PINK 2006 Conference Speakers
Suzanne Apple, VP, Business and Industry, World Wildlife Fund
Apple manages WWF's business with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Wal-Mart, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft and Procter & Gamble. Last year she served as acting senior vice president of partnerships and policy at the World Wildlife Fund, overseeing the organization's work with business, government and multilateral institutions. Through her work with business at WWF, she has more than doubled corporate investment in WWF's environmental programs. Previously Apple was vice president of community affairs and environmental programs for The Home Depot, where she managed the company's annual community relations and charitable contributions budget of over $30 million and the company's environmental programs and policies. She currently serves on the board of directors of Young Audiences, GOAL Inc., The Devereux Center of Georgia, The Nature Conservancy of Georgia and the Wells Fargo Environmental Advisory Board.
Carmen Baez, President – Latin America Diversified Agency Services (DAS)
DAS is a division of the Omnicom Group, the world's leading marketing communications company, where Baez is responsible for development and growth operating companies in the regions of Mexico, Central and South America, including worldwide leading agencies such as Rapp Collins, Fleishman-Hillard, Ketchum, Interbrand and Porter Novelli International. In 1993, after a two-year sabbatical to travel the world, she co-founded Baez Zahorsky, Inc. (BZI), a Boston-based marketing communications consulting company specialized in strategy planning and program development. BZI clients included Bank of Boston, Omnicom Group and The Walt Disney Company, among others. In 1997, she rejoined Omnicom to lead the DAS expansion in Latin America.Today, in addition to her international responsibilities, Ms. Baez also leads and oversees all DAS multicultural marketing initiatives in the USA marketplace.
Marti Barletta, CEO, The TrendSight Group
Barletta, author of Marketing to Women, and co-author with Tom Peters of Trends, is a recognized authority on building marketing, sales, recruiting and retention results through better communications with women. CEO/Founder of The TrendSight Group (TrendSight.com), a consultancy specializing in marketing to women, she works with clients including Deloitte, Ford, Mercury, John Hancock Investments, Toys R Us and Logitech. A columnist for AdAge.com, Barletta currently serves on the boards of Embrace Pet Insurance and Boomer! TV.
Cheryl Barre, CMO, Arby's
As SVP of Marketing for Georgia Pacific's consumer products business, Barre managed a team of 70 marketing professionals and is responsible for overseeing all retail tissue, towel and napkin brands, including Quilted Northern, Angel Soft, Brawny, Sparkle and Vanity Fair, which deliver over $3 billion in annual revenue. Before coming to Georgia Pacific, Barre served as President of the women's/outdoor division for Russell Corp., a manufacturer of active wear, casual apparel and athletic uniforms and VP in Pepsi-Cola's fountain beverage division. Barre is a member of the national board for Girls Inc.
Terri S. Bresenham, VP and GM, Diagnostic Ultrasound & IT, GE Healthcare
Since her appointment as VP & GM, Diagnostic Ultrasound & IT in 2004, Terri has championed a three-part strategy of Innovation, Personalized Quality, and a world-class Customer Experience to realize a sustainable, global growth foundation. After receiving her master's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas, Terri started her GE career in 1990 as an Edison Engineer in GE Medical Systems. She progressed through engineering and product management roles in the global Positron Emission Tomography and CT businesses. She subsequently developed her commercial skills as U.S. Sales & Marketing Manager for Women's Health. Terri was promoted to lead the Bone Mineral Densitometry business in 2000, where she successfully integrated the Lunar, Inc. acquisition while growing revenues more than 15 percent each year and significantly improving overall business profitability.
Ranjana Clark, EVP and President of Treasury Services Division, Wachovia Corporation
Clark leads a team of over 700 treasury professionals who provide treasury management services to the largest corporations, institutions and commercial clients. In 2005, Clark was named one of the 25 Women to Watch by U.S. Banker magazine and one of the 100 Most Influential People in Finance by Treasury & Risk Management. Clark joined Wachovia in 1989 as a product manager in the Capital Markets Division of Wachovia Corporate Services and has since headed up Wachovia's strategic planning function. After a series of promotions, she assumed her current position in 2001. Clark is a Fuqua Scholar with a master's degree in business administration from Duke University.
Becky Davis, EVP and Chief Administrative Officer, Aflac
With more than 60,000 licensed agents and more than 40 million customers worldwide, Aflac reported 2005 revenues of more than $14.4 billion. Davis oversees client services, claims, administrative services, new business, agents accounting, remittance processing and corporate communications. Previously Davis served as Aflac's Assistant VP of the Policyholder Service Department; VP of Marketing Administration and Operations; and SVP, Assistant Director of Marketing.
