NetworkNEWs

NEW YORK – Eileen Scott, CEO of Pathmark Stores and one of only six women chief executives in the Fortune 500, told a crowd of more than 275 Network of Executive members and supporters that “diversity is vital” and urged women to start networking and get a mentor. Scott spoke at the Network’s New York Metro Networking Event, January 26 at the riverfront Chart House Restaurant in Weehawken, N.J.

Scott acknowledged her own mentors at Pathmark, who “provided knowledge, skills and inspirational insight [when] the network in the food industry was largely male dominated.

“If there isn’t a woman available to mentor you, select a man,” she told women in the audience. “You need both male and female mentors.”

The Pathmark CEO added that, “Every smart business leader knows that to produce high performance, diversity is vital,” Scott said. “I came from a family of ten kids – our mom and dad coached us as only the best mentors can, and even though there was no money, we all went to college.”

Networking key

Scott also emphasized the importance of industry diversity and “women helping women.” “Women networking isn’t about men,” Scott said. “It’s about women’s relationships with other women. It isn’t threatening, it’s good business.”

She said she reached out to “her sisters” at Pathmark early in her career for counsel and advised other women in the industry to do the same. “Start a women’s network in your company. It’s great to way to celebrate success and [understand] failures,” she said.

Scott’s rise at Pathmark has been meteoric. She began her career at the chain as a cashier and rose through the ranks to become CEO in October 2002. From November 2001 to October 2002 she was executive vice president, store operations; prior to that she was the supermarket chain’s executive vice president, merchandising and logistics. Scott is also a director of Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.

Organizers ‘thrilled’

Event co-chairs Candace Corlett, principal of WSL Strategic Retail, and Maria Edelson, director, North America Sales Capability Development for Procter & Gamble, said they were “thrilled” at the large turnout, which included representatives of the area’s largest CPG and retail companies.

Joan Toth, executive director of the Network of Executive Women, said the event was “one of the most successful networking events ever” for the association, established by industry executives in 2001 to promote the cause of diversity in the consumer products and retail business.
For more information on upcoming Network of Executive Women Events visit the group’s website at NEWonline.org.

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