service Association board of directors from October 2005 to February 2007, and was Executive Chairman of Visa International's transition governance committee until the formation of Visa Inc. in May 2007. From 1993 to 1997, while Mr. Saunders was at Household Finance Corporation, Mr. Saunders served as a member of the boards of directors of MasterCard International Inc. and MasterCard U.S.A., and was elected Chairman of MasterCard International's board in 1996. Mr. Saunders holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration degree, both from the University of Denver.