September 2010 ef link

EF E F LINK September 2010 Issue #40

Keeping You in the Link.

A

Rich Mosaic

Our community is comprised of many complexions, backgrounds and heritages.

For our September issue, we put a spotlight on diversity and inclusion in the company, featuring stories from EFers born outside of the United States and their journey, sharing ways we are stretching ourselves to embrace a deeper level of understanding and highlighting thoughts from members of our community.

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upfront NEPAL

Describe what types of work you did in your home country.

Although Tibet is my home country, I was born and raised in Nepal. While in Nepal I worked for a family-owned Tibetan Handmade Carpet Industries. As a responsible person of the business, I had opportunities to teach and was able to experience the whole phase of the carpet lifecycle. We received orders from the different corners of the world. We imported wools from Tibet and New Zealand to produce different types of yarn qualities. We then dyed the yarns to manufacture hand-knotted Tibetan rugs for customized designs and orders. The hand-woven carpets were then washed and finally exported. I have learned through my experience that it is very challenging to coordinate and deal with the workers, in addition to the headache of import and export regulations. We used to have 400 – 500 employees who came from different parts of the country and India working under a same roof.

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

I have two most important priorities in my life: The first is to educate my children. And the second is to do something for my lost country Tibet. As it is widely said, “America is a land of freedom and opportunity,” I also see the same. I see that America has the best modern education system where my kids can be educated to openly pursue their endeavors.

America also gives me freedom to pursue my dreams of getting involved in Tibetan Freedom struggles. To me, America is a country that cares for her people - with each one equal in the eyes of government, society, and the law.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession/work.

Education and training is a foundation of any profession.

Similarly, I believe this has helped me in securing a position with EILEEN FISHER. Working more proficiently and gaining self confidence led me to apply for a promotional job within the company.

With my 15 years of professional experience in Tibetan carpet production, I can say that Tibetan wool is one of the highestquality wools in the world. The Himalayan sheep that live in some of the coldest and highest regions on earth have developed the thickest and hardiest coats of wool, which produce natural shining and lengthy woolen fiber. I would be delighted to see EILEEN FISHER woolen products made out of Tibetan wool.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FIHSER.

After I moved to the United States, EILEEN FISHER is the only company where I have worked. I joined the company in February 2007, working as a shipping clerk until March 2010. From March 2010, I was promoted to Invoicing Coordinator. I shoulder the responsibilities of invoicing, shipping of SPS accounts, and also documentation for global

shipments. I learned a lot more about the company’s operational system, products and people since I started working in this position. Still there are so many things to be learned.

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER?

Diversity means freedom to me in the company because of its equality policy. Although we are diverse in many ways (different ethnicity, political and religious beliefs, individual feelings etc.), we are all respected equally and fully by the company. For example, I am totally different from my other non-Tibetan friends in the company with respect to the ethnicity, political status, cultural background, language, religious beliefs etc, but I never feel like I’m different from them. We share our disparity, respect each other, and live as a big family under a same roof. In my life I had to face so many confrontations where I had to struggle for my rights due to my ethnicity, but not at EILEEN FISHER. At EILEEN FISHER, we all have equal opportunity. At EILEEN FISHER, we are ONE and EQUAL. In EILEEN FISHER, I am constantly reminded of His Holiness’s statement:

One Human Family

“Whether we like it or not, we have all been born on this earth as part of one great human family. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging to one nation or another, to one religion or another, adhering to this ideology or that, ultimately each of us is just a human being like everyone else: we all desire happiness and do not want suffering. Furthermore, each of us has an equal right to pursue these goals.” -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Anything interesting you would like to include or share

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about your heritage/background? This could include a favorite meal, interest, activity, etc!

As a Tibetan, I always proudly tell others that I am a Tibetan.

But I have never seen Tibet; have not touched even the soil of my own country. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, along with all other Tibetans, my parents also took refuge in Nepal. I was born in Nepal. My father sent me to India for education.

In 1980, it was “LOSAR,” a Tibetan New Year festival time.

All of the kids were excited to celebrate the occasion, but my father took me to Kathmandu city to my uncle (my mom’s brother) who was going to Dharamsala, India. Without my Mom’s understanding, he asked my uncle to take me along with him and have me enrolled in a Tibetan school somewhere in India. I didn’t get to see my family for four years after I was placed in the Tibetan school in India. All my parents knew was that I was somewhere in India, but they didn’t know anything beyond that. Then, after four years, I was asked to return home in Nepal to meet my uncle (my father’s younger brother) who had escaped from Tibet after 18 years of being in a Chinese prison. It was during our two-month winter holiday. I reached Kathmandu, and then

continued my journey back home by walking three days to the village.

My family saw me, and everyone burst into tears. No one was talking to me! I wondered why there were tears in everyone’s eyes. It wasn’t a good feeling at all. In the mean time, I was looking for my mom who was not at her seat.

Instead I met one stranger who was my uncle from Tibet; we had never met before. Then I asked my sister where our mom was. She held me and told me that mom had passed away two years ago. I will never forget that moment. Later they told me that my mother had collapsed as a result of my departure to India. That’s a part of my childhood life.

When I am alone, I listen to Tibetan and Hindi Music, and also English songs from 80s, and 90s. I do compose some Tibetan songs. I often listen to different speeches of H.H. the Dalai Lama, which takes me away from everything.

It makes me happy if I can spare some time for the community services and activities to regain my county. I believe in “United, We Stand.”

CHARLOTTE Describe what type of work you did in your home country.

GHANA

I was a business woman.

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

To get a better life so that I can help my family back home.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession/work.

It helped me to get along with my co-workers and everyone I meet.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FISHER. I work as a shipping clerk, and I love my job.

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER? Diversity means working together and getting along with everybody.

Anything interesting you would like to include or share about your heritage?

We Ghanaians believe in working hard to achieve our aim.

Our best meal is fufu and peanut butter soup. We are also interested in soccer; we almost won the World Cup.

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GI

I was born and raised in Bulgaria. There I received two Masters Degrees, one in physical education and one in nursing. I was a surgical nurse—sports and education are very important in Bulgaria. In 1990, after Communism collapsed in Europe, Bulgarians were finally able to get visas to travel. My aunt and uncle lived in Tarrytown, NY and invited us to visit. I was getting divorced so I decided that my new life would begin on this vacation to America. There were many more opportunities for my son and daughter as well. In Bulgaria the economy was struggling, and it would have been very hard to support them. As we traveled to a foreign country, I only had $50 in my pocket, no job and no home.

BULGARIA

A New Beginning

When we traveled to the United States, my cousin proposed we stay in Maryland and live with her. My daughter moved to Maryland while I worked two nursing jobs in New York to save money to put her through school. It took a year but I was able to save up enough to pay for her education. Shortly afterwards, my son joined us in America, and our family was once again reunited. We all moved to Maryland, where I began to work in Retail – first in maternity stores, then running five sports equipment stores, and on to Ann Taylor where I became the #1 sales person in the company for eight years. After many successful years at Ann Taylor, I joined the EILEEN FISHER Chevy Chase store when it opened last July.

My education has been very useful in regards to my job in retail. I speak Bulgarian, Russian, French and English so I can help customers in four languages. My life experiences have taught me to be an expert in many things. I love to work with women who come in not knowing what they want but leave feeling wonderful about themselves and our clothes.

Wherever I have worked, people ask me for advice on everything from health issues, to fabric care to relationships.

Everyone calls me “Mama Gi.”

Customer Care

Diversity within the EILEEN FISHER retail stores is very

important. Our store has customers from all over the world and who travel all over the world. I think it helps to have associates who are multi-lingual and well traveled. It makes customers feel welcome, and we have interesting conversations. I, myself, love to travel and discover new places. Other things I enjoy are classical music, opera, ballet and skiing. Growing up in Bulgaria, I was a competitive swimmer and, to this day, I still love to swim.

The Beautiful Life

The rest of my family has become very successful as well. My son just received his second Masters Degree in International Finance. My daughter is a very successful hair stylist and married to a doctor. I have one granddaughter and another one coming in November. We have come a long way from our $50 dollar beginning. During this excellent journey, I have stood by my life motto which is: Live Simply, Love Generously and Care Deeply.

JOSE Describe what type of work you did in your home country.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

I did not get a chance to be part of the actual workforce, but as a youngster I had the opportunity to work on my father and our friend’s farm. Kids in the countryside get to work very early. In some areas, schooling is scheduled around the farming season, so you have some kids that might be working a big part of the summer just because a certain crop is to be processed.

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

My family, as well as many other families, was motivated

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E F LINK by the financial opportunities available in this country. The prevalence of nepotism is not as obvious here and, as long as you are willing to prepare yourself and work hard, you can make a living.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession / work.

I believe that education and training has impacted my profession in the most unimaginable ways. I have been able to meet wonderful people in all areas. I have also had the opportunity to deal with a great variety of people in the private as well as the public sector here and in other countries. When I arrived at the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, I was given the opportunity to meet people who were very interested in helping the women hurt by the catastrophe that occurred in the area.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FISHER.

I am currently the e-Commerce Operations Manager. So far in this position I have come to learn that teamwork is the key to getting the job done. Ever since I arrived, I have been showered by good will and help from other departments, namely the Distribution Center group. Khaja

upfront and his group have been very helpful.

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER?

Diversity means to me that we are all different, come from different backgrounds, have different belief systems etc.

Although we have all those differences, we are to be treated equally and with the same level of respect; I see that at EF. I also see the willingness of our company to lend a hand to the needy, not only locally, but also in other countries. That was my main attraction to EF.