Suzi Weiss Fischmann, EVP and Artistic Director, OPI Products, Inc
OPI, the world's largest manufacturer of professional nail products, offers more than 1,500 quality product available in over 70 countries. With an extensive background in the New York garment industry, Weiss-Fischmann gets inspiration from the latest runway fashions to develop her own seasonal nail color collections. Each season, she selects three nail lacquer shades, known as Suzi's Picks, and creates matching lipstick and liners. (Click here to read PINK's August eNewsletter interview with Ms. Fischmann.)
Gay Warren Gaddis, President and CEO, T3 (The Think Tank)
Gaddis started T3 in 1989 with a cashed-in IRA and two employees. Today it's the largest independent advertising agency wholly-owned by a woman in the country, with offices in Austin and New York and San Francisco, over $150 million in capitalized billings and a staff of 175. A marketing and creative think tank, T3 works with clients including Dell, Marriott, JCPenney, MSN, John Deere, Universal, Nortel Networks, MTV and Ingenix. A business mentor for Count-Me-In's Make Mine a $Million Business™ program, she is also a columnist for iMedia Communications, Inc. and a member of the Texas Governor's Business Council's executive board, the Advertising Women of New York and the Committee of 200.
Sandra S. Garrett, Ph.D., President and CEO, Medifacts International
Garrett heads Medifacts International, a $50 million business with 320 employees. Medifacts International is a full service, global, clinical research organization and core laboratory which specializes in cardiovascular safety services relating to pharmaceuticals, biologics and devices. She also serves on the board of the Association of Clinical Research Organziations, which advances clinical outsourcing to improve the quality, efficiency and safety of biomedical research. In addition, she is a 2005 finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in Life Sciences.
Gloria Johnson Goins, Chief Diversity Officer, The Home Depot
Johnson Goins is responsible for creating and implementing company-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives for The Home Depot, the world's second largest retailer with 345,000 employees and $81,663 billion revenue. Previously, Johnson Goins was a General Attorney with BellSouth Cellular Corp. with responsibility for general and employment litigation, real estate matters and compliance with federal regulatory requirements. As VP of Diversity for Cingular Wireless, she led the company's diversity organization to receive national recognition from Diversity Best Practices, Next Step Magazine and the Disability Rights Advocates. A member of the Florida and Georgia Bars, the National Bar Association and the American Bar Association, she is also an active supporter of numerous professional and civic organizations, including United Way of America, the NAACP and the Boy Scouts.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
On PINK's recent list of nine women with a good shot at the presidency, Senator Hutchison is Texas's first female Senator. Vice chairman of the Republican Conference since 2000, she is the fifth highest-ranking Republican senator. Co-founder of Fidelity National Bank of Dallas, she also served on the Texas House of Representatives, is the former vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, and was Texas state treasurer. She currently serves on four committees, including Appropriations; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Rules and Administration; and Veterans Affairs.
Sheila Johnson, CEO, Salamander Hospitality, LLC; Partner, Lincoln Holdings, LLC
Johnson, the nation's first black female billionaire, also owns Woodlands Resort & Inn, a five-star, five diamond property. Lincoln Holdings owns the Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics – for which Johnson is president and managing partner – and has a minority interest in Washington Sports and Entertainment Limited Partnership, which controls the Washington Wizards, Washington/Baltimore TicketMaster, in-house promoter Musicentre Productions and the management of the Verizon Center and the George Mason University Patriot Center. An international ambassador for C.A.R.E., she speaks globally on behalf of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children. She is also co-founder of Black Entertainment Television.
Shaz Kahng, Global General Manager, Nike Cycling
A former professional runway model, Kahng has been on the Global Brand Management team at Nike since 2004. Her division of Nike, a $14 billion company, desgins, manufactures and distributes cycling footwear, apparel, accessories and vision tech and timing product. At Kurt Salmon Associates, a consulting firm specializing in retail and consumer products, Kahng became one of the youngest and the first female, non-Caucasian Partner in the 70-year history of the firm and achieved one of the highest sales records in the firm. She also served as Managing Director at Scient, a company that builds ebusinesses. For several years she helped create companies like MVP.com and Sephora.com and worked with clients such as buy.com, Johnson & Johnson and Colgate-Palmolive. After Scient, she worked at Vivaldi Brand Leadership and then at Wolff Olins, as Head of Strategy, where she worked with GE, Carter's, The College Board, Staples, and on the rebranding of New York City. Kahng was a Co-Executive Producer for the independent film, "Sunday," winner of the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. She has also been a Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program of New York for the past five years.
