Nancy Stewart, the 2005 Technologist of the Year, was the first Black female appointed vice president at IBM in 1991. She retired from the multinational technology company after 30 years.

In 2005, Stewart became Wal-Mart's chief technology officer (CTO). She was promoted to senior vice president and CTO, reporting to Linda Dillman, the CIO.

It was the first time the retail giant had two women in such high-profile tech jobs. Stewart was recognized as one of the "Most Important Blacks in Technology" at the 2007 BEYA STEM Conference.

She was cited along with 100 other Black industry leaders in IBM, Lockheed Martin, and Oracle. The Women of Color (WOC) STEM Conference recognizes outstanding women in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and provides excellent opportunities for professional development, networking, and recruiting.