Anything interesting you would like to include or share about your heritage/background? This could include a favorite meal, interest, activity, etc.

Well, being a native from the Dominican Republic and baseball being the national sport, I was a little bit of an oddball because baseball was not my favorite sport. I became more proficient in track and field, table tennis and karate.

I like to eat different kinds of food, but my favorite is wellcooked rice and beans. I love it!

ROMEO Before I left for America, I was a student in the Philippines. My motivation to move was primarily to be with my parents and, of course, have a better future.

The education I acquired in the Philippines has helped me become a great team player PHILIPPINES and has allowed me to develop close relationships with my co workers; we all get along very well.

Currently, I am working as a shipping clerk in the Secaucus location of EF. I am able and willing to complete any task that my supervisor requests of me, and it is all the more fun getting to work with such amiable people. I really love my job.

Diversity, to me, means working together to achieve a common goal and/or objective regardless of what country you come from, what religious group you are affiliated with, your sexual orientation or the color of your skin.

Being Filipino has allowed me to become a unique and essential member of the EF team. Filipino’s are known to be hard working individuals. We take pride in our work and what we have accomplished. My favorite Filipino dish is litson, which is a roasted pig. I love cooking for my friends and family. I also enjoy playing basketball.

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NINA

Describe what type of work you did in your home country.

I was born in Poland but ethnically I’m Ukrainian and still speak Ukrainian at home with my children. I was 16 when I emigrated to the U.S. When we arrived, I lived in New Jersey and went to high school. When I was 20-years-old, I moved to Australia and lived there for seven years. I studied environmental science, got married, and then my daughter was born and I was a stay-at-home mom.

UKRAINE

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

My father came in 1979 because of economic opportunities.

Because of the political climate in Poland, it took several years to get a permit for my mother, brother and me to come to the U.S. We weren’t able to join my father until 1984. It was really difficult to be separated from him for so many years. We weren’t even able to visit with him.

And communication was so much more primitive then. No Facebook! Just occasional phone calls. The letters were heavily censored.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession/work.

In 2005, I moved with my husband from the United Kingdom to Florida, where he started his own business. My son was 10-years-old and my daughter was 13. Soon afterwards, we moved to Florida, my son got sick and I tried to get a doctor appointment. Although I had money and could pay to see the doctor, they wouldn’t see him without health insurance, which we did not have. It was horrifying. I knew then that I had to get a job so I could have health insurance. I worked at DSW for two years. I kept seeing ads for EILEEN FISHER in magazines and I thought, “I’ve been looking for these clothes all my life!” I was an EF customer first, and then I started working here.

it. As an employee, we have autonomy to do what’s right for the customer. I like the ethos of the Company, and I like interacting with people. I like making people happy. When I can find a great outfit for them, I feel great. It makes them happy and sometimes changes their lives. I know what I wear impacts my mood, and I have developed a relationship with the customers. They show me pictures of their children and grandchildren. It’s like a village green here. I live 25 miles away, and people ask me why I commute so far. I tell them it’s because of EF. And of course, I love the clothes!

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER?

Diversity means inclusiveness. It seems to be an inclusive company. You can be yourself. You don’t have to conform.

Whatever your background, you’re accepted with all your differences. People build on your strengths. The good points are appreciated. I feel appreciated.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FISHER.

I’m a sales associate. There are so many things I like about

HARIKA

Describe what type of work you did in your home country.

TURKEY

My parents are from Turkey, but I was actually born in St. Louis. We moved back and forth a lot. I had a rug and home furnishings store in St. Louis and did a lot of my buying in different villages and coastal towns in Turkey.

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

My parents are physicians and came here in the 1950s. They moved back to Turkey for 12 years, but decided to return to the United States so we could be educated here. Although I’m Muslim, I went to a Catholic middle and high school. I September 2010 / 6

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went to Dickinson College in Pennsylvania.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession / work.

I went to an all-girls school that focused on women being strong and doing what’s right for one’s self and family, and striving to be your best. I think that affected me in terms of my work life and family life. We were always taught that your gender shouldn’t affect how you live your life. I majored in psychology in college which was great because I learned about people and individuals and how to relate to life and work/life.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FISHER.

I’m the Plaza Frontenac [St. Louis] store manager. I’ve only been here for six months, and it’s been great. EILEEN FISHER is still trying to find our place in St. Louis. We’ve

been doing a lot of outreach and learning about the customers. We’ve had a really nice reception. We have a great team and a lot of incredible support from everyone in the company as we find our way. I love my job here.

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER?

Diversity means that you’re an individual. We’re all different but we all have something meaningful to share in the big picture. Everyone’s diverse. It’s not about your background or your religion. It means you have something special to give. I’m proud of where I come from. I think of it as a gift.

It was always important to my mother that we learn both Turkish and English when we were growing up, and that was an integral way for me to benefit from my heritage. I’m grateful to my mom for giving this to us.

Maurice Describe what type of work you did in your home country.

I worked for an auto mechanic for two years, and then I went to Kuwait and worked for an American sub-contractor for six years (Sewage Waste Water Treatment Plant).

INDIA

Share your motivation for moving to the United States.

While in Kuwait, I became friendly with my best friend’s sister. We knew each other since childhood, and she had been living here in the United States. We fell in love and went to India to get married in 1992.

In 1994 I came to the United States.

Discuss how your education and training has impacted your profession / work.

This country is full of opportunities. If you apply yourself and take advantage of what the United States has to offer, you can come a long way, no matter where you are from. I got my GED in the United States which in turn helped me to get the job I have now. I am blessed to have been given an opportunity to work for EILEEN FISHER, which is a great company. I am very proud of myself and the hard work I have put in to get me to where I am today.

Tell us about your current work at EILEEN FISHER.

I started as a Receiving Clerk. I later moved to the Shipping Department where I worked with UPS and Federal Express.

I was promoted a Returns Clerk, which is the position I am currently holding.

I love my job here at EILEEN FISHER.

What does diversity mean to you in EILEEN FISHER?

Diversity is the best thing I’ve seen. We get to know about different people’s culture, religion, learning standards and the variety of different foods. It’s really fun to see and learn

from each other. At EILEEN FISHER, we have people from different countries accustomed to different cultures, and yet we are all able to blend in with one another and respect one another’s thoughts and beliefs. I admire how we all work as a team or better yet we work as a family! We spend more hours here at work than we do at home, and it’s so very important to have a connection with our co-workers and leaders.

Anything interesting you would like to include or share about your heritage/background? Yes, although I am thrilled to be here in the United States, I love and miss my country. There’s no place like home. The people, food, sights and greenery in spring is priceless.

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Inclusion: an EILEEN FISHER Hallmark Below are examples of how we demonstrated this value even more this year:

From Business Visioning to Our 2010 Company Priorities: Moving Forward Together Business Visioning: In Fall 2009 we began our Business Visioning process which engaged the creativity and participation of the whole organization in planning for our company’s future.

Leadership Forum, a full list of projects were identified that fit with the main branches of our Company Priorities. Some projects were brand new and some were already identified as important and consistent with our future direction.

Inclusion in Projects: Each project is led by a team of project

Company Priorities 2010 – Priority Tree

Company Priorities 2010

A framework for our company’s vision and direction. More

Priority Tree

Prior to holding Business Visioning, there was a lot of thought about our intergenerational population, and how we might include them in the future direction of the company. We used this as a primary lens for inviting 70+ participants to a two-day offsite to design for growth. This group represented a breadth of disciplines and included a range of contributors, all with vital leadership qualities the company is committed to nurturing. The two days included: • sharing insights and questions attendees brought from interviews they conducted with other people in the company; • exploring the results of a possibilities survey all attendees took in advance; • breaking into small teams to brainstorm ideas around the top themed directions; • hearing from five key voices in a town hall setting on the economy, the business and their inspiration for how we might grow; and, • shaping the direction through community and small group discussion and reflection.

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FAQ

This company is a constellation of stars, each one of us bringing great talent, ideas and light to our path forward. I’ve always believed in the huge value of engaging everyone as we grow—and I’m delighted we’ve shaped the company priorities as bigger picture initiatives that hold a variety of key projects, inviting more people to lead and participate in the work. —Eileen

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http://priorities.eileenfisher.net/[9/13/2010 5:27:08 PM]

Because Eileen and the leadership system teams are committed to the important connection between large group creativity and energy and maintaining focus on key projects with smaller groups, a sub-group met the second day to hone in on what seems most important for our future.

Because Eileen and the leadership system teams are committed to the important connection between large group creativity and energy and maintaining focus on key projects with smaller groups, a sub-group met the second day to hone in on what seems most important for our future.

2010 Company Priorities: All of this thinking resulted in the development of our 2010 Company Priorities.

These priorities provide a framework for everyone in the organization to understand the direction and vision that the company is moving toward. They are important in helping us explore areas of excitement and interest for us, and guide us in seeing where we may continue to have greatest impact with customers, business, and our community.

After several discussions involving both Creative Forum and

leaders, and most have consulting partners—people who are available to be mentors and thinking partners for project leaders. In selecting project leaders, there were several factors that were considered. Some factors were: • people’s expertise in the area; • their passion and interest in the topic; • our support and confidence in their growth and development in the company; and, • Eileen’s and Leadership Forum’s commitment to opening up this effort to include as many diverse voices as possible.

