Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> March 2, 1998
LILLIAN VERNON is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lillian
Vernon Corporation, a specialty catalog company that markets gift,
household, gardening, decorative and children's products. Born in
Germany, Lillian fled to the United States with her family before the
onset of World War II and settled in New York City. Lillian started her
company in 1951 with $2,000 of wedding gift money. She placed a $495
advertisement for a personalized purse and belt in Seventeen Magazine
and received $32,000 in orders and her business was launched. Over the
last 47 years, the company has experienced steady growth. Revenues for
fiscal 1997 were $240 million. Last year the company received more than
4.6 million orders and employed over 4,500 people during their peak
season. Always willing to give of herself, Lillian donates funds and
merchandise to over 500 charities each year. She serves on the boards of
several non-profit organizations, including Lincoln Center, Virginia
Opera and the Kennedy Center National Committee For The Performing Arts.
Lillian enjoys speaking at universities and has received several honors
including induction in the Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame,
the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Big Brother/Big Sisters National Hero
Award and Gannett Newspapers Business Leadership Award. She resides in
Greenwich, Connecticut. The Company has its headquarters in New
Rochelle, New York and its National Distribution Center in Virginia
Beach, Virginia, as well as a Buying and Quality Control office in
Florence, Italy. Lillian Vernon Corporation is a public company listed
on the American Stock Exchange. Profile
Corporation, a bit of a historical sketch and then bring us up to date.
What are the challenges and the opportunities that you see for
