CEO departures fall as economy gains ground

It's not easy being at the top, but a fresh report released Wednesday shows staying there got a little easier for chief executives at the nation's companies, as the number of departures dropped by nearly a third in August compared to a year ago.

Last month, just 101 CEOs tossed in the towel compared to 144 in August last year, according to executive search firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. It is the sixth time this year, Challenger noted, that monthly CEO turnovers decreased from the same period in 2008.