The diversity in project leaders is evident in the following chart: September 2010 / 8

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Company Priority Projects & Project Leaders Brooklyn Store

Guerilla Marketing

Gallery System Play

Ellie advertising

Roslyne marketing

Bonnie visuals

Tracy merchandising

Rebecca core concept

Jena architecture, planning & design

Deepening Leader Development

Lauren C. web

Yvette leadership, learning & development

Peer Coaching Pamela S. leadership, learning & development

Regina sales

Tasha retail human resources

Enrich Hiring Processes

Deepen Review Process

Celeste human resources

Ali B. sales

Karen K. retail

Roslyne marketing

Norrie internal communications

Lauren B. human resources

Pricing & Value

Streamline & Simplify Processes

Laura M. value Jim retail

Brand & Service Evolution

Julia S. design

Anne retail leadership, learning & development

Nicole design

Janine Z. sales

Domestic Production Anna manufacturing Tom manufacturing

Marian retail leadership, learning & development

Social Networking

Ann G. marketing

How to Wear Media Strategy

Creating a Leader Community Allison internal communications

Projection Process

Globally Green

Ingrid human resources

Inka design

Jesse sales

Shona social consciousness

Todd information technology

Patty H. leadership, learning & development

Intranet

Ruffle

How to wear - The System

Events

Allison internal communications

Ann G. marketing

Danielle M. merchandising

Kerri public relations

Sharon J. retail

Katherine Y. design

Lisa H. sales

Bill information technology

Shana marketing

Shanti visuals

System Support

Regina sales

Clarence information technology

Todd information technology

Michelle M. advertising

Retail POS System George information technology Jena architecture, planning & design

e-Commerce

Global

Footwear

New Products

Lauren C. web

Karen G. retail

Nicole B. desgin

Maria K. design

Laura Z. buying

Mandy global

Eco-business Cathy A. sales Regina sales

Evolve Leadership System Pamela S. leadership, learning & development Karen G. retail Liz W. product development

Pants Leonora product development

Jackets Marie S. design Liz Y. design

Pina information technology

Special Sizes Liz W. product development

Line Development Jacqui design Shona social consciousness

Well-Being Leslie wellness Pamela S. leadership, learning & development

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E F LINK In choosing additional team members, project leaders and consulting partners will be conscious about considering who they will invite to join their teams. They will factor in: • • • •

people’s professional interest in the project; the opportunity to expose people to the project so they can learn and grow from the experience; the valuable insight and/or knowledge people will bring to the team’s conversations; and, whether a person’s work will be affected by the project and if they can provide input about the potential consequences of change.

To read more about our priorities, beginning Sept. 27 you can go to the following internal web page we have created: http:// priorities.eileenfisher.net If you are interested in learning more about a project, please contact the project leaders.

Projection Process Team: Developing a New System Together The Projection Process Team, led by Jesse Correll in Sales, is working to rebuild and create a simplified projection process that is robust and works holistically throughout the company.

The “projection process” includes all of the work that is done from SCP4 through Cut Ticket Completion. This process has substantial implications inside and outside of the company (i.e. the design process, fabric inventory, our supply chain, etc.).

The review will not only address the work and process, but also how we come to the work in terms of our accountability, our state of mind, and our understanding of the impact and consequences of our work.

The team consists of people from various parts of the company, each lending their unique perspective to this initiative: − − − − − − − − − − − − −

Angela Panousopoulos, Department Store Sales Assistant Anna Hanchrow, Merchandise Operations Cathy Anicich, Department Store Account Executive Charlie Mullen, Advertising Ingrid Turner, People & Culture-Human Resources Jacqui Hoffman, Design & Merchandising Jenn Hill, Merchandise Planning Jesse Correll, Business Planning Karen Schulman, Retail Buying Michelle Birdsall, Specialty Store Account Executive Nazli Kosova, Operational Sales Support Patty Heilman, People & Culture-Leadership, Learning, and Development Todd Nicholls, Information Technology

By including viewpoints from different parts of the company, the hope is to end up with a new process that will better meet the needs of the company, be more streamlined and robust, and better than any one person could create.

Leader Team Development: Investing in Our Future For the past year, Leadership, Learning & Development (LL&D) and Human Resources have been working with several teams to take a new look at how we work - letting go of old patterns and figuring out what’s needed to support what we value and what we envision.

A key focus of that work has been strengthening and deepening leader teams in Sales, Facilities and Accounting

upfront so that members are supporting one another and keeping a focus on what is best for the company as they help guide their teams. Leaders are being asked to take on more responsibility for leadership of their department and being included in setting the direction of their department’s work.

Guests & New Members on Leadership Forum: Broadening Our Reach Guests: For years, Leadership Forum has been committed to reaching into our community to build stronger bridges with individuals and teams. In particular, inviting guests into Leadership Forum meetings has been an insightful way for people to learn more about the work of Leadership Forum and develop relationships with each other. When planning their meetings, they often identify at least five people in the community to join them. Earlier in the year, Leadership Forum decided to also ask that, when Leadership Forum members are unable to attend, they identify someone from their teams to attend in their place. This simple act will continue to expand the number of people able to experience Leadership Forum discussions.

New Members: In June, Leadership Forum welcomed three new members – Anthony LoRusso, Jacqui Hoffmann, and Regina Reyes. Each has demonstrated tremendous leadership in their respective areas, and this announcement recognizes their growth as leaders for our entire company.

In her welcome to them, Rebecca Perrin of Core Concept shared: “I’m so happy and honored to welcome our new LF members, Jacqui, Regina and Anthony. They are among my most respected colleagues. I have had the pleasure of working with them closely, and besides adding laughter to my day, they have helped me to understand more about EF and I appreciate even more all that they hold. Jacqui, Regina and Anthony are leaders whose opinions I hold in high regard.

They each bring their gifts, their dedication and their full presence to EF everyday, and I am very excited that their voices will now be a part of Leadership Forum.

About the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce (1996 – August 2010)]

Meetings: The taskforce meets every other month. During meetings, they do one or more of the following: − check-in, to share recent experiences or diversity topics that are on our minds (these issues set the tone for the meeting and often lead to bigger discussions); − share personal reactions to coverage of diversity in the news; and/or − seek advice from the group on dealing with certain situations − discuss ways to support diversity and inclusion in the company.

Focus: The taskforce has developed a two-pronged approach to its work: − focusing on the company as a whole − focusing on the relationship within the taskforce itself One big effort that the taskforce led was rolling out a series of D&I workshops starting in Fall ‘08—in Secaucus, Irvington and New York City. In addition, membership has shifted since its initial formation, with new members from the Distribution Center, Manufacturing, and Sales.

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New Energy for Our Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce For more than four years, we have had a Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce in the company whose primary goal was to continue the thinking that had started at a December 2005 offsite on diversity. (See sidebars for the taskforce’s timeline.)

In early spring 2010, the Taskforce wanted to expand its thinking and energy. This resulted in a decision to explore what diversity and inclusion means to EILEEN FISHER in a broad way; we wanted to include more voices in our conversations and to engage in new thinking. To do that, we asked everyone in the company for their interest in participating in this conversation.

We received responses from a variety of people across the company, and in June, the taskforce welcomed 14 of them to discuss diversity and inclusion. The three-hour meeting was a spirited conversation that was fueled by everyone’s passion and interest in the topic as well as interview feedback from others throughout the company.

Pre-work Prior to the meeting, each person was asked to conduct prework interviews with three to five people in the company. The interviews entailed two questions: 1. What are your thoughts about Diversity & Inclusion here at EILEEN FISHER? 2. What is the value of having a Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce

Taskforce Timeline

1999: When we were first focused on SA8000, we found that a number of diversity issues arose, including the need for more leadership development which would directly impact and improve the issues of equity and inclusion.

Spring 2003: Kaleel Jamison, an outside consulting firm, worked with us on shaping several priorities, including: developing the Core Concept idea, working to rectify the gap between who we say we are and what we do. (This led to the creation of our Mission), and the need for more leadership development.

December 2005: We had a two-day offsite with 3035 people around the company to discuss diversity & inclusion in the company. Around this time, we also held District Meetings on diversity with our Retail Managers and store teams.

Early 2006: Many attendees from the offsite joined the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce.

2008 - 2009: Diversity & Inclusion training held in Secaucus, Irvington, and New York City.

June 2010: Brainstorm on Diversity & Inclusion with taskforce and invited guests.

August 2010: New members added to the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce.

here at EILEEN FISHER?

Mind Mapping After a brief check-in, the group created a “mind map,” a visual map that featured themes that emerged in the pre-work interviews. Built around the question, “What are your thoughts about diversity and inclusion at EILEEN FISHER,?” the map contained branches representing the themes that had emerged: − − − − − − − − − − − −

favoritism /equality training and education role of diversity & inclusion taskforce concerns about diversity concerns about inclusion positives about diversity positives about inclusion work locations retail diversity company’s commitment to diversity & inclusion leadership brand and product

Participants then took a marker and added comments, themes, or images to each branch, based on specific feedback they had received from interviews as well as their own views. Afterwards, the group reflected on what emerged.

Breakout Discussions Next the group broke into six groups of four, and explored the following question: “What do we need to do to deepen our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion at EF?” Each group developed a list of ideas and then chose one to think further about how we might proceed with it. The ideas were − developing a diversity & inclusion toolkit, − increasing diversity in our leadership, − identifying a diversity & inclusion point person in each of our locations, − continuing education on diversity and inclusion, − including a conversation on diversity & inclusion as part of our annual reviews, and − creating a “safe space” to talk about these issues.

Charting A New Direction In August, the 14 guests who had participated in the June meeting were formally invited to join the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce. It was agreed that this newly enhanced group would decide what the vision and work of the taskforce would be going forward. We will be meeting in September, October and November with our new members to integrate and expand on the energizing work the group began in June. Because we are including new members now, it did not seem appropriate to make decisions for the future without their participation.

