EBONY Honors Top Women In Marketing And Communications

MAJOR corporate, civic and political leaders joined EBONY in celebrating excellence at the magazine's first annual Outstanding Women In Marketing & Communications Award luncheon at the Hilton New York & Towers Trianon Ballroom.

An overflow crowd of some 500 attended the awards luncheon, which honored 11 women who helped to change the color of marketing, advertising and communication. EBONY President and Chief Operating Officer Linda Johnson Rice said that the award was created to honor the marketing and communications leaders who have increased the flow of positive images of African-Americans and who have used their creativity to sensitize major corporations about the need to address overlooked minority consumers.

"This award," she said in her opening remarks, "honors the most successful African-American women in marketing and communications who have become the champions of our time. They are the visible forces who contribute to the success of some of the most powerful and influential corporations in the world and are at the helm of some of the most innovative breakthroughs of the 20th century."

Johnson Rice stated that the honorees are not only outstanding corporate leaders, but are also leaders of their community. "They are not only successful professionally, but they are also mentors and role models for generations of women to come. The recipients hold new promise for the new century, and this is reason to celebrate!"

Carol Jenkins, former news anchor of the NBC flagship station WNBC-TV in New York, served as master of ceremonies, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of the New York-based National Action Network and founder of the Madison Avenue Initiative, gave the invocation. Congresswoman Carolyn C. Kilpatrick of Michigan's 15th Congressional District delivered the keynote address and also received an award. Musical entertainment was provided by Sherry Winston, a jazz flutist and businesswoman who also manages her own production company.

The presenters of the major awards were Bridgette P. Heller, executive vice president and general manager-coffee, Kraft Foods; Wallace S. Snyder, president and CEO, American Advertising Federation; Roz Abrams, anchor for Eyewitness News WABC-TV; and Jeff Burns Jr., senior vice president, Johnson Publishing Company.

Among other dignitaries in attendance were Ian Cook, president, U.S. division, the Colgate-Palmolive Company; Byron Lewis, founder and chairman, UniWorld Group; Earl G. Graves Jr., president and COO, Earl G. Graves Publishing Company; Debra Nelson, department manager of corporate diversity, Mercedes-Benz USA; Verdia Johnson, president of Footsteps; and Attorney Johnnie Cochran.

In her closing remarks, Johnson Rice said EBONY will continue to recognize and support excellence and diversity. "As we move forward into the new millennium, EBONY pledges to honor and support the extraordinary women of the future," she said. "And we are confident that these honorees will continue to blaze the trail for others to follow in their footsteps."

The major honorees were:

* Congresswoman CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK. Now serving her sophomore term in Michigan's 15th Congressional District, Kilpatrick has been appointed to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where she will play a key role in securing funding for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the National Transportation Safety Board.

* HEIDE L. GARDNER, vice president of diversity and strategic programs for the American Advertising Foundation. Gardner has advised corporate executives, civil rights activists, members of Congress and Vice President Al Gore's Federal Working Group on Fairness in Advertising.

* SUSAN M. HEARN, national coordinator of the Madison Avenue Initiative. Hearn spearheaded the organization's Second Annual Invitational Summit on Multicultural Markets & Media, which united the movers and shakers in minority media with corporate advertisers and advertising agencies.

* LINDA DUKETTE, vice president and management supervisor of UniWorld Group. Dukette has launched several of the agency's major accounts, like Ford Motors, into the urban market. Since 1983, she has produced visible marketing campaigns for AT&T, AARP and Gulf Oil.

* ANDREA FANT-HOBBS, vice president/group account director of the Chisholm-Mingo Group. Hobbs introduces multicultural brand marketing strategies to such top corporations as General Motors and Summit Bank.

* LAUREL RICHIE, senior partner and worldwide management supervisor at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising. Richie is a 16-year advertising veteran who has produced several award-winning ad campaigns for such major corporations as American Express, AT&T, Campbell's Soup and Pepperidge Farm.

* KATHLEEN T. FRANCIS, vice president of marketing for Major League Baseball. For a decade, Francis has created advertising and marketing campaigns that have enhanced the sport's image. She also played a key role in organizing the Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron 1999 millennium celebration.

* DOREEN Y. STEPHENS, category business director for Post Cereals/Kraft Foods. She is responsible for the Post Cereals Adult and All Family brands, which include Post Original Shredded Wheat, Honey Bunches of Oats and Grape Nuts. She also initiated successful coffee campaigns for Kraft internationally.