Longtime Partner Neiman Marcus Honored at Great Ladies Luncheon, Hosted by Wolf Blitzer

On Wednesday, April 18, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) raised over $650,000 for innovative research at our Eighth Annual Great Ladies Luncheon & Fashion Show.

The inspiring afternoon was hosted by CNN's lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, who shared that Alzheimer's had touched his family. Mr. Blitzer told the guests that they were a part of "a great situation that will raise funds for an Alzheimer's cure."

John Demsey, Executive Group President of The Estée Lauder Companies, presented the Great Ladies Award to Neiman Marcus Group for its longtime support of the Great Ladies Luncheon and its mission to raise funds for Alzheimer's research. Neiman Marcus Group Board member Karen Katz accepted the award, noting that philanthropy has been integral to the company throughout its 111-year history.

Karen Katz and John Demsey. Photo © Tony Powell.

The more than 500 guests enjoyed a spectacular runway presentation from Italian fashion house Etro, which gifted everyone with a beautiful pillow. Etro also donated a fabulous trip to Milan during Fashion Week with second row seats to its 2019 Spring/Summer runway show for the auction.

The event began with "The Symposium to Conquer Alzheimer's," introduced by Wolf Blitzer and sponsored by Eli Lilly. The ADDF's Dr. Howard Fillit led a hopeful discussion on Alzheimer's prevention and treatment with ADDF colleague Dr. Yuko Hara along with Dr. Eugenia Trushina of the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Susan Catalano of Cognition Therapeutics. The ADDF is the only charity focused solely on finding new drugs for Alzheimer’s and has funded the promising research of all the panelists.

The Great Ladies Luncheon was made possible by Founding Executive Chairs Elise and Marc Lefkowitz, Leonard A. Lauder, and Ronald S. Lauder. In attendance were Ladies Benefit Committee Co-Chairs Nancy Taylor Bubes, Lynda Camalier, Marcella Cohen, Dana Landow, Kelly Ripken, and Patricia Bennett Sagon; Committee Members Dr. Tina S. Alster, Amy Baier, Wilma Bernstein, Alexandra de Borchgrave, Kristin Rae Cecchi, John Cecchi, Meryl Comer, Charlie Lefkowitz and Shane Crowley, David Deckelbaum, Nancy Goodes, Cindy Jones, Matthew Lefkowitz, Laurie Monahan, JoAnn and John J. Mason, Thomas Pheasant, Toni Verstandig, and Lorraine Wallace; and guests Lynn Blitzer, Diane Rehm, and George Vradenburg.