D&I Taskforce Members

Alan Isabelle, Ali Makandar, Allison King, Amy Hall, Andre Plummer, Ava Branch, Celeste Thompson, Cheryl Warrick-Brooks, Cliché James, Desiree Soulet, Eliza Rivera, Humberto Guevara, Ingrid Turner, Janis Paikoff, Jonci Cukier, Lauren O’Boyle, Patty Heilman, Shari Simberkoff, Sharon Jacobson, Susan Kushnick, Susan Schor Tasha Bender-Cummings, Yvette Jarreau September 2010 / 11

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ef earth

Diversity: It all starts with a seed…

My kids pretty much understand how food moves from the field to our kitchen table, but I wanted to reinforce this experience – so we went peach picking this August. It was a total success in my mind – we saw, we picked and we canned.

My mother helped us can, thankfully. I always seemed to need a pro close by when it comes to canning… but I think I finally got it down this year. So while listening to a mix of old blues music, hard rock and top 10 pop, we canned lots and lots of peaches. As part of the process, my mother instructed me to put a peach pit into each jar. After giving her a quizzical look, she said “for flavor and color!” And so each jar got a pit too.

As part of our deep dive into the “field to kitchen table experience,” we took a field trip to the New York Botanical Gardens to visit their Edible Garden. It offered an impossible to recreate herb garden, cooking demos and a wide range of heirloom plants. Have you ever seen striped eggplant?

In the kitchen canning the harvest

What caught my eye most was the NY Botanical Garden’s focus on seed diversity. I’m aware that seeds are the first building blocks of our food chain—critical to sustaining life, but exactly how seed diversity played into the importance of our food chain was unclear to me.

A small plaque in the Edible Garden read “modern agricultural practices have modified plants for traits that

produce the greatest crop yield and economic return. These changes may limit genetic variation and create crop plants that are more vulnerable to damage by highly adaptable pests and diseases, possibly compromising food production and the world’s food supply.”

Later I had a conversation with Clif Bar’s in-house ecologist Elysa Hammond who reminded me of the Irish Potato Famine, when more than a million Irish died from mass starvation. The Irish became reliant on one type of potato.

This specific variety was hit by a disease and wiped out most of the country’s food source.

Elysa pointed out that the loss of genetic diversity within seeds puts food (and fiber) systems at risk.

When farmers (or governments) support genetic diversity of seeds it has a wide range of impacts, from flavor, color, and nutritional value to adaptation to local climates and resistance to disease and pests. The Seed Savers Exchange describes it this way: “Our ancestors knew the wisdom of saving seeds.

Whether they came to the United States from far corners of the earth or were native to the Americas, they always saved their very best seeds. They knew that nature’s rich biodiversity would provide a safe haven against hard times, changing climate and more.”

New York Botanical Garden – The Edible Garden

Seed and plant diversity allow ecosystems September 2010 / 12

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ef earth

to be resilient. Nature has always thrived on biological diversity. Diversity gives plants the ability to withstand all sorts of natural or human caused disaster. Unfortunately, today man-made ecosystems have removed diversity and plants lose the ability to adapt and survive. For example, US corn farmers only use a few varieties of corn seed that are reliant on synthetic chemistry so the plants don’t have to work as hard. This results in a weakened gene pool and plants that are more vulnerable to disease.

Seed diversity is becoming a hot topic among organic farmers and it’s pretty easy to see the connection.

Organic farmers are innately Humberto Rios Labrada and local Cuban farmers sharing seeds. interested in biodiversity. They understand the importance but today they have over 200 bean seed varieties to choose of not just “doing one thing” like the monoculture of from. In the minds of many sustainable agriculture folks, conventional farming. Author Micheal Pollan describes Humberto’s work is a true testament of success. organic farmers as having a “both/and” mentality as opposed to the “either/or” mentality that obstructs conventional So I’m back to my peach pit and wondering—now that the farmers from trying different seeds or planting methods. kids understand the field to kitchen table concept, how do I Farmers lose flexibility when they focus on one seed or one back track to the seed? Guess we could try planting a few crop. 1 peach pits, see if a tree grows and guess the variety. Or Humberto Rios Labrada, a Cuban scientist and biodiversity researcher, provides a wonderful example of the link between organic farming methods and seed diversity. Labrada has been working for years with Cuban farmers to shift from a chemical dependent monocrop agricultural system to a system of sustainable agriculture and crop diversity.2 Labrada created “seed fairs”, so farmers could share seeds and their knowledge of crop biodiversity. In its first year, the seed fair had 25 farmers in attendance. Today, 50,000 farmers engage in the fair and sustainable agriculture. Once Cuban farmers used two or three bean varieties for growing crops,

perhaps I’ll wait until winter when we begin flipping through seed catalogues. Either way, the subject of diversity will definitely be part of the conversation.

(Endnotes) 1 Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma page 223 2 Humerto Rios Labrada http://www.goldmanprize.org/2010/islands

by Shona Quinn Social Consciousness

Nature has always thrived on biological diversity. Diversity gives plants the ability to withstand all sorts of natural or human caused disaster. Unfortunately, today man-made ecosystems have removed diversity and plants lose the ability to adapt and survive.

September 2010 / 13

ef well

EF WELL

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Well-Being Project You’ve all heard of or are part of the company priorities projects that have come out of the Business Visioning work of several months ago. Pamela Shaw, Helene Obey and I are coleading the “Well Being” project, and we met with Leadership Forum in July as a first step in raising awareness about this. I want to share with you some of our thoughts and will keep you posted as we move forward.

Since the “re-shaping” began in ’09, there has been a growing concern that many of us, while excited by the transformation that is taking place in the company as well as the new opportunities for our individual growth, are feeling consistently overwhelmed by the work load. It’s becoming ever more challenging to make the space for those things that restore and sustain us. But it is my firm belief that these are the times when we must do this or we face burn out, illness or other side effects of chronic stress.

So we want to raise awareness and expand our efforts in helping to take care of ourselves and each other during this remarkable time. Beginning in the Fall, you will notice an increase in the “well being” offerings at all locations.

In the July issue of EF Link, there were suggestions from people throughout the company for ways we can help reduce stress and keep our well being on the surface of our consciousness. I invite you to continue to share these with each other (when you find something that’s working, e-mail me or post it on our intranet when it’s up and running).

I often hear people say that they feel guilty when they leave their team to take a class or workshop or have a massage or reflexology session. So I will try here to convince you that these wellness offerings are not luxuries, they are there for you to stay healthy, energized and happy. This company will thrive if you are healthy, energized and happy!

The research shows that wellness programs: • • • • • •

increase productivity reduce healthcare costs reduce absenteeism reduce workers comp/disability costs increase company loyalty increase employee retention

Price Waterhouse has reported that 75% of all healthcare costs in the U.S. are attributable to behavior and lifestyle choices which cause chronic conditions, the main being heart disease and diabetes. If we can support you in making better choices which reduce your risk of getting these diseases, we all benefit.

A study done at Cornell that was sponsored by the CDC (the Centers for Disease Control) showed

We want to raise awareness and expand our efforts in helping to take care of ourselves and each other during this remarkable time. that companies can earn back the cost of wellness programs just by reducing risk factors by less than .2%. That’s .2% not 2%. Each company looked at had different breakevens due to the makeup of employee population; but for instance, they found that, if Dow Chemical achieved a 1% improvement in the health of it’s employees, it would yield a return of $3 for every $1 spent. An ROI of 300%! So wellness programs not only pay for themselves, they increase profitability.

As I told Leadership Forum, I also believe that we not only effect the bottom line by improving the lives and health of our employees, but healthy, happy, energetic people have more to give, not only to their companies but to their communities and in this way we change the world...there are more people doing service for our planet.

So please, the next time you are feeling guilty about your desire to have that massage or to take that pilates class or that break, remember that you are doing your company a service by taking care of yourself!

by Leslie Ritter Wellness September 2010 / 14

ef well

Well-being Discussion at Leadership Forum, July 2010

by Helene Obey, Leslie Ritter, Pamela Shaw At the July meeting of Leadership Forum, EF leaders focused on ways to encourage wellbeing for their teams and themselves. As a part of the ongoing Wellbeing project, project leaders Helene Obey (Mad 2), Leslie Ritter (Wellness) and Pamela Shaw (Work-Life) facilitated a discussion on how leaders can encourage greater awareness of and commitment to wellbeing in the company.

Leslie reviewed research showing the positive impact of corporate wellness programs on profitability, as well as employee loyalty and retention. For more on this, see Leslie’s “EF Well” in this issue.

Helene pointed out that changes in the way our retail customers are shopping often create more work for associates, as customers take more clothes into dressing rooms or ask for more clothing to try on. In addition, retail associates are challenged to find time for individual wellness, or even a place to sit and have lunch, since not all stores have a table and comfortable chairs available for lunch.

Pamela led leaders through a journaling exercise around four key questions: 1. What do I do on a daily/weekly basis to restore myself?

2. How do I encourage and support my team in looking after their well-being?

3. What, if anything, makes it difficult for me to do this?

4. What would make it easier? continued on page 29

How do You take Care of Yourself?

NOREEN Bellevue store What do you do to relax?

For nearly six years I used my wellness benefits to take riding lessons.

When do you do this activity?

I would ride on my two days off and Saturday morning before going to work.

How has it helped you find any “balance” with your work at EF? I’ve learned how to maneuver a 1,000 pound galloping horse over a series of fences successfully. Riding is a partnership, the horse and I need each other and that is the approach I take at work. Teamwork is balance.