Alison Lewis, SVP Integrated Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company
As head of Integrated Marketing for one of the nation's top 100 grossing companies, Lewis leads a 125 person team responsible for over $2 billion of marketing investments across media, sports and entertainment marketing; digital promotions and packaging. Lewis has redefined the marketing model behind the changing Coca-Cola business model and evolving marketing and media environment. In her 10-year career with The Coca-Cola Company, Lewis has served in numerous executive roles, including VP of Non-Cola Brand Business Unit and VP of Marketing, Canada. Previously, Lewis spent six years in various brand management positions at Kraft Canada.
Ronna Lichtenberg, President of Clear Peak Communications and author of Pitch Like a Girl
Ronna Lichtenberg is an author, lecturer, and president of Clear Peak Communications, a management consulting firm. Lichtenberg has been a featured business expert on every major morning television network show. Her new book, Pitch Like A Girl: How a Woman Can Be Herself and Still Succeed received rave reviews in USA Today and elsewhere. Formerly a contributing editor for O magazine, she frequently appears in publications ranging from MORE to Business Week.
Karen Marinella, Anchor, WLVI-TV
Anchor for "The Ten O'Clock News" on WLVI-TV (Boston's CW), Boston's 10 p.m. news leader, Marinella also serves as executive producer / host of "One On One with Karen Marinella," a semi-monthly half-hour program featuring interviews with high-profile newsmakers such as Jack and Suzy Welch, Doug Flutie, Joey McIntyre and Dr. T. Berry Brazelton. Marinella has received many professional awards and accolades, including multiple Emmy Awards. An active participant with local community groups, Marinella is involved with nonprofit organizations including Best Buddies, Rosie's Place and Cambridge Family and Children's Service.
Kathleen Matthews, Anchor, ABC 7 News/WJLA-TV
A native of the San Francisco Bay area, Matthews is an awarding-winning producer, reporter, and news anchor who has covered news in Washington, D.C. for 25 years. For five years, she was host and executive editor of 'Working Woman,' a nationally syndicated magazine talk show broadcast in 75 markets. 'Working Woman' continues as a regular segment on the 5 p.m. news with timely career-focused news about women. Her further credits include the prestigious regional Edward R. Murrow award, the George Foster Peabody award, the David Brinkley award, Associated Press awards, and the Gracie Allen award from the American Women in Radio and Television. In 2002, she was named a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian magazine. Matthews is married to Christopher Matthews, host of 'Hardball' on MSNBC and the syndicated 'Chris Matthews Show.' Matthews is active in her community where she serves on the Advisory Councils and Boards of several charitable organizations, including: Catholic Charities Foundation, Black Student Fund, and the Girl Scouts.
Teri P. McClure, Senior Vice President of Legal and Compliance, UPS
Reporting directly to the CEO, McClure oversees all aspects of the legal department for UPS globally. McClure began her UPS career in 1995 as employment counsel for the Corporate Legal Department. In 2003, McClure became vice president of operations for the Central Florida District, where she was responsible for all aspects of package pick-up and delivery operations and managed more than 4,000 employees. McClure is a member of various bar associations and serves on the boards of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Mary Hall Freedom House, and the Center for Working Families.
Shannon McFayden, Senior Executive VP, Head of Human Resources and Corporate Relations, Wachovia Corporation
McFayden heads Human Resources; Community Relations; Corporate Communications; Corporate Marketing; Customer Analysis, Research and Targeting and is co-leading the company's multi-year Efficiency Improvement Program for this $36 million, top 100 grossing national corporation. In her 14-year career with Wachovia, McFayden has served as Director of Corporate and Community Affairs, Director of Human Resources Client Services and Head of Human Resources for the Florida Bank. Highly active in community service, McFayden chairs the boards of Child Care Resources, Inc. and the United Way Capital Planning Program Committee and serves on several others.
Deborah Meyer, Vice President, Lexus Marketing
Meyer oversees all aspects of Lexus' marketing efforts to support dealers and reach customers with key information about Lexus vehicles and the Lexus brand.
Previously, Meyer served as corporate manager of marketing communications for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. and was responsible for managing all marketing and advertising for Toyota's vehicles. Prior to joining Toyota, Meyer spent several years developing brand and marketing strategies for various automotive nameplates, including Lincoln-Mercury and Mazda. She was also brand manager for Ford do Brazil in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Meyer was named one of the 100 most influential women in the automotive industry by Automotive News twice and has also been inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Advertising Achievement. Meyer serves on the Board of Directors – ANA (Association of National Advertisers). She also serves on the Hall of Achievement – AAF Committee and as a trustee for the Long Beach Museum of Art.
