Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Out with the old...in with the new. Welcome Linda LaSala.

Linda LaSala & Lisa Ackerman

As we wrap up 2013, and I hand over the Regional Director duties for FGI, Chicago, to Linda LaSala, I reflect on the Programming and Branding / Communication accomplishments this Board of Directors has achieved over the last 2 years.  

First and foremost, we increased our "voice" exponentially by strengthening  our digital presence.   In today's world, your online presence not only serves as a communication objective, but it -  simply put, validates your existence.   

We created a Blog, a YouTube Channel, Newsletters, updated the chicago.fgi.org website with upcoming AND past event coverage and tripled the number of our Facebook Fans.  

The FGI, Chicago Media Kit created this year is an excellent branding/communications tool we developed to educate our community on "Who we are AND what we do".   

We forged and  aligned partnerships with city government supported entities and new non-profit, community-focused  businesses.  All aligned with a similar objectives; to develop, support and promote professionalism in the design and lifestyle related industries in Chicago.

These accomplishments were realized with no marketing budget, but through the volunteer service efforts of our Board and some stellar Interns.  

Finally, this Board  continued with the Programming mission to bring our Membership professional development content that is current, industry relevant and community connected.  My personal top 3 favorite events  of my Term were; Branding & "Communications for a Digital Era", "Funding Your Future" and "Delivering the Digital Experience".   

It is now time to wish you all Happy Holidays!   And, to introduce you to our new Regional Director of FGI, Chicago, and one of my favorite people, Linda LaSala.  

Cheers!  

Lisa Ackerman



Linda LaSala
Linda has spent over 25 years working as a buyer, designer, and product developer for private label programs. She has worked for or developed product for America’s major retailers, including JC Penney, Dillards, Bon Ton, Macy’s, J.Crew, Sears, Tweeds, the Weathervane, Lane Bryant, Express and more. Her expertise lies mostly in knitwear and she has been known in the industry as a go-to developer of patterns and color ways.
 In 2005, when fashion web sites and blogs were just gaining prominence, she created girlawhirl.com, an online magazine for women, as a way to leverage all the trend, travel and fashion information that she gathered as a result of her ‘day job.’ Over the course of the next 3 years, the site grew to be in the top 20,000 web sites in the world and held top google® rankings for many fashion and women-centric search terms. In 2007, while trying to create an online program to stimulate registrations and referrals, she hit on the idea of sharing coupons and daily deals, coining the term Girlawhirl Group-ons, which was trademarked. Later the trademark was sold to a Chicago based company who continue to explode the idea worldwide.
A forward thinker who understands that the next big idea is usually right in front of us, Linda keeps her eyes and mind open to the possibilities. She has just completed a master’s degree that focuses on how women make their fashion shopping decisions and how product developers can use this information to streamline their process and create more trend-right merchandise for the mass market.


Friday, December 13, 2013

PROXY
Solicited by The Board of Directors of
The Fashion Group International of Chicago, Inc

The undersigned, revoking previous proxies, hereby appoints Lisa Ackerman, Regional Director; Kerri Hannen, Treasurer; and Monique Lyle, Secretary or each or any of them, with full power of substitution, as attorneys and proxies to appear and vote in the name of the undersigned, at the Annual Meeting of Members of The Fashion Group International of Chicago, Inc to be held on the 14th day of January, 2014 at 5:30 pm, and at any and all adjournments thereof.  This Proxy will be voted on the Proposals described below as directed herein.  If this Proxy is returned as stated below and no direction is made, this Proxy will be voted FOR the Proposals.  As to any other matter, said attorneys shall vote in accordance with their best judgment.  The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of the following Proposals:

To elect the (3) nominees specified below as the Officers of the Corporation;         [  ] FOR                               [  ] WITHHOLD
Regional Director, Treasurer and Secretary, each to serve a                                       all nominees                         authority to vote
term of two years commencing on January 14, 2014 and ending on                       (except as marked               for all nominees
December 31, 2015.                                                                                                            to the contrary)
Linda LaSala                                       Regional Director
Meredith Darnall                                 Treasurer
Erin Falbo                                             Secretary
_____________________________________
(Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee (s)
write the name of the nominee (s) on the line above.)

To elect the (9) nominees specified below as Directors of the Board of the               [  ] FOR                              [  ] WITHHOLD
Corporation, each to serve an initial term of two years commencing on                    all nominees                      authority to vote
 January 14, 2013 and ending on December 31, 2014.                                                                  (except as marked            for all nominees
                                                                                                                                                   to the contrary)
Kevin Sullivan, Birgit Rohm, Mimi Clark, Samantha Tobias
Julie Cameron, Xochil Scheer, Victoria Sinon, LeAnn Dahl, Susy Damon
____________________________________________
 (Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee (s)
write the name of the nominee (s) on the line above.)  


Upon any other business which may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

All proxies must be received either by Email at sdambrosio@mmart.com, fax (312.527-7807) or mail to the Fashion Group of Chicago office, PO Box 4012, Chicago, IL, 60654, no later than noon on January 14, 2014, or by hand at the Annual Meeting of Members on January 14, 2014 commencing at 5:30 pm.  Receipt of the Notice of the Annual Meeting and this Proxy are hereby acknowledged.

Dated:   December 12, 2013
              Chicago, Illinois                                                                                                     __________________________________________
Executive Member Signature            Date

                                                                                                                                                __________________________________________
Executive Member Name Printed