Is there anything you do specifically when you’re in the store to give yourself a mental or physical relaxation moment?

When riding a horse you have to sit completely upright.

This helps me because I practice the healthy upright seat constantly during my day. This has had a positive effect on my back physically.

September 2010 / 15

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Fun Author Reading at Pasadena Grand Opening Event

By Shana Sokol

store scoop

On Thurs., July 29, our Pasadena Store held their Grand Opening Event in partnership with The New Yorker. Wendy Burden, a descendant of the Vanderbilts and author of Dead End Gene Pool, read from her memoir, held a Q&A and signed copies of her book to about 30 guests. The New Yorker provided wine and hors d’oeuvres, a gift bag containing a copy of the book and an issue of their magazine. We gave customers $25 off their purchase.

To publicize our event, The New Yorker sent an e-mail invite to approximately 1,500 of their subscribers in the area. In addition, we mailed a printed invite to 250 of our top Pasadena customers and gave the store 300 invites to distribute at the store and at the Pasadena Film Festival, where we had a sponsor table during the month of July.

Prior to the event, Ms. Burden went to our Bridgeport Village store in Portland, OR, to purchase a scarf for the occasion. We traditionally outfit authors for their in-store appearances, but Ms. Burden expressed her desire for only a scarf as she is very particular about her look. However, her visit turned into much more.

Assistant Manager Sally Fulton recalls, “We had a fun time outfitting author Wendy Burden on Thursday. We had read her biography online so we knew she would be a neat lady, but with her diverse background we were not sure what to expect. Around 1:00 p.m., a petite blond with her hair pulled back in a ponytail entered the store. She was wearing a crewneck cream cashmere sweater, big pearls, cuffed light denim jeans belted with an Indian western belt, and white converse tennis shoes. I greeted her and she explained she needed a scarf for an event she was doing for us. She expressed her reluctance, because EILEEN FISHER was not her usual brand. Her main association with our brand came from a friend, who she expressed was not always put together. She said her friend always wore way too large sizes and looked a little sloppy. She said anyone else could make the pieces look good but not her friend. She laughed and said she was a little jaded but was willing to look. We encouraged her to check us out and realize that

EILEEN FISHER may not be what she expected.

I asked what her style was, and she said it was a cross between couture and Ralph Lauren.

She also mentioned her love of 1940’s pants. Shannon grabbed the Author new TL-P0887 Wendy Burden (which are fabulous). We paired them with a classic Gk-U0051, and Wendy grabbed the CCT-K2680 cardigan. She was drawn to the crinkled kerchief in smoke. She loved the entire outfit and was ecstatic. She saw a new side to EILEEN FISHER.” The event itself received a great response. Customers very engaged during the reading, the author spent a lot of time answering questions, and she didn’t leave until customers had a chance to meet her if they desired. West Coast District Manager Karen King remarked that this type of event didn’t seem common for the area and it felt unique for the market. Overall, the evening was a success.

September 2010 / 16

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Supporting Tinseltown in Pasadena

In July, our Pasadena, CA store sponsored the Old Town Pasadena Film Festival, which included sales associates Madhavi Athanikar and Brent Remby manning a booth. “It was great to see so many people at this festival enjoying the free showing of silent film shorts that were accompanied by a live orchestra,” Brent reported. “We had an eight-foot

table dressed to the nines in fabulous accessories, the new Fall Look-book, email sign ups and of course our amazing Eco Tote giveaway! We had an overwhelming response to the giveaway and went through five boxes!” The store also handed out $25 goody-bag coupons.

Making Remote Working Work: Meet George Peppin George Peppin joined EILEEN FISHER as our Retail Systems Manager a little over a year ago. He works remotely from the West Coast and is responsible for overseeing the systems nationwide that support the retail part of the business. I was able to sit down with George and have a discussion about his work in the company and how he has acclimated to the EF environment.

You have only been working for EF for a little over a year now.

How did you get here?

I first became acquainted with EILEEN FISHER in 2003-2004 when I was working with Apropos Retail Systems. Bill Miller, Thomas Burns and Duggie Carlson visited the Apropos office to discuss a major project to implement a new retail system.

For the next 4 years, I was involved in one way or another with the EF team. When the opportunity arose to join the company as Retail Systems Manager, I naturally could not turn down the opportunity.

Why EILEEN FISHER? Of 30+ retail companies I have consulted with in the past, EILEEN FISHER has always been the most enjoyable to work with.

Tell us about your work in information technology. What do you usually focus on during a work day?

My current role involves managing the systems that support the retail part of the business. This includes buying, planning, inventory control and store systems.

My work day is divided between the detail and the big picture: 30% of my day is involved in daily troubleshooting, maintenance tasks and systems management; 20% deals with big picture; and the remainder is allocated to training, various projects, and data analysis.

You mention maintenance tasks and systems management. Could you elaborate?

I am responsible for overseeing all things involved in retail systems. I focus on maintaining the EILEEN FISHER software components for the back office and store systems.

We are currently in the process of selecting new retail systems for the business, which includes the retail stores, company and lab stores and the back office systems.

Would selecting a new business process be an aspect of the “big picture”?

Selecting a new system for the business is a large long-term project. Yet there is still work to do in moving forward with September 2010 / 17

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the current software to continually increase retail efficiency.

Working remotely, how do you stay connected to our broader EF community?

I keep daily contact with everyone in In action my area; I am available 24/7 for retail playing R: George ugby system users in case of system mishaps.

I make it a point to regularly visit and spend time at stores, specifically in our Seattle location, for a friendly hello and maintenance check. I also make it a priority to return to the offices for at least once a quarter for planned meetings and training demonstrations, as well as being present for retail team and strategy meetings. I like to stay connected to the stores so checking up every once in a while maintains that connection.

What has been your favorite part of working for EILEEN FISHER? Before I came to work for the company, I was working with various clients. I am now able to concentrate on one set of business processes and one customer base as opposed to the dozens I was dealing with beforehand.

What are your expectations for EILEEN FISHER business processes in years to come?

I would love for EF to move forward by installing more efficient and updated software to allow the company as a whole to continue to prosper.

EF is very devoted to eco-friendly living. How do you personally contribute?

For one, working remotely has cut down my daily commute, and I take public transportation whenever possible, especially when visiting New York. My family is dedicated recyclers, and we find ways to re-use and buy local.

What type of wellness activities are you involved with?

I love to read and study economics and foreign affairs. I am also an avid ice hockey player as well as a referee for youth soccer and rugby. Because I am working on East Coast hours, my business days end earlier; therefore, I am able to pursue my passion of coaching rugby. I am currently coaching high school girls and boys rugby, primarily girls. I also keep active by playing rugby with a local old boys’ team and the team at Microsoft!

Rugby is a very active and aggressive sport, have you ever been seriously injured?

I have fractured my face before, but nothing too terrible.

by Alexis Bernbirg Internal Communication Intern

Glowing Appreciation for Donna Dodd

company is a great place to work. She was so positive and gracious talking about the To whom this may concern, hopefully the President or Eileen Fisher: company and really liking to I was on a flight from Sacramento to Seattle Wednesday go to work. afternoon when I saw that the young lady next to me was

studying graphs/spreadsheets with a lot of numbers on them.

Just wanted you to know that,

if I had been a clothier or Being a business owner, I asked her was she working or that sort of business, I would studying. She said she was going to have a presentation on have tried to hire her on the Thursday and she was preparing. She told me about the spot. Donna was your #1 EILEEN FISHER clothing line, who it was for, where my wife representative during that could find it, showed me a photo of an “outfit” and much flight. The company is very Donna more than a guy like me could handle. fortunate to have her.

I asked her name, and she said Donna. We talked about the Great example of your company values out in the public. companies philosophies, about how the group of co-workers worked very hard giving the company their all because the September 2010 / 18

store scoop

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Suburban Square Welcomes an Intern to EF Meet Nicole Kurtz, our very first EILEEN FISHER Retail intern in our mid-Atlantic stores! The Suburban Square store had partnered with the Julian Krinsky Camps and Programs, an internationally known program offering innovative fashion merchandising, tennis, golf, enrichment, precollege, business, sports, fitness, cooking and performing arts camps in the Philadelphia area, to host an intern interested in their fashion merchandising program.

Nicole chose to intern at EILEEN FISHER as opposed to the dozens of other offered companies because of her own interest in fashion and retail. After having interviewed Nicole, the Suburban Square Store felt strongly that she would fit right in with the team – not just because she loved chocolate, but she also seemed to be very determined to learn about the industry and had great insight into fashion.

During her short time with the company, Nicole felt the entire team was so willing to guide and advise her. “I was nervous when I first started,” Nicole said. “But after I realized how nice and caring everyone was, I felt much better.”

August report

$12,955 was made for the month of August from the sale of 410 recycled garments. $134,555 was generated from the sale of 6,560 EILEEN FISHER recycled garments since the Lab store opened on Sept. 16, 2009.

Thank you for your continued support.

During her time with the store, Nicole had an opportunity to: interview Khaja Khateeb, director of our Distribution Center in Secaucus, participate and help organize product workshops, assist in sales, and much more.

When asked, Nicole noted her favorite part of the internship was her trip to the Distribution Center in Secaucus. “I never thought about how much work goes into each order,” she commented.

This month-long special internship program was also a great opportunity for the store team to be a mentor to her and for Nicole to share her youthful perspective with the team. Nicole’s view of our EILEEN FISHER brand changed due to her experience with us.

When she began working for us, she thought we were a clothing company

that strictly sold to an older customer.

