Marian S. Heiskell Stepping Down as New 42nd Street Chairman of the Board; Fiona Howe Rudin is Named New Chairman

Marian S. Heiskell, chairman of the Board of The New 42nd Street since its founding in 1990, has relinquished her post and been named Honorary Chair, Cora Cahan, President of The New 42nd Street announced today. Ms. Heiskell has been succeeded as Chairman by Fiona Howe Rudin, who joined the Board in 2004, and has served as a Vice Chair since 2008.

Under Mrs. Heiskell’s leadership, The New 42nd Street has more than fulfilled the charge for which the nonprofit was entrusted by the City and State: to restore, preserve and reactivate seven of the derelict historic theaters on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, and to help fulfill the overriding public goal of attracting people to the block by establishing reinvented uses of those theaters.

“I can’t imagine a more remarkable, trusting, courageous and brilliant Chairman than Marian. I’m delighted she has chosen to remain an active member of the Board and look forward to working with the fabulous Fiona, whose spirited dedication to The New 42nd Street and The New Victory Theater has been apparent since the moment she joined the board. I look forward to working with Fiona for the next 22 years,” said Cora Cahan, President of The New 42nd Street.

The achievements of The New 42nd Street include the establishment of two nonprofit projects -- The New Victory® Theater, the city’s first theater devoted to kids and families and the city’s oldest operating theater, and the New 42nd Street® Studios, a rehearsal studio, theater (The Duke on 42nd Street) and nonprofit office facility -- and the securing of long term leases for six of the street’s theaters helping to create nearly 5,000 legitimate theater seats on the block.

Mrs. Heiskell served as a Director of The New York Times Company from 1963 to 1997. She also served as its Director of Special Activities from 1963 to 1977 and is proud to have been the
granddaughter, daughter, wife, sister and aunt of the Publisher of The New York Times. Mrs. Heiskell is a dedicated environmentalist and a leader in many public and philanthropic activities. She has been a particular advocate for maintaining and preserving green spaces in New York and around the nation. She formerly served on the Boards of several other corporations, including the Ford Motor Company, Merck & Co., Inc., and Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Mrs. Heiskell was the first woman elected to these three boards).

Mrs. Heiskell is President of her family’s Foundation, The Sulzberger Foundation. In addition, she is Honorary Chairman of GrowNYC (formerly the Council on the Environment of New York City), and as Chairman of The New 42nd Street, Inc., she was a driving force behind the restoration of 42nd Street and Times Square. She is also Chairman of the of the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy; a member of the Board of Directors of Audubon New York; a member of the Board of Directors of the 42nd Street Development Corporation; a member of the Board of Managers and a member of the Executive Committee of The New York Botanical Garden; and a former member of the Board of Trustees of New Yorkers for Parks; Mrs. Heiskell is also an Honorary Life Trustee of the Community Service Society of New York.

Her numerous awards include an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, from the Polytechnic Institute of New York (June 1974); the Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Annual Award, given by Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (December 1974); Honorary Degree, Doctorate of Laws, from Dartmouth College (June 1975); Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (June 1975); Woman of the Year Award from the New York Chapter of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation, Inc. (April 1977); the Lizette H. Sarnoff Award for Volunteer Service presented by the Women’s Division of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (May 1980); Mrs. Heiskell was honored jointly by the former Secretary of the Interior, Cecil Andrus; the Mayor of the City of New York, Edward I. Koch; the Gateway National Recreation Area; and the Council on the Environment of New York City at Gracie Mansion on October 28, 1980; she is a recipient of the Wirth Environmental Award (April 1989); and was honored by Mayor and Mrs. David N. Dinkins at Gracie Mansion on August 6, 1992 for her work as Chairman of the Council on the Environment of New York City from 1970-1992; Mrs. Heiskell and her late husband, Andrew Heiskell, were honored jointly by the following: Citizens Union Annual Distinguished Service Award (November 1975); The Municipal Art Society (recipients of the 1989 President’s Medal); The Parks Council (April 1993) for their work on New York City’s Bryant Park and their commitment and dedication to the greening of New York City; the Citizens Committee for New York City “New Yorker for New York Award” (February 1994); and the South Street Seaport Museum’s Distinguished Service Award (September 1994); In October 1998 Mr. and Mrs. Heiskell were recipients of The New York State Governor’s Arts Award, in recognition of their significant contributions to the artistic life in the State of New York; and in November 1999, Mr. and Mrs. Heiskell were honored as ‘Living Landmarks’ by The New York Landmarks Conservancy for their efforts towards preserving New York City. In September 1997, in recognition of her years of service to New York City and her efforts to make its neighborhoods green, vital and more humane, the Marian S. Heiskell Garden was opened. Marian’s Garden is located on West 48th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan. Mrs. Heiskell was honored by the Community Service Society (October 1998) and by The New 42nd Street at their annual gala on April 6, 1999. More recent awards include the Thomas W. Keesee, Jr. Conservation Award from Audubon New York in recognition of her outstanding contributions towards safeguarding the environment (November 2004); The Open Space Institute Award (November 2005); the Medal of Merit for Outstanding Service to the City of New York from The Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York (December 2005). On September 13, 2006, Mrs. Heiskell was honored by the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy at their Inaugural Benefit Dinner at Federal Hall National Memorial in recognition of her contributions to the harbor parks and for promoting accessible water transportation. As its Founder and Honorary Chairman, Mrs. Heiskell was also honored by the Council on the Environment of New York City at a benefit honoring Greenmarket’s 30th anniversary on September 18, 2006.

Born on December 31, 1918 in New York City to Arthur Hays Sulzberger and Iphigene (Ochs), Mrs. Heiskell graduated in 1941 from the Frobeleague Kindergarten Training School. She has three children by her first marriage to Orvil Eugene Dryfoos, former Publisher of The New York Times, who died in May 1963 -- Jacqueline Hays, Robert Ochs, and Susan Warms. In 1965 she married Andrew Heiskell, then Chairman of Time Inc., who died in July 2003. Mrs. Heiskell resides in New York City and Darien, Connecticut.

Ms. Rudin joined the Board of The New 42nd Street in 2004 and has served as a Vice Chair under Marian Heiskell for the last four years. She has been involved with several nonprofit organizations ranging on issues including, but not limited to: women’s health, public policy, and the visual and performing arts. Her first love is the arts and arts education. On a visit with her young sons to The New Victory Theater years ago, Ms. Rudin was awed by the quality of work being shown for such young audiences at affordable prices. Later, it was the Education Program at The New Victory that really attracted Fiona’s interest in becoming an active board member.

In addition to The New 42nd Street, Ms. Rudin currently serves on the board of the National Institute of Reproductive Health and the Friend’s committee of Baby Buggy, an organization that provides essential clothing, gear and services to young mothers and families in need throughout New York City. She is also an active member of the New York Public Library Council.

A graduate of Goucher College with a double major in Art History and English, Fiona resides in New York City with her husband Eric and their two sons.