The Women's Forum of New York held its Elly Awards at The Plaza to recognize outstanding women leaders. The inaugural luncheon honored Evelyn Lauder, senior corporate VP of the Estée Lauder Companies and founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and Diana Taylor, Mayor Bloomberg's girlfriend and director of Wolfensohn Fund Management. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown and Lisa Caputo of The Travelers Companies presented the key awards, which are named in honor of Forum founder Elinor Guggenheimer.
    Barbara Walters conducted a joint interview with the honorees, during which Taylor gave her take on successful women: "I Googled successful women the other day, and what I came up with was Cougar.com. So I think when you have that come up, you have a problem." She also went on to say, "More women need wives."
    Lauder voiced her view on leadership and whether or not one is born with it: "I was a bossy little girl, pushing people around, organizing things.... My mother was a leader.... My mother-in-law [Estée Lauder] was a huge influence. In school, I got an 'unsuccessful' in categories such as 'plays well with others,' etc., except for 'speaks clearly'. I learned how to fire people from [husband] Leonard.É He taught me to be good to the person you are letting go, and never do it in the heat of passion."
Walters raised the question "Do you worry about being called 'pushy' or 'bitch'?" Lauder responded resolutely, "No-if I have to get something done, I do it!"
    VIP attendees included Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Muriel Siebert, Beverly Beaudoin, Carolyn Carter, Myra Biblowit, Barbara Friedman, Emita Hill, Sylvia Moss, Liz Newmark, Ilene Wachs, and Linda Willett. An amazing and inspirational group of women!