After getting to know our merchandise, she was surprised to see that she would wear many of the pieces herself!

Our Suburban Square team felt that they grew professionally as a result of the experience with Nicole, and want to pursue the partnership again.

They enjoyed hearing her ideas and views of our company’s current advertising campaigns and loved her exuberant energy. It was great for them to see the professional and personal evolution that took place within the team and Nicole during this short month.

Quick Q & A with Nicole What qualities do you admire most in others?

I admire honesty, dedication, warm heartedness, perseverance and ingenuity.

Who is your personal hero?

I wouldn’t be able to choose just one because my heroes would be both of my parents. Both are never afraid to voice their opinion and do what they believe in.

How has your internship altered or enhanced your college choices?

Doing this internship has proved to me that I want to go into retail when I am older. In terms of my college choice, I have decided I want to make sure my school offers some sort of fashion merchandising or retail classes.

What books would you find on your nightstand?

You would find Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Color Purple by Alice Walker on my nightstand right now.

I have to read them both for my summer reading!

What will you be doing during the rest of the summer?

For the rest of the summer I will be going on college visits and starting my applications so that I can get it out of the way before school starts.

September 2010 / 19

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Here are the other interns who joined us in Retail this summer:

rno Alexandra Sa Hingham, l, il H t u n st e h Copley, C Wellesley

Kathryn B Pine Str rand eet Bellevue , University Vil lage,

Houssain ( “Nadia�) C howdhury Somerset

Bettig e l l e i r II Gab d MAD n a I MAD September 2010 / 20

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Designer’s Corner: Helen Oji -- ed. Susan Kushnick

Helen is our Creative, Inspiration and Research Director. In addition to being a Cut & Sew Designer, working with Katherine Yoder, she also researches and comes up with initial creative ideas annually and for each of our three seasons (Spring, Fall and Resort). “Many of the concepts come from what Design sees out in the world and from what I gather from attending the fabric and yarn and trend services,” Helen explained. “I bring the ideas that I see may be great possibilities for EILEEN FISHER.”

Tell me a bit about your background. What piqued your interest in fashion design?

I grew up in northern California in a farming community and I went to school there. Then I moved to New York and became part of the art world here. I always liked drawing and painting and working on creative projects, and I always loved clothes. I used to like drawing outfits. When I was really little, I had a little box and I would put fashion things in it.

My mother sewed and made all of my clothes. I would draw pictures of things I wanted to wear. We would go to the store and shop, and then my mom would make them.

How did you get to EILEEN FISHER?

I’ve known Eileen for many years, from even before she started the company. I’ve worn her clothes since she started her business. I always liked them. We lived in the same building, and we’d go shopping and talked about shows. At one point, she told me she was going to be part of a boutique show. I was inspired by Eileen’s clothes to design a line of children’s clothes. But I was still involved in my paintings and set design and always stayed in touch with Eileen.

About 13 years ago, I decided I needed a full-time job, and I applied for a position at EF. I had a series of interviews and Kim Meinelt hired me to be part of the visual merchandising team. I worked with the retail stores and helped design store windows and the showrooms. There was big growth spurt in the company when I started. I traveled to all of the stores and got to know about the brand. I always talked to Eileen about the clothing. About nine years ago, I started working with the design team. I started out as Eileen’s liaison to design and was the essentials designer, designing all of the basic pieces.

What’s your personal creative process when designing?

That’s a really tough one. I guess I look at what people are wearing around me at work and on the streets and the galleries and museums. I attend fabric and yarn and trend shows a couple of times a year to see the general trends. I really like working with the vendors and learning about the fabrics and how they come up with their ideas. I also look at a lot of art. It’s great because I end up doing all of the things I love doing. My life has always been about art. I sort of live it. I take a lot of pictures. I look at clothes maybe a little differently than other people.

What’s your favorite piece on the Spring ’11 line?

I love the thin layering like linen gauze and how it works together with the sweater knits and the accessories. I love the way the merchandising team puts them together. I love the fluidity of the cut & sew pieces. It’s a beautiful composition.

September 2010 / 21

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Off the

Cuff My childhood nick name was…

I never had a nickname. But when I went to Japan recently I noticed that my cousins called me Shizuko, which is my middle name. I was kind of surprised because no one else ever calls me that. It means ‘quiet child.’ I was a quiet child, and I’m still sort of quiet.

Helen tells about some of her favorite things and people.

Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you I haven’t asked?

I love to tap dance.

My life motto…

Just do it!

My hobby is …

studying new languages

My weirdest habit is…

I need to write almost everything down.

My favorite piece of clothing to wear is… tunic dresses and dresses with pockets.

My favorite movie is…

One of my most influential movies is a Japanese movie called ‘Kwaidan’ made in 1964 by Masaki Kobayashi.

My favorite season is… fall and spring

The living person I most admire is… my mom

My music artist of choice if I was on a deserted island is…

The Beatles

Word I most overuse… anyway...

My favorite food…

seasonal fruit and dark chocolate with hazelnuts September 2010 / 22

community

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Celebrating 10 Years with Us! Read where Brenda, Candy, Isabel, Josephine and Shari for their 10 Year Anniversary at EF.

Brenda Ortiz Accounting

Tell us about your trip – where did you travel?

I travelled to Arizona, San Diego, and Hawaii with my husband.

Why did you select this destination? Was it somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?

Yes, it’s been on my “bucket list” for quite some time. We took a train ride through the Grand Canyon, and visited the beach in California. In Hawaii, as our plane landed on the big island, it looked like we were landing on Mars – there was so much lava everywhere! We visited where they filmed the movie “Jurassic Park” and the TV series “Lost.”

What was your favorite (or funniest) moment on the trip?

Running for higher ground due to the Tsunami in Hawaii!

We got a phone call at 3:00 a.m. from my aunt who heard on the news that a tsunami was approaching Hawaii at 6:00 a.m. We jumped up, packed our bags, and headed downstairs to check out of the hotel and drive to higher ground. We ended up in a town called Princeville where we spent the rest of our trip. No one there was even worried about the tsunami; they were out jogging and playing golf!

What will you remember most about your trip?

Enjoying all the sights from the hotel window! It snowed in Arizona, rained in San Diego, and we had a tsunami scare in

Hawaii! But we still had a great time.

When you think about your decade with us, what are you most proud of?

I’m so proud of how I’ve grown along with the company. It’s been a journey of knowledge, leadership and family!

Candy Coalman Pine Street store

Where did you travel?

My husband, Jarrod, and I spent 10 amazing days in England. We spent most of our time in London but also took a day trip to Bath and Stonehenge.

Why did you select this destination?

I love British culture, the music and the fashion, and the architecture. I was an English major in college too, so I’ve had all these romantic visions in my head since that time.

You know, Shakespeare and the lot.

What was your favorite moment on the trip?

Everyone probably says that there are too many moments to pick from, and it’s so true! I really can’t choose. I had built this trip up in my head so much, just setting myself up for disappointment...and it was PERFECT. The weather, the sights, the sounds, the vibe, all those ice cream trucks!

It was all perfect. Maybe that first moment, getting off the September 2010 / 23

E F LINK Heathrow Express train at Paddington Station, gave me the most goosebumps. I was in London!

What will you remember most about your trip?

I think just having that special time with my husband in such a lively and diverse city. For 10 days we got to have great, spontaneous adventures in a place where there is so much history and culture, where we were constantly reminded how big the world is. That and the beer was cold, not warm like all the guidebooks say.

In what way has EILEEN FISHER influenced who you are?

community Being a part of this wonderful company for the last decade has been so inspiring! In too many ways to count really! I have learned to live my life more holistically and simplistically.

I have learned to be a more patient person, and I have learned how to prioritize what is truly important. Working here has also influenced the way I look at what I do for a living. I’ve pretty much always worked in retail, but working at EILEEN FISHER is so much more than selling clothes, as it was in my previous stops. Here it is relationships, empowerment, joy, beauty and hard work that is so rewarding I consider myself lucky to do it. Thank you, Eileen, for allowing me – all of us – to do it!

Isabel Muhaxhiri Westfield store

Tell us about your trip – where did you travel?

We went to Greece for 13 days and 11 nights.

We were in Athens for four days, classical sites (Olympia, Delphi, and Kalambaka) for three days, and on a cruise for four days to Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, and Heraklion / Santorini.

Why did you select this destination? Was it somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?

This was a life-long dream. Twenty-eight years ago, I worked in the fur district as an assistant designer for fur/leather coats. Working with contractors who were all Greek, they all had pictures from their homeland.

What was your favorite (or funniest) moment on the trip?

Most favorite moment was when I was visiting the Acropolis, site of the famed Parthenon and the new Acropolis Museum. I also loved the Monastic City of Rocks and Holy Meteora, monasteries perched atop soaring stone formations. It was breathtakingly fabulous!

What will you remember most about your trip?

Everything! From the historical site tours to the cruise tours, plus own tours. When you view the scenery from atop the Acropolis or Monastic City of Rocks (Meteora), it really takes your breath away. One views life in a more respectful way.

When you think about your decade with us, what are you most proud of?

is your fondest memory with the company?

Meeting Eileen in person and celebrating my 10-year anniversary with co-workers and being able to express my gratitude to her.

In what way has EILEEN FISHER influenced who you are?

EILEEN FISHER has influenced me to lead by example with respect, and to be the best I can be always.

How EILEEN FISHER has grown statewide. How I’ve grown by leading by example with Eileen’s Mission statement. Plus, being very positive and grateful for working at a fabulous company.

When you think about your last 10 years with us, what

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community

Josephine Ferrara Accounting

Tell us about your trip – where did you travel?

