Mengucci: On Our Short List ON OUR SHORT LIST People of note That Face! Some seek modeling, othershavemodelingthrustuponthem. shops and seminars in California ing for television and film. "The and G.E. employees. PEAKING OF FASHION, and Arizona. Effective walking time is right for me and for my But getting the message out to the SSylviaCole Mackey epito­ methods, stage and backstage eti­ look," she says. "I've got my photos right people is only half her job. mizes 1t. quette, ramp formations, and phys­ ready." As vice president for corporate She's an international runway ical fitness are among the trade tips public relations for all of G.E., model who has worn and displayed Mackey discusses in her seminars. JOYCE HER&EIIU '13 Hergenhan also takes an active role the clothing ofnearly every famous The inost outrageous outfit she's in policy-making decisions at the designer in the world. In outfits ever worn? "This beautiful $8,000 Corporate corporation. costing more than some automo­ white rhinestone and feather gown At many companies, says biles, she's wooed audiences in with a matching jacket. You could Voice Hergenhan, public relations France, Italy, the Philippines, and roll this thing up in a ball and it officers are kept in the dark during locations all over the United States. wouldn't wrinkle," she says. HEN CORPORATE policy-making sessions. But G.E.'s "I like the runway," says Mackey. Feathers would fall off in different W policy decisions are chairman, she says, is a strong pro­ "I like the audience contact, the eye places, and the designer would tell made at General Elec­ ponent of communications. "He contact, and the people rightthere. her not to worry, "It leaves a little tric, it's Joyce Hergenhan's job to realizes that the more I know what's I like to see what kind of response I bit of you, darling, wherever you make sure they are communicated going on, themorevaluablelamto can get.'' go." to the company's internal and exter­ the company and therefore I'm Mackey, a 1963 SU graduate in Although Mackey still models nal audiences- the public, the involved with strategy sessions." French and Russian, started runway actively, she'd like to try some act- media, the financial community, When G.E. acquired RCA two modeling in Baltimore more years ago, Hergenhan was a than 20 years ago. By key player in the acquisition chance, a woman in the and integration process. " I fashion industry saw was fully aware of what was Mackey and asked her to be going on," she says. "Thus in a show. my department was able to Never expecting to make a prepare all ofthecompany's career out of modeling, communications programs Mackey tried it and was an to our key audiences." instant hit. After her first Since G.E. does about show, agents and designers in $40 billion in sales annually, the audience mobbed her has some 300,000 employ­ and requested she model for ees worldwide, and consists them. of 14 key manufacturing and Since then, Mackey has service businesses (ranging branched into other areas as from jet engines to plastics), well. She has done numerous Hergenhan has a lot of television commercials (for communicating to do. Natural Light Beer and "Every day is different," AT&T, for example) and she says. "One day I might she's worked regularly as a be working with NBC on the model for print work­ acquisition of a television magazines and advertising. station in Miami, and the Mackey, who has lived in next day I might be going California for 16 years with with Jack Welch [G.E.'s her husband John (the chairman] to an editorial former pro football great) is board meeting at the also a modeling instructor. Washington Post. The She teaches professional following day I might work runway techniques in work- on a project involving defense industry procure­ ment practices.'' By MARY ELLEN Hergenhan, who gradu­ MENGUCCI, staff editor. ated from SU in 1963 with a Sylvia Mackey hadn't planned on modeling, but she's been doing it for 20 years. UNIV[RSilY Published4 bySYHACUS~ SURFACE, 1988MAUAZIN~ 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 5, Iss. 1 [1988], Art. 3 Danforth, still with Westinghouse MAUD EASTER '73 of women in New York. at the time, to spearhead a commit­ Networking, according to Easter, tee to keep the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Femicrats is the most important and time­ The committee pulled together 13 consuming part ofher job, although private owners, including Westing­ AUD PILKINGTON she admits it isdifficultto quantify. house, to buy the club. M Easter is empowering "Part of my role is staying in touch It wasn't until January of this women, for the sake of with the students, staying in touch year, however, that Danforth joined women, all over New York state. with the