EBONY Honors Outstanding Women In Marketing And Communications Careers

Jet, April 16, 2001

EBONY Magazine recently celebrated its second annual Outstanding Women In. Marketing & Communications Awards Luncheon held at the Hilton New York & Towers Trianon Ballroom.

Linda Johnson Rice, president and COO of Johnson Publishing Co., delivered opening remarks at the ceremony that honored 12 successful Black women, who use their strength and guidance in the fields of journalism, advertising, marketing and entrepreneurship to enhance the lives of all African Americans.

The mistress of ceremonies for the event was Janice Huff, a meteorologist for WNBC-TV in New York. The invocation was presented by Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake, senior pastor of the 12,000-member Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica, Queens.

Musical entertainment was provided by the Grammy-nominated flutist Sherry Winston.

Award recipients of the advertising agency category were Michelle L. Garner, senior vice president group media director of Burrell Communications Group; Valerie J. Graves, senior vice president and chief creative officer at UniWorld Group, Inc.; and Cheryl L. Hudson, executive vice president and director of media communications for Don Coleman Advertising, Inc.

Outstanding women honored in corporate marketing were Leisa Byars, truck marketing communications manager, Ford Motor Company; Joyce A. Greene, director of brand advertising and promotion for Amtrak; and Kecia M. Voorhees, manager of global media and sponsorship marketing American Express Company.

Among the journalism award recipients were Carole Simpson, anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight Sunday" and Emmy Award-whining senior correspondent for ABC News; Elinor Tatum, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Amsterdam News; and Lena Williams, sports writer for The New York Times.

The last category presented was the entrepreneur awards. Honorees were Terri L. Gardner, president of Soft Sheen/Carson; Verdia E. Johnson, president and founding partner of Footsteps; and Carol H. Williams, CEO and executive creative director, Carol H. Williams Advertising.