Nation's Oldest Women's Legal Organization Honors Outstanding Leaders

March 27, 2007 -

 

Legal Momentum, the nation's oldest women's legal advocacy organization, will honor five outstanding women today at its 7th Annual Aiming High Awards luncheon in New York City. Honorees include:

  • Denise Morrison, President, Campbell USA
  • Eileen Murray, Head of Operations & Technology, Morgan Stanley
  • Kathryn A. Oberly, Vice Chair and General Counsel, Ernst & Young
  • Diane Schumaker-Krieg, Managing Director, Global Head of Research, Wachovia
  • Neli Vazquez-Rowland, CEO, Be! Products, Inc., Co-Founder, A Safe Haven, L.L.C. and President, A Safe Haven Foundation
Each of these outstanding women embodies what it truly means to have the courage to aim high," said Legal Momentum President Kathy Rodgers. "We chose to honor them because they have broken new ground and risen to the top in the highly competitive business world. They are leaders, and more than that, they are examples of what Legal Momentum fights for every day: equality. They inspire other women to see what is possible.

The Aiming High Awards luncheon's theme is "A Celebration of the Power of Women," and the organizers chose the honorees with an eye toward their paths to achievement.

  • Denise Morrison, President, Campbell USA, is the first woman to head the $3 billion Soup, Sauces and Beverages business unit for Campbell Soup Company. She is responsible for some of America's favorite brands such as Campbell's, Chunky, Select, Swanson, V8, Prego and Pace. In her extensive career, Ms. Morrison has worked in executive positions for some of the most prominent food and consumer products companies in the nation, including Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi-Cola, Nestle and Nabisco."I'm honored to be a part of this event, and to support Legal Momentum's critical work to advocate for women's advancement," said Morrison. "I applaud Legal Momentum for the consistent quality work they do on behalf of women from all backgrounds everyday, and I'm proud to stand with them today."

  • Eileen Murray of Morgan Stanley has been a Wall Street leader for more than twenty years. In addition to holding a range of top posts at two of the world's largest financial institutions, Murray was the first woman to serve on the Executive Board of Credit Suisse First Boston, and serves as a member of Morgan Stanley's Management Committee and on a number of corporate and nonprofit boards. "I see this award as a chance to show women that the corporate world is a place where anyone willing to pursue their goals with determination and vigor can succeed," she said.

  • Kathryn Oberly, Vice Chair and General Counsel of Ernst & Young, has served in a range of legal positions in both the corporate and government worlds. She spent more than a decade in the Justice Department, and has been with Ernst & Young for sixteen years. In 1993, she became a founding member of Ernst & Young's Gender Equity Task Force and serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations. "I have spent my career working with the law, and I know that it can be a powerful tool for change," she said. "I think my work €“ like Legal Momentum's €“ shows that women can play a major role in changing the rules of the game."

  • Diane Schumaker-Krieg joined Wachovia in 2004 as Global Head of Research, responsible for leading Wachovia's Equity, Fixed Income and Structured Products Research Divisions. Ms. Schumaker-Krieg previously served as Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Equity Research for Credit Suisse. "I am thrilled to be part of today's event and a supporter of this outstanding organization that has done so much to advance women's rights," she said. "It is my hope that Legal Momentum will continue to focus on initiatives that provide access to challenging and rewarding careers for all women with the passion and drive to pursue them."

  • Neli Vazquez-Rowland is a social entrepreneur and the CEO of the cosmetics company, Be! Products, Inc. Ms. Vazquez-Rowland has repeatedly been recognized as an outstanding businesswoman and Latina leader, including as one of Hispanic Business Magazine's top 100 "Most Successful Businesswomen" in 2002. She is also the founder, along with her husband, of A Safe Haven, a supportive housing program for individuals in recovery from the diseases of drug and alcohol addiction that has served more than 25,000. Ms. Vazquez-Rowland sees her latest venture as a chance to build on her past experiences: "Every decision I make reflects Be!'s mission of doing well by doing good, that is, being supportive to women by creating programs to help them advance in the world. I love the fact that I can champion a high-quality nail product as a platform for celebrating €Women on Top of Their Game'. I'm grateful that Legal Momentum recognizes the importance of small businesswomen as a part of the business world."

The Aiming High Awards luncheon is scheduled for 11:45 am in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton New York. The event will also highlight Legal Momentum's new 2020 Campaign for women's rights and policy reforms, and will feature Legal Momentum's new book on women's history, Women: A Celebration Of Strength.