THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 25, 1994 TAG: 9409250065
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 25 lines
Lillian Vernon, founder of the catalog empire that bears her name, was honored Saturday as ``newsmaker of the year'' by the Virginia Press Women.
Speaking at the group's fall conference, Vernon, who is chief executive officer of the Lillian Vernon Corp., discussed how she developed a small home-based business into a large corporation. She began her business at her kitchen table in 1951 with an investment of $2,000. In the company's last fiscal year, it reported $196 million in annual sales.
The company has five catalog titles and will introduce two more next year. It has eight retail stores, including those in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Williamsburg and Hampton. Its national distribution center in Virginia Beach employs up to 3,000 during the Christmas season.
Virginia Press Woman is an organization for communications professionals. by CNB