Thanks to Eileen’s generous gift for my 10th year anniversary, after 20 years I finally made to Italy. I took a fabulous tour of Rome, Island of Capri, Florence and Venice. Each city was so amazing that words cannot express what I saw. From the works of Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica, crossing the Tiber River to Ancient Rome where I overlooked the Forum, visited the mighty Colosseum and ended the evening visiting the Trevi Fountain. Next we drove past the sprawling city of Naples, overlooked by Mount Vesuvius and continued to the Amalfi Coast. The Isle of Capri was breathtaking and more so when visiting the artists paradise of Positano and Sorrento, magnificently positioned on the Mediterranean coast. In Florence I participated in an authentic Tuscan dinner in the Chianti Hills vineyards.

Visiting the Academia allowed me to appreciate the most controversial sculpture in Italy, Michelangelo’s David. Finally we visited the City of Venice, where we cruised to St. Mark’s Square, passing the island of Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs and top of the Grand Canal. Our Venice evening ended with a stroll on a gondola with a singing gondolier.

Why did you select this destination? Was it somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?

I always wanted to return to where I was born and visit all of the places that I had dreamed of for so many years.

What was your favorite (or funniest) moment on the trip?

My Trafalgar tour was comprised of 38 people from all over the world – Australia, Hawaii, Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and every day and evening when I was ready for dinner, my outfits really impressed everyone. I was always

Shari Simberkoff Human Resources

asked, “Is that also an EILEEN FISHER outfit? Do they really use their employees in their advertising? When will they bring a store to Sydney, Australia or Hawaii?”

What will you remember most about your trip?

Florence and Capri really impressed me in the sense that the people were so friendly and easy going. So sharing their favorite places to eat and and hideaways was something I really took advantage of. Trying not to be a local is hard when you’re dressed in such fabulous clothes. On my tour, I made many friends whom I keep in touch with, especially a very dear one who loves to shop and lives in Hawaii.

In what way has EILEEN FISHER influenced who you are?

Eileen is a very giving person. She is so very generous with her Clothing Allowance and Wellness benefits. Without these great gifts, some of what I was able to do may not have happened. She has taught me to be a giver and to extend myself in all I do. Thank you, Eileen, for making this happen!

Shari’s family: Bob, Derek, Kaia]

Tell us about your trip – where did you travel? Why did you select this destination? Was it somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?

I celebrated my 10-year anniversary at EF two years ago, but for a variety of reasons the timing just wasn’t right until this summer to take the trip. It actually worked out to be the perfect convergence of events that led us to go in July – my husband Bob and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary; we wanted to visit our Dutch cousins (my married name is van der Mark) who we hadn’t seen in several years; the famous Tour de France cycling race was starting in Rotterdam, Holland; and, of course, I had to use the wonderful 10-year trip from EILEEN FISHER! So, we went to Europe – first Holland, then to Cinque Terre (“Five Lands”) on the Italian Riviera, and finally Tuscany.

The trip started out a bit rocky with our flight to Holland, but after that it was absolutely amazing in every way. After we September 2010 / 25

community

E F LINK took off from JFK, we had flown for about two hours when the pilot told us we needed to return to NY because we had lost an engine! Well that wasn’t very much fun. Luckily there were two engines, but they had to dump loads of fuel to get us back safely, and we landed really hard. After about four hours of waiting on the plane in the middle of the night while they found the part they needed to fix the engine, we finally took off and started the trip all over again.

Holland was so much fun. We stayed in a lovely old city called Leiden. We spent a lot of time with our cousins, and their kids, who really made the trip special for us. My husband is a huge bicyclist so we spent the whole first day in Rotterdam watching the start of the Tour de France. We stood in the rain with thousands of other people and watched each of the racers pass right in front of us as they began the tour. The highlight, particularly for my husband, was seeing Lance Armstrong up so close. We spent a couple of evenings watching the Netherlands team play in the World Cup as they made it all the way to the finals. It was so funny – every time they made a goal one of our cousins would run out of the house into the street and blow one of those crazy horns they use at the games really loudly! Everyone was wearing orange (the national color) everywhere we went, and people were just out of their minds with excitement.

The countryside in Holland is so green and beautiful.

Between cities there is so much farm land, and you see horses, sheep and cows grazing everywhere. A lot of the land is protected against development so the houses are small and close together which leaves lots of open space and nature. Of course there are canals everywhere, and we took a fantastic boat ride through the canals in Amsterdam, where we made several stops including the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh Museum.

What was your favorite (or funniest) moment on the trip?

One of the highlights of the trip for me was that my son Derek (9) and daughter Kaia (almost 7) got along famously with their Dutch cousins who they didn’t even remember. The two older boys spoke English very well and even though the 8-year-old girl didn’t speak any English, she and Kaia had a fabulous time together. It’s amazing how children speak a universal language of ‘kids’! The 12-year-old boy even tried to help the girls teach each other words in their respective languages. It was adorable.

Allison King Internal Communications Carol Gazzetta Facilities Danielle Anderson Naples Store

What will you remember most about your trip?

I think my favorite part of the trip was our time in Cinque Terre, which is comprised of five small villages nestled in the cliffs of the Italian Riviera on the Ligurian Sea. We stayed in the town of Monterrosso which is known for its medieval architecture, rocky beaches and amazing gelato! As we drove down the winding cliffs approaching the town, I was completely amazed at the magnificent view below – pastel villas, greenish-blue ocean, and giant rocks emerging from the sea. Our days there were so pleasant lazing on the beaches, swimming, exploring the beautiful towns and eating delicious food that I didn’t want to leave. Derek’s favorite part was playing soccer on the beach with the local Italian boys.

Our third and last stop on the trip was Tuscany. We stayed in a fantastic villa called La Bandita, which means “The Preserve” in Italian. It was set up high, surrounded by rolling hills and valleys lined with cypress trees and dotted with old farmhouses. It was just gorgeous! While we were there, we explored some of the walled renaissance towns nearby like Pienza and Sienna. In Sienna, we climbed 400 steps up a very narrow stairway to the top of the tower of the Piazza del Campo. That was interesting because I’m very afraid of heights, and I hadn’t realized how high the climb would be.

Needless to say, I was terrified and everyone else climbing had to wait while I crept up and down slowly! They were all so nice about it. My favorite part of Tuscany was sitting outside at dinner in the evening with the sun setting behind us. The sheep’s milk cheese, pasta and pesto were to die for!

In what way has EILEEN FISHER influenced who you are?

EILEEN FISHER has influenced who I am in many ways. I joined the company because its values were aligned with mine, and over the years my appreciation of those values and how the company supports them has deepened. I am so grateful to work with people who care about each other and care about treating other people and our world with loving kindness. I know that I would not have been able to have such an amazing work-life experience at any other company.

I’ve been able to have success in my career and in my family life here because of the generosity of EF and the support of everyone in our company. I think I am a much better person because of that, so I’m forever grateful.

E F LINK Editorial Board Joanne Lawson Accounting

Lauren Busing Human Resources

Lisa Ann Schraffa Chestnut Hill Store

Lorraine Engelhardt Madison 2 Store

Pamela Shaw Leadership, Learning & Development Norlisa Ashton Internal Communications Susan Kushnick Product Development

EF LINK is the internal newsletter of EILEEN FISHER, INC. If you have ideas for a story, email EFLINK@eileenfisher.com.

September 2010 / 26

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community

Summer Travels: Italian Escape This past summer my wife and I visited Rome to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We chose to go there because neither of us had ever been there and always wanted to visit. It was beautiful and wonderful. There was so much to see and experience we could have stayed there for several weeks.

Driving past the Coliseum we knew we were really there and were like children in our awe and wonder. You just knew you were going to trip over history in this great city. Around every corner there was something to see, wonderful people to meet and fantastic places to eat – I didn’t have a bad meal the entire time we were there, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

We explored the Pantheon, experienced the Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, strolled through the Coliseum, visited the Vatican, studied the Sistine Chapel, viewed Rome from the top of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Victor Emanuel II Monument, threw coins in the Trevi Fountain, went to the Galleria Borghese and Villa Borghese Park, experienced the Piazza Navona and sat on the Spanish Steps, visited the Castel Sant’Angleo and stuck our hands in the Mouth of Truth. We visited every museum and many churches. Saw many of Bernini’s statues including David, works by Michelangelo (besides the Sistine Chapel) and many Caravaggio’s paintings, some in museums and others simply placed in churches.

But the most memorable moment was in our hotel. Our hotel was ultra modern with clean lines, no carpeting, heavy furniture or interesting wall paper. It over looked the Pantheon, and I booked it online so I was hoping the pictures were not misleading. I expected a smaller room, but only hoped the air conditioning worked. The room also came with a double Jacuzzi, which seemed interesting and full of potential. However, nothing prepared me for what we found.

The hotel was indeed small, and the front desk was cut into the stairs which was unique. The elevator was even smaller.

By American standards it was a dumbwaiter. When I opened the door to our room, the bed was suspended seven feet in the air supported by cables from the ceiling with a glass and stainless steel staircase on either side. This was definitely not the room I saw online.

After our initial shock, which took several days to overcome, we were fine with the bed and came to enjoy it. But the best moment was turning on the TV and seeing the movie “Roman Holiday” in Italian and recognizing all of the sites we’d visited and identifying some that we needed to find.