offices where students have the Pirates. He announced plans to Easter coordinates a legislative been placed, getting them in touch retire from Westinghouse at about fellowship program on women and with each other, and encouraging the same time the Pirate's chair­ public policy at the Center for them to continue to help one another manship became vacant. Danforth's Women in Government- a program, and bring about changes for women colleagues suggested he take over based at SUNY Albany, that helps in general." the club. "My first thought was women make their first step into Easter says the seven-month, Joyce Hergenhan 'Why would I want to do that?' But policy-making roles. credit-bearing fellowship attracts I thought about it more and said Each year, Easter places 10 students from campuses all over the degree in political science, isG.E.'s 'Why not?'~' graduate students in appropriate state. Participants represent various only female corporate officer Running a ball club is not all that state agencies and legislative offices academic disciplines, races, ages, worldwide. A recentBusinessweek different from running a corpora­ and interests. "I think it particu­ article named her as one of 50 tion, says Danforth. Finances, larly appeals to graduate students American businesswomen to watch. human relations, and recruiting who want, intheircareers, to work Hergenhan joined the company outstanding people are priorities in on the improvement ofthe system;' six years ago, with plenty of both fields. she says. background in the field. Prior to But in baseball, there are less in­ Easter, who received a master's G.E., she worked at Consolidated dividuals involved; the Pirates degree in adult education from SU Edison in New York City for 10 employ less than 1,000 people, in 1973, has been coordinating the years. During her last five years whereas 20,000 work at Westing­ fellowship program for nearly four there, she served as the senior vice house's corporate headquarters years. PriortojoiningtheCenterfor president for public affairs. alone. And in baseball, Danforth Women in Government, she worked Herjob at G.E., she says, covers says, "you're dealing with sports for the National Organization for a much larger range of issues. "At personalities, which canal ways be Women (NOW) as New York state's G.E., you'redealing with all of the interesting." only full-time lobbyist covering great macro issues of the day. Danforth's transition has obvi­ Maud Pilkington Easter women's issues. Sometimes I think that everything ously gone well . The Pirate's ticket While working for NOW, she that happens any place in the world sales are up almost 30 percent over to work on women's issues and re­ says, "I got to know a number of affects G.E." last season and the franchise ex­ ceive hands-on experience in state legislators and their staff members pects attendance to reach nearly 1.7 government. She says the program and I know which people are really OOH&LAS DAIFOHTH '47 million this year-more than double is designed to he! p state government committed to passing legislation to Pirate Captain the total three years ago. identify ways to best meet the needs improve women's lives." N 1987, THE CHAIRMAN I and chief executive officer of Westinghouse, Douglas D. Danforth, made most of his deci­ sions in the confines of an elegant executive suite. In his new job, he makes some of his biggest decisions standing in muddy fields, watching baseball games. He's chairman and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Danforth, a 1947 graduate of SU's College of Engineering, joined the ball club in a roundabout way. "We were about to lose our major league franchise here in Pittsburgh about three years ago," he says. "The prior owners had been losing money and they were thinking of selling the franchise to a non-Pittsburgh group. Those of us who are residents of Pittsburgh and active in the community felt this would be a serious loss." So the mayor of Pittsburgh asked After he left Westinghouse, Douglas Danforth became the front-office man for the Pittsburgh Pirates. https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol5/iss1/3 S~PTEMB~ft 1988 5 2 Mengucci: On Our Short List motivated with exercise videos," he marketing firm, Academy Enter­ says. ". They need a setting tainment, released "The Beach that's attractive to look at. That's Workout" in February, it's received why we filmed it on the beach." rave reviews. Shape magazine has Esse!, who produced and starred twice rated it as one of the in the video, is a full-time fitness country's top 10 exercise videos. consultant who'd like his name to Essel's newest video, called be associated with fitness in the " Pumping Rubber," was released same way Bruce Springsteen's in August.