NEW YORK — It goes somewhat without saying, but some industry high achievers, such as Federated Department Stores’ chairman, Terry Lundgren, and Saks Fifth Avenue’s vice chairman, Ron Frasch, said it anyway: They wouldn’t be where they are today without women.
“If we didn’t have an open mind and an open door to promoting women, none of us would be up here,” Lundgren said as he stood at the podium of the Empire Ballroom in the Grand Hyatt, scene of the 27th Annual Legal Momentum Equal Opportunity Awards Dinner last week.
Lundgren presented the award to Frasch, who spoke of the retail-fashion industry as “so gracious, so generous,” adding the evening’s results were 50 percent above last year’s. A crowd of 540 raised $900,000 and celebrated the advancement of women and those furthering the cause.
Aside from Frasch, there were three other award winners: Stephanie George, president of In Style magazine; David R. Brennan, president and ceo of AstraZeneca, U.S., and Michael J. Critelli, chairman and ceo of Pitney Bowes.
Among the crowd were CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, the keynoter; Nora McAniff, executive vice president of Time Inc.; Marvin and Lee Traub; Susan Sokol, president of Vera Wang; Kathy Rodgers, president of Legal Momentum; Robin Marino, ceo of Kate Spade; designer Josie Natori; Marla Sabo, president and chief operating officer of Dior in North America; Eugenia Ulasewicz, president, Burberry USA, and Michele Coleman Mayes, executive vice president and general counsel of Pitney Bowes. “It’s very important to put women in jobs that were historically men’s jobs,” said Mayes.