The worst moment – realizing that I left the wine bottle down the stairs.

by Bill Miller Information Technology September 2010 / 27

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E F LINK

Summer Travels: Home to Sweden

“At the end of June, Erland (my husband) and I went to Stockholm, Sweden, where Erland is from. It was my first time in Europe. The main reason for this trip was to visit family and friends in Stockholm. We celebrated the

LF Well Being Recap

Midsummer Festival with friends in the countryside. It was just so beautiful!”

by Luna Lee Social Consciousness

continued from page 15

Leaders then shared their thoughts with each other. Here are their responses: 1. What do I do daily and/or weekly to restore myself?

Laugh Sleep Exercise Get a massage Practice deep breathing Practice good nutrition Read Spend time with family Stretch Sit quietly Take a break from family Cook Enjoy nature wherever I find it Walk the dog Garden Enjoy Reflexology 2. What do I do to encourage/support my team members in looking after their own wellbeing?

• Encourage people to leave on time as much as possible • Have lunch together as a team • Create flexibility for individuals • Empower people to make decisions about time off • Help people prioritize their work • Model habits that support wellbeing • Partner with team so they can do what they need to.

• Be alert for signs of stress • Create openings to share stress/solve problems • Moderate perfectionism with “perfect enough” • Be alert for opportunities to simplify • Encourage internal connections among team members • Encourage team to support each other in wellbeing practices

•

Be open to flexibility in meeting schedules

3. What makes it difficult to support my team in looking after their wellbeing?

• The workload/the amount of work • Back to back meetings • Unrealistic scheduling/planning • Deadlines • Not enough staff • Different sites—constant need for travel between IRV, 111 and the DC • Pressure to keep up with e-mail after hours 4. What would help or make it easier?

• Clear expectation that no one is expected to respond to e-mails after hours • Extra 15 minute break for retail associates to restore themselves • On-site shower • More structure for leadership (less horizontal) • More clarity around decision-making Finally, Helene, Leslie and Pamela encouraged leaders to have a discussion with their teams based on the same questions and continue to explore how teams and individuals can further their wellbeing.

September 2010 / 28

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Summer Intern Gathering On a perfect mid-August Friday (read: minimal humidity), nine out of our 15 summer interns gathered for a long overdue meet and greet. With many of the interns wrapping up their experiences here at EF, the mood was that of both reflection and celebration. Working with a variety of teams—from Design to Human Resources, Architecture to the Web team—everyone had a unique experience to talk about.

The gathering kicked off with personal introductions, where everyone shared an anecdote or positive experience from their internship. Chelsea Behrens, an intern with Department Store Sales, recalled becoming known by the Saks account managers as “that EILEEN FISHER girl” because of her in-depth knowledge of the company, and willingness to

Our 2010 Summer Interns Accounting

Jack

Mcleod

Architecture & Store Planning

Kelsey

Cohen

Dep. Store Merchandising

Chelsea

Behren

Design

Carline

Acosta

Design

Kelli

Choi

Design

Jennie

Goes

Design - fabrics

Lizzie

Harper

Design

Rebecca

Oksner

Human Resources

Alexandra

Cukier

Internal Communications

Alexis

Birnberg

Web Team

Sycamore

May

Merchandising

Lucy

Howat

Retail Buying

Ife

Cooper-White

Sales

Agnes

Hohman

Technical Design

Maria

Nagy

Web

Zachary

Zweibel

answers all of their questions. Lizzy Harper, an intern with the Design team for over a year, found her passion within the line itself. “I love being a part of the whole process, from inspiration and original swatches to garment samples, and finally seeing the line completed in the showroom and at retail.” The overall sentiment was that for a budding young professional, EILEEN FISHER is a great place to get your start.

Plus, “I don’t know any other work places where you get free chair massages,!” said Sycamore May, an intern with the Web team The main event, a “Top Chef”-inspired smoothie-making contest, took place next. With a wide assortment of fresh fruit, yogurts, ice cream and fruit juices, three groups competed to impress a panel of four “celebrity judges” by making the most delicious summer fruit smoothie. After 20 minutes of smoothie making and a grueling elimination process, the smoothie titled “Simplicity”—true to EF principles—won the judges’ hearts.

When all was said and done, everyone had a great time munching on delicious fruit and getting acquainted with their fellow interns. Thank you to Tamiko Hargrove and Gabriel Perez for partnering with me to pull this gathering together. With our internship program growing, you may want to suggest an internship with EF to any students or young professionals you may know!

by Alex Cukier Leadership, Learning & Development Intern

Thank You, Ray! On August 10, we had a community celebration at 111 5th Ave. to recognize Ray Landin’s contribution to EILEEN FISHER. After more than 17 years, Ray will have his last year with us, focusing on his own company, Ray Landin Associates. As a gift, we made a quilt of all those special EF fabrics that Ray will never forget i.e. KW, VB, TK and many others.

September 2010 / 29

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E F LINK

Phasing Into Retirement About two years ago, I suggested in our monthly EF LINK editorial board meeting that we publish an article about phasing into retirement. Never did I think I would end up writing the piece and having it go to print the same month that I “phased into it”…..

I have been planning retirement for many years, when I got my first “big girl” job after staying home for many years being a stay at home mom. I knew that I needed a job with benefits – thinking more on the lines of medical (I had just gotten a divorce) – and wanted to be covered. I wasn’t “in the know” of what a 401(k) was, but they offered it. So when I realized this would impact my future, I was going to learn more. That was more than 20 years ago, and I have been slowly building my 401(k) plan up every year. Whenever I got a raise, I would increase my contribution 1%. It is now up to 20%.

When my husband and I bought our dear little co-op here in Irvington about 17 years ago, I knew I wanted my mortgage paid off by the time I retired, so I always put extra money toward the principle whenever I could. When I started working for EILEEN FISHER and began receiving our lovely profit-sharing bonus, I would put at least a third of it toward the principal. I guess that I was doing better than I thought we were because we paid off our mortgage about two years ago. Yeah! We saved so much money on interest!

I am a budget person and always have tried to stick pretty much to it. I bring lunch every day to work; a few times a year I might order something in, but that is very rare! I don’t charge more than I can pay off at the end of the month because I don’t want to pay interest charges! We go out for dinner, but casual places. The food is good but not pricey.

For me going out to eat is more social. I love the fun of it.

I want the food to be good, but it’s also about being with people you like to spend time with! These are just small examples of how I have achieved balance in my life to help me manage our finances so we can stay on track towards part-time retirement. Is it going to work? I hope so. A financial adviser told me that it looks like I’m on track, so I will think positive.

Going to part time will be scary because it means I will receive a smaller paycheck, but I think we will be okay and maybe I will happy enough with that trade off. I’ll have longer weekends to spend time with my grandchildren. This may give me more balance. I also know that I may not want to “fully retire” when I turn 66! I might just like it this way. It was a long thought process to decide that I was going to do

I’m really looking forward to pulling out the boxes of photos, and organizing them, organizing my beads, and other craft supplies. I won’t be bored, I know that.

Carol with her grand daughter Gabby

this, with a lot of pen to paper with “numbers” written, and the “yay and nay” list. But I am confident that I made the right decision for us!

All said, I love working here, and I know it will be very very hard to ever say “this is my last day.” I hope those words don’t come out of mouth for a long time.

I’m really looking forward to pulling out the boxes of photos, and organizing them, organizing my beads, and other craft supplies. I won’t be bored, I know that. Another added bonus: I will never shop in a grocery store on the weekend again!

If you are getting close to those “senior years” (wow I don’t think I like the sound of that… I’m just a kid inside!), maybe you should consider how you could achieve more balance in your life as well. If do want to do the same thing I did, start a plan, stick to it, have a goal. Do what’s right for you.

Some folks love working and don’t know what they’d do with themselves if they were home. For me, right now, I think this will be a great balance for me.

by Carol Gazzetta Facilities September 2010 / 30

community

E F LINK

Global Grub Try these yummy recipes from around the world Berry Pavlova

spoon. Cool meringues in oven 1 hour. (Meringues may sink slightly and crack while cooling.) Run knife along sides of cake pans and carefully turn meringues out of pans. Carefully peel off parchment (meringues will be fragile and the crust may crack further). Carefully turn right side up.

Macerate fruit while meringues cool: Toss berries with sugar and let stand at room temperature until ready to use (up to 1 hour).

Assemble dessert: Beat heavy cream with sour cream using an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks. Put 1 meringue on a serving plate and spread one third of whipped cream over it. Spoon one third of fruit (with juice) over top. Repeat with remaining meringues, cream, and fruit.

Chicken Kebabs with Aleppo Pepper Ingredients For meringue: • Confectioners sugar • 1 cup superfine granulated sugar • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar • 3/4 cup egg whites (from 5 to 6 large eggs) at room temperature 30 minutes For berries: • 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, trimmed and quartered • 1 pound blackberries • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar For cream: • 1 cup chilled heavy cream • 1/3 cup chilled sour cream Preparation Make meringue: Preheat oven to 275°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter 3 (8-inch) round cake pans, then dust sides of pans with confectioners sugar, knocking out excess. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Pulse superfine sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a food processor until well combined. Stir together vanilla and vinegar in a small bowl.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time.

After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar mixture, then beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Spoon meringue into pans (about 2 1/2 cups per pan) and smooth tops. Bake until meringues have a crisp crust and feel dry to the touch, about 1 hour (insides will still be marshmallow-like).

Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden

Ingredients • 1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper • 1 cup plain whole-milk thick yogurt • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • salt • 1 tablespoon chicken stock • ground black pepper • 6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened • 2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving 2-1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes.

Preparation Place Aleppo pepper in large bowl and mix in chicken stock.

Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. Whisk in yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken.

Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter.

Garnish with lemon wedges.

September 2010 / 31

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