Janet Emerson Bashen is recognized as the first African-American woman to hold a U.S. Patent for a software invention. Bashen’s LinkLine software is used by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to track claims, manage documents, and compile related reports.

Bashen was born February 12, 1957 in Mansfield, Ohio. She attended Alabama A&M University, later moving to Houston, Texas where she currently resides. According to an online bio, Bashen’s background is in Legal Studies and Government Affairs with time spent studying at the University of Houston and Rice University.

Bashen is the founder, President and CEO of the Bashen Corporation, a human resources consulting firm. The company was formed in 1994 from Bashen’s kitchen and grew by 52 percent between 1997 and 2001 according to Wikipedia. The business has been recognized by national firms and outlets for its solid practices and growth which led to Bashen being named one of the most influential business figures in the county.

In 2000, Bashen testified before Congress on civil rights and employee misconduct investigations being exempt from the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Bashen worked alongside Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee on getting that portion of the legislation addressed.

In 2003, Bashen recieved the Pinnacle Award by the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce and in 2012, Bashen was added to Ebony magazine’s “Power 100” list.

Bashen credits the support of her parents to her success.

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