You never know who you’ll wind up sitting by on a bus. So when I was lucky enough to slide in next to Meg Whitman, President and CEO of eBay, on a shuttle to Fenway Park on Day One of Mitt Romney’s Calling America fundraising event, I seized the moment to find out why such an accomplished person herself so eagerly sits on the front row of the Romney campaign …

            As one of the most successful executives in the world, Mrs.Whitman knows what it takes to run an organization. And this woman with an impressive resume of her own whole-heartedly believes that Mitt Romney “has the most relevant experience of any candidate and is qualified for the biggest CEO job in the world.”

            She has known Mitt for many years, both as a business colleague and friend, and has now taken an active role in fundraising for his campaign. Of her dedication, she says, “I think the country is at a crossroads and it really matters who the next President will be. I know [Mitt Romney] would be the best choice.”

            Meg first worked with Mitt 25 years ago, and has kept an eye on him ever since. Shortly after receiving degrees from Princeton University and Harvard

Meg remembers Mitt as a great leader, mentor and boss who truly cared about the individuals with whom he worked. Of the time when Mitt shut down Bain to encourage his employees to help a partner look for a missing daughter, she remarked “Not many people in his position would do that.”  

Not only did Romney take the initiative to know Whitman’s name when she was a “nameless new person” at Bain, but he kept an eye on her career as well. After leaving Bain, Meg went on to management and executive level jobs at Disney, Stride Rite, FTD, and Hasbro before taking on the role of President and CEO of eBay in 1998. Meg and Mitt’s paths crossed again during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, when eBay power sellers helped sell Olympic merchandise. And now most recently, Meg was there on the ground floor in Detroit and South Carolina when Mitt announced that he would be running for President.

Since his announcement, Meg Whitman has been a visible supporter of the Romney campaign, participating in both of Mitt’s Calling America events by raising money and recruiting supporters. She thinks of him as someone who “makes the impossible possible” and who “can tackle through the toughest problems, devise a get well plan, and deliver results.”

What excites her most about a Romney administration?

Many things. “As a non-Washington guy, Mitt would bring a fresh approach as well as the right tool kit and attitude needed to change

What problems is she hoping the “fix-it man” will fix?

Whitman believes in Mitt’s ability to address the Iraq situation as well as his focus on strengthening our military, which “so desperately needs upgrades in technology, training and equipment. America has never been weak when our military has been strong.” And she believes that during his successful term as governor of

            As an executive in the technology industry, Whitman strongly supports the aspect of Mitt’s immigration policy that would essentially “staple a green card to advanced degree holders”, allowing our workforce to benefit from highly educated and qualified internationals. She also supports his philosophy of giving the people the power and tools to be in control of their own businesses and incomes rather than allowing the government to grow and oversee such aspects of individuals’ lives.

As a wife and mother of two, Meg also admires Mitt’s emphasis on building strong families. And while she agrees that “our country is more than ready for a female presidential candidate, that doesn’t mean the best candidate right now is the female one.” She cites Mitt’s tremendous history of bringing in women to serve on his campaigns, committees, and on his cabinet while as governor of Massachusetts as evidence of his desire to address issues important to women by listening directly to the female voice.

Whitman also knows that Romney’s people skills would make him a great international ambassador, as he is a great listener. She has enjoyed watching him grow even through his campaign as “every speech and presentation [of his] gets better. His performance in debates is remarkable.”

But as an industry peer and friend of Mitt’s, Meg knows firsthand that the Romney campaign is not just a performance. And it is not about a successful man seeking more success. Rather, she believes the possibility of a Romney administration stems from a much nobler cause,

“The presidency would not be the capstone of his career; he’s already had that. Mitt Romney’s not doing this for himself, he’s doing it for the country.”