When a member of a company's leadership team dies, a common dilemma for the in-house marketing, planning, or protocol team is how do you pay tribute to the person in the public space, whether through a dedicated event or incorporated into an annual affair. When that executive is considered the driving force behind the organization and has a pivotal role in its events, the question has even wider implications.
That's the situation Lucretia Gilbert, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's director of development and special events, faced when Evelyn Lauder died in November of last year. Lauder, a regular on the New York benefit scene as an attendee, board member, and honoree, founded the nonprofit in 1993 and was heavily involved with its philanthropic efforts. Gilbert's team was already in the midst of planning the 2012 fund-raisers when they received the news.
We spoke with Gilbert to find out how Lauder's death affected this year's benefits and what the foundation's event department is doing to continue the efforts established by Lauder nearly 20 years ago.
Evelyn Lauder had a central role in the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. After her death, were there any concerns about continuing the event program as scheduled?
As our founder, Evelyn Lauder worked for 17 years with many of the people on our leadership team and event chairmen. They really did know what she would have wanted. We knew she would have been very disappointed had we not carried on with the same fortitude and stamina that she had already invested. Plus her husband, Mr. Leonard Lauder, graciously stepped forward immediately to fill in for his beloved wife as acting chairman of the B.C.R.F. board of directors, and for us, that was the greatest encouragement and endorsement of all. He really worked collaboratively with the B.C.R.F. team and our event co-chairs to ensure the Hot Pink Party would be a success. One of the most touching moments was when he took to the stage at the event in New York with two of Mrs. Lauder's granddaughters, Rachel and Danielle, at his side.
But the first thing that really crossed our mind was how were we going to make the Waldorf bigger.
What was the biggest challenge faced by the event team?
Really it was about how do you honor and pay tribute to someone of that caliber. How to recognize her in a meaningful way that would touch so many people in the room. That's what we came up against, and that's what we worked so creatively on: how to bring Mrs. Lauder into our events and include her passion and commitment so you could feel it without her presence.
What did that mean for the Hot Pink Party fund-raiser in New York?
This year's Hot Pink Party was themed "Celebrating My Fair Evelyn's Dream." Our entire team, including Monroe Alechman, decor consultant, worked very hard to creatively incorporate Evelyn's favorite things throughout the evening. Mrs. Lauder's favorite peony flower was not only included in the event centerpiece, but each guest received an "Evelyn Lauder dream scarf," which was inspired by her photograph, "Poetry in the Light." The scarf represented Mrs. Lauder's deep love of nature, flowers, beauty, and life.
We also opened the evening with a gorgeous video tribute that artfully demonstrated her shared and personal commitment for finding a cure for breast cancer. And Sir Elton John gave a special tribute performance in honor of his dear friend.
With such tributes, I assume there has been increased interest in the organization's events this year, is that correct?
All of our major foundation events have all been so well received this year; the New York Hot Pink Party was a sold-out affair. We had a terrific Hot Pink luncheon in February at The Breakers in Palm Beach, and next week is our Boston Hot Pink Party at the InterContinental hotel on May 17. Quite honestly, our little B.C.R.F. special events team is working around the clock on making sure that all of our events continue to be executed as they would have been under Mrs. Lauder’s leadership—no detail overlooked! We vow to make our champion proud at every B.C.R.F. Hot Pink event. She will always be our inspiration.
It's been a labor of love for our team and an overwhelming outpouring of support. It's a happy task for us to figure out how to take this support and turn it into long-term support, which I think is what we're going to do and what we're going to work on.
How do you keep the annual fund-raiser fresh?
It's easier than you think—it's always pink, but always different. We have new event leadership, and this year Brian Williams was a new addition and co-emceed the event along with Elizabeth Hurley. We also have a wonderful decor and "set designer," Monroe Alechman, who each year helps us develop an appropriate theme and then translates this into a magic environment at the Waldorf. And we have a slightly different combination of sponsors and event co-chairmen each year, so that gives each event a unique flavor as well. We're already thinking ahead to the April 17, 2013, Hot Pink Party and how to make it exciting.
What's in the works for the Boston Hot Pink Party?
The theme for the Boston event is honoring inspiration women. It ties in very nicely and was actually set in motion prior to everything happening. We're honoring two women, Elisha Daniels and Sandra Krakoff, who will receive humanitarian awards. Both were there when we started the group with Mrs. Lauder and both are breast cancer survivors. It's the story of how one person can make a difference and that's what both these women have done with the B.C.R.F. group in Boston and how we've expanded that event from $260,555 in 2006 to last year's more than $1 million.
