WomenÂ's Forum of NY Hosts Elly Awards Luncheon June 15

The Women's Forum of New York will present the inaugural Elly Awards Luncheon benefitting The Education Fund of The Women's Forum on Wednesday, June 15 at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The awards, named for The Women's Forum founder Elinor Guggenheimer, will honor outstanding women leaders.

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The Elly Award Recipients (both in attendance) will be:
· Evelyn H. Lauder, Founder and Chairman of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to be presented by Bobbi Brown

· Diana Taylor, Managing Director of Wolfensohn Fund Management, LP to be presented by Lisa Caputo.

Barbara Walters, nine-time Emmy® Award winning journalist and television legend, will conduct a joint interview with the honorees preceding the presentation of the awards.

"This year the Women's Forum of New York is launching the Elly Awards, named for our founder Elinor Guggenhemier, to celebrate outstanding leadership by women," says Janice Reals Ellig, President of The Women's Forum of New York. "In all aspects of life today, the need for leadership has never been greater - leaders who innovate to find solutions to the many challenges we face. The Women's Forum of New York is a select group of the highest achieving women in all major business and professional sectors and we are so proud to honor Evelyn Lauder and Diana Taylor who have not only demonstrated outstanding professional achievement but have become philanthropic and civic leaders as well."

"The Women's Forum of New York fosters leadership among its members through sharing insight, experience and influence. It is founded and grounded in women helping other women achieve," says Beverly Beaudoin, President, The Education Fund of the Women's Forum. "The Education Fund is an extension of this purpose and is unique - we help women over 35 who demonstrate potential, but may have had their education derailed by adversity, return to college to become qualified for a fresh career path. We're helping to create new women leaders every day."

The Elly Awards will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a reception & VIP arrivals. The Luncheon and Presentation will be from 12:15 to 2:00 p.m.

Honorary Chairs for The Elly Awards are Lucy Jarvis, legendary television producer & Muriel Siebert, the first woman to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, and both early members of the Forum. Chairs are Jane Chesnutt,former Editor and Chief of Women's Day & Denise V. Seegal, President and CEO of Amsale . Co-Chairs are Beth Canavan, Executive Vice-President, Tiffany & Co, Lisa Caputo, Managing Director, Citi, and Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Vice-Chair, New York State Council on the Arts.

The Elly Awards Committee is: Beverly Beaudoin, Myra J. Biblowit, Carolyn Carter, Janice Reals Ellig, Barbara J. Friedman, Emita Hill, Deborah Krulewitch, Sylvia Moss, Liz Newmark, Ilene Wachs & Linda A. Willett.

Gold Sponsors are The Loreen Arbus Foundation, Chadick Ellig and The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

The Women's Forum of New York:

The Women's Forum of New York advances women's leadership by connecting preeminent women of significant achievement in diverse industries to enrich each other's lives personally and professionally and take active roles in matters of importance to them.

The organization focuses on leadership with successful women and its mission is to foster leadership in other women throughout the world through shared talent, experience and influence.

Comprised of approximately 450 women representing the highest level of achievement in virtually every business and professional sector from finance to fine arts, membership in the Forum is limited and by invitation only.

Founded in 1974 by Elinor Guggenheimer, The Women's Forum of New York captured a powerful idea right for the times - that women could foster leadership in other women through sharing ideas, influence and experiences. The enduring power of that idea has led the New York organization to inspire Women's Forums in major cities throughout the United States and internationally. Today the Women's Forum of New York is the flagship of the International Women's Forum organization comprised of 64 affiliates with over 4000 members around the world and operational headquarters in Washington, DC.

The Women's Forum of New York promotes leadership through its core program activities for members, through The Education Fund which helps high potential women over 35 who have overcome adversity to continue their education and pursue careers and through the CEO Council which targets extending the leadership contribution of women through corporate board participation.

The Education Fund of the Women's Forum of New York:

The Education Fund is an educational and charitable arm of The Women's Forum of New York, established under a separate corporate governance as a 501(c)3 tax deductible organization.

Since 1987, the Fund has helped mature women pursue educational goals and enhance their capacities to provide productive and supportive service to their communities. The Award recognizes extraordinary and often heroic effort in overcoming adversity and the most daunting of odds in restructuring lives for success.