Maryann LoRusso

Red Typewriter •

Sleep Your Way to the Top!

There they were, two of the most formidable women in America, sitting side by side on the stage of Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco: Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, and her friend Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook. The media mavens united for this much-anticipated Commonwealth Club INFORUM event March 27 to discuss Huffington’s new book, Thrive, a heartfelt, inspirational read that poses an important question: How can
Red Typewriter •

Susan Sarich’s Sweet Inspiration

One should never underestimate the charms of a loving grandma—especially one whose homemade goodies inspire you to start your own business. For Susan Sarich, owner of the fast-growing SusieCakes chain, the charms of not only one, but two grandmothers were her delicious motivation. Growing up in Chicago, Susie (as she was then called) would come home from school to enjoy the company—and the freshly baked treats—of grandmas Mildred and Madeline. When Susan grew up and moved to the West Coast, she
Red Typewriter •

Pam Baer’s Fashionable Philanthropy

For Pam Baer, it doesn’t get any better than this. As an executive board member of San Francisco General Hospital, an adviser to several other nonprofits and (one of her most high-profile roles) the wife of San Francisco Giants President Larry Baer, she’s attended her share of chic soirees and charitable events. Now she’s taken two of her passions—fashion and philanthropy—and started her own company to give back on a global level. For Goodness Sake, whose name was inspired by Baer’s grandmother
20/20 •

Child's Destiny: Retail Profile

Norman Childs will do almost anything for a customer. He'll hunt down some frames that were recently spotted on Reese Witherspoon. He'll send an optician to deliver a pair of glasses straight to a client's door. He'll even open one of his stores at 7 a.m. if a patron's schedule demands it. but the one thing he will absolutely not do is let someone get away with just browsing. "We're a little more aggressive than most retailers about taking control of the sale," says Childs, who...
WWD •

Setting the Stage: QVC Sells Glitz, Glamour For a Good Cause

It's still about six weeks before this year's "QVC Presents FFANY Shoes on Sale" is broadcast to millions of households across America, and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York's office is buzzing. FFANY President Dick Jacobson, his wife, and several staffers are shuffling through invite lists and other paperwork related to the event, telephone receivers tucked under their chins. Letters pour out of the fax machine, and the phones are ringing off the hook.