Ebony honors Outstanding Women in Marketing & Communications at 5th annual luncheon

EBONY Magazine recently honored 11 extraordinary women at the height of their careers in the fields of marketing and communications during the fifth annual Outstanding Women In Marketing & Communications Awards Luncheon in New York City.

This year the award festivities, held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton New York & Towers, were sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, Verizon and McDonald's.

The honorees and guests were welcomed by Linda Johnson Rice, president and CEO of Johnson Publishing Co., Inc., publisher of EBONY and JET Magazines.

The luncheon pays tribute to the most exceptional Black females in marketing and communications who have "achieved glass ceiling-shattering career heights that will ultimately open the door for others to reach a new pinnacle," said Johnson Rice.

The mistress of ceremonies for the event was Gayle King, Emmy Award-winning journalist and editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine. Minister Vy Higginsen, CEO of the Mama Foundation for the Arts in Harlem and producer of the musical series Mama, I Want To Sing, presented the invocation.

Recipients of the advertising agency awards were Linda Jefferson, senior V.P. and director of media services for Burrell Communications Group LLC; and Dana L. Wade, president of Spike DDB. Patrick R. Gaston, president of the Verizon Foundation, presented the awards.

Honorees in the category of corporate marketing include Carole Munroe, account director for broadcast alliance at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; Susan Mboya, associate director of African-American Business Development for Procter & Gamble; and Debra A. Sandler, worldwide group V.P. of marketing for McNeil Nutritionals of Johnson & Johnson. William Lamar, Jr., chief marketing officer for McDonald's USA, was the presenter.

The journalism awards went to Pare Oliver, feature/sideline reporter for FOX Sports; Jacque Reid, anchor for "BET Nightly News"; and Soledad O'Brien, anchor for CNN's "American Morning." Shon Gables, co-anchor for "CBS 2 News this Morning," presented the honors.

Recipients of the entrepreneur awards were L. Marilyn Crawford, president and CEO for Primetime Omnimedia, and Terrie M. Williams, president of Terrie Williams Agency and the Stay Strong Foundation. The presenter of the awards was Jeff Burns Jr., associate publisher for EBONY Magazine.

The Madam C. J. Walker Award, presented by Johnson Rice, went to Suzanne de Passe, chairman and CEO of de Passe Entertainment.

Entertainment was provided by singing legends Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who sang a number of songs including Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing; Kathy Jordan Sharpton, wife of the Rev. Al Sharpton, who sang the Black national anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing; and the Sherry Winston Band.

Among those in attendance were singer and star of the Broadway show AIDA Deborah Cox, journalist Ed Gordon of Gordon Media, and A' Lelia Bundles, great-great granddaughter of the late Madam C.J. Walker.