Jeanne Mockard, Portfolio Manager, Putnam Investments
Mockard is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager on the Large Cap Value team. A member of the team responsible for managing U.S. large-cap value equity institutional portfolios, she is also the Portfolio Leader for The George Putnam Fund of Boston, a $5.3 billion fund. Previously Mockard was an analyst in the Global Equity Research Group. Mockard, who joined Putnam in 1985, is a CFA charterholder and has 19 years of investment experience.
Karen Neuburger, Chief Lifestyle Officer, KN Ltd.
Author of The Secret Language of Girlfriends, Neuburger's lifelong quest for comfort led her to shed the corporate dress code of her fashion career and create her now famous lifestyle brand. Her company is now a multi-million dollar company with more than 100 employees. Beginning with signature soft boyfriend pajamas – deemed Oprah's favorites – Neuburger is now the purveyor of all things comfy and cozy including: bedding, intimates, home décor and sleepwear for the whole family. Neuberger supports The Breast Cancer Research Foundation through the K•N Pink Ribbon Signature Collection, is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and serves on the California State Board of Directors for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
Lois E. Quam, CEO, Ovations
Ovations, a $20 billion to $25 billion UnitedHealth Group company, is the largest U.S. business dedicated solely to improving the health of adults age 50 and older. Ovations serves more than 8.5 million individuals across the U.S. and U.K. Ovations offers the broadest set of Medicare products and its Part D offering is the most successful new business launch in UnitedHealth Group history. Quam is also responsible for
Ovations' Evercare division, which coordinates services for frail, elderly, chronically ill and disabled Americans. She was a senior advisor to the 1993 White House Task Force on National Health Care Reform chaired by first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and continues to play a leadership role in the national health care discussion. Quam serves as national chair of AARP Foundation's Women's Leadership Circle, participates in the American Democracy Institute Advisory Committee and the Advertising Council Health Committee and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Dawn M. Sweeney, President, AARP Services
The AARP is the nation's most influential organization on issues concerning baby boomers and 50+ adults, a discriminating group with 70 percent of America's disposable income. AARP-endorsed products and services generate $12 billion in sales and employs more than 10,000 people. President of AARP Services, Sweeney has redefined the market by developing products, services and research for AARP's 35 million members. Sweeney has been instrumental in the conceptualization and creation of Focalyst, a joint venture with The Kantar Group (a division of the WPP Group), which aims to become the leading source of research about 50+ consumers. Before coming to AARP, Sweeney directed the International Dairy Foods Association's launch of the popular "milk mustache" campaign. Sweeney was recently appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Committee of 100."
Jean Thomas, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group
Thomas is responsible for the strategy and execution of Wyndham's umbrella and brand-specific marketing programs and oversees the following departments: Loyalty and Direct Marketing, Brand Marketing and Strategy, International Marketing, Market Research, Hotel Contact Centers, Worldwide Sales, and Communications. Previously corporate senior vice president of marketing for Cendant Corporation's Hospitality Services Division, she was responsible for developing the division's marketing strategy and identifying and optimizing channel, consumer and media synergies between its business units. Before coming to Wyndham, Thomas was SVP of brand strategy for Cendant's Hotel Group and VP of marketing for Kraft Foods.
Lindsey Ueberroth, Managing Director, Preferred Boutique
At the tender age of 11, Ueberrroth traveled to Africa to embark on her first safari; went hot air ballooning during the Wildebeest migration; took a six-month sabbatical from the seventh grade to traverse Mongolia on the Siberian Express, the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramids. She has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Manchu Picchu and traveled to every continent except Antarctica. Ueberroth's affection for exploration and discovery, as well as her background in the travel industry, inspired her to create the world's first luxury hotel brand specifically dedicated to the "boutique" travel experience – Preferred Boutique. As Preferred Boutique's Managing Director, she utilizes her worldly travel experiences as she oversees global brand strategy, development, and all aspects of brand performance. She is committed to successfully growing the Preferred Boutique brand internationally and travels extensively to establish strong relationships with new member properties. Ueberroth brings a strong combination of sales, marketing, and management experience to the position, as well as an innate understanding of the hospitality industry. Most recently she served as Regional Director, Americas West, for Preferred Hotel Group.
Jan Yanehiro, President, Jan Yanehiro, Inc.
President of Jan Yanehiro, Inc., a media and marketing strategic planning company, Yanehiro is also a partner at Fair Advantage and director at the Bank of Marin. An Emmy award-winning television host, she is currently host of "Resettlement to Redress," a documentary on the Japanese-American experience after WWII, and executive producer/correspondent for "Pacific Fusion," a national television magazine on the Asian-Pacific culture. From 1976 to 1990, she hosted "Evening Magazine," a pioneering nightly program on KPIX-TV in San Francisco. Yanehiro has also co-authored three books, including This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down (out in 2007).
