AWNY Centennial Luncheon Celebrates 100 Years of Achievements by Women in Communications

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded 100 years ago today, Advertising Women of New York (AWNY) marked its Centennial with a power-packed luncheon celebrating a century's worth of achievements by women in communications. The luncheon drew 500 attendees to Manhattan's Gotham Hall, where sponsors AOL, Google, Time Warner Cable Media, VEVO and OMD honored 10 of the industry's most distinguished women. It was the pinnacle event in a series of Centennial initiatives by AWNY, the premier organization for women in advertising, marketing, media, digital, promotions and public relations.

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Rebecca Jarvis of CBS-TV emceed the luncheon, which began with a three-minute video on AWNY. Among the event highlights was a proclamation by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg marking October 4, 2012 as "Advertising Women of New York Day" and citing AWNY for its profound role in making "this city the best place for women in advertising and related fields to grow their careers." AWNY also used the luncheon as a platform to announce the 15 winners of its $150,000 Education Loan Relief Scholarship Fund, launched in June 2012 to alleviate the financial burden of AWNY members grappling with student loan debt. Entertainment was provided by Scottish-born singer Emeli Sande, who won international acclaim with her performances at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games.

2012 Honorees

Each an exemplar of AWNY's commitment to support "women making business better," the 2012 honorees collectively are inspirational, innovative, groundbreaking, catalysts, and "makers" of the industry. The honorees include:

• Allison Arden, Publisher, Advertising Age
• Carole Black, Former CEO & President of  Lifetime Entertainment
• Sarah Chubb Sauvayre, President/General Manager, Gilt City
• Wendy Clark, SVP, Integrated Marketing Communications & Capabilities, Coca-Cola
• Laura Desmond, CEO at Starcom MediaVest Group
• Nora Ephron, Screenwriter and Author 
• Jessica Jackley, Co-founder, Kiva  
• Kim Kadlec - Worldwide VP, Global Marketing Group, Johnson & Johnson
• Shelly Lazarus, Chairman Emeritus, Ogilvy & Mather
• Linda Yaccarino, President, Advertising Sales, NBCUniversal

Other Centennial Events

AWNY's Centennial began its roll-out in June with the announcement of the Education Loan Relief Scholarship Fund.  A 100-day Countdown peppered AWNY's Facebook page and blog with information on upcoming events and topical food for thought over the 100 days leading up to today's luncheon. And, on the morning of October 4, a Starcom MediaVest Group Breakfast at The New York Times offices brought together advertising's foremost female thought leaders and young professionals to discuss the future of the industry. Meredith Corporation supported the Centennial with a Silver Sponsorship.

About AWNY

Advertising Women of New York, which turns 100 this year, was founded in 1912 as the first women's association in the communications industry. The organization has grown to represent more than 1,700 dynamic and influential women and men representing the advertising, marketing, media, digital, promotions and public relations fields. The mission of AWNY is to provide a forum for personal and professional growth, to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of women in the communications field, and to promote and support philanthropic endeavors through the AWNY Foundation. For further information, visit http://www.awny.org.

SOURCE Advertising Women of New York