Saks Will Host 2013 Winter Ball Women of Distinction Announcement Event

Saks Fifth Avenue will present a cocktail event to formally announce the 2013 honorees for the 2013 Winter Ball as part of their ongoing support of the CCFA.  The event will include award winning ABC 13 journalist Melanie Lawson, and will present each of the honorees and Ambassadors to over 150 guests. The Women of Distinction and Ambassador for the Crohn's & Colitis Winter Ball 2013 are honored for making a difference in the Houston community through their charity work. Over the past 25 years, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) honored more than 250 of Houston's most talented and dedicated women at the annual Winter Ball, which is a primary fundraiser for the foundation.

The 2013 Women of Distinction are Jana Arnoldy, Darlene Bisso, Donna Bruni, Arvia Few, Debby Leighton, Nidhika Mehta, Alice Mosing, Liz Rigney and Elizabeth Stein. The 2013 Ambassador is Sidney Faust amd the Legendary Woman of Distinction is Margaret Williams. The 2013 Chairs for the Winter Ball are Evelyn Leightman and Barbara Scott. The ABC-13 Women of Distinction, presented by the Mercedes-Benz Dealers of Greater Houston, will be honored at the Renaissance Ball Winter ball on January 26, 2013 at the Hilton Americas Hotel.

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's (CCFA) mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. Known collectively as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), these painful, chronic illnesses affect approximately 1.4 million Americans, including some 140,000 children under the age of 18. CCFA was founded in 1967. CCFA is supported solely by individual, foundation, and corporate contributions with more than 81 cents every dollar CCFA spends goes directly into research and educational programs. CCFA is among the top-rated charities in the American Institute of Philanthropy's Charity Rating Guide.

Since CCFA's inception, approximately $136 million has been provided for researchers attempting to find the causes of, and cures for, IBD. Each year, more than 80 current and ongoing research grants are funded. More than 60 percent of CCFA-sponsored researchers have obtained subsequent funding from the National Institutes of Health for further IBD research.

In 2001, NOD2, the first gene linked to Crohn's disease, was discovered. This breakthrough was funded in part by a CCFA research grant. CCFA continues to accelerate the pace of IBD research by collaborating with top researchers and clinicians. CCFA-sponsored research, such as "Challenges in IBD Research," a series of top-priority initiatives, the DNA and Cell Line Bank, and the Clinical Alliance, is forging new collaborations and providing vital resources for investigators nationwide.

About Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world's preeminent specialty retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and international designer collections, its expertly edited assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts, and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client service of its Associates. Today, Saks operates 45 full-line stores in 20 states, 2 licensed stores in the Middle East and 2 licensed stores in Mexico City, 61 Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and saks.com, The company's online store. For more information, visit http://www.saksfifthavenue.com

Saks Fifth Avenue is proud to be named a J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Service Champion and is only one of 50 U.S. companies so named.