Hollywood Chamber to Honor Vanessa Williams with Lifetime Achievement Award
The day will begin with a reception at 11:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Universal Hotel, 333 Universal Hollywood Drive, followed by the luncheon at noon. Admission is $75 for Chamber members. Reservations can be made at www.hollywoodchamber.net/events.
As of press time, Variety and Hollywood Museum in the Historic Max Factor Building are presenting the luncheon. Gold Level sponsor include Emerson College, FilmL.A., Inc. and Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. Silver Level sponsors include AT&T, Famous Hollywood Dental Care, Hollywood Hotel, Hudson Pacific Properties, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Meruelo Media, Occidental Entertainment Group Holdings, The Original Farmers Market, Paramount Contractors & Developers, Southern California Gas Company.
Anyone interested in being a sponsor should contact Kaylee Kiecker at the Chamber.
Vanessa Williams is one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in the entertainment industry today. Having sold millions of records worldwide, Vanessa has also scored numerous No. 1 and Top 10 hits on various Billboard Album and Singles charts.
Her critically-acclaimed work in film, television, recordings and the Broadway stage has been recognized by every major industry award affiliate including 4 Emmy nominations, 11 Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination, 3 SAG award nominations, 7 NAACP Image Awards and 3 Satellite Awards. Her platinum single “Colors of the Wind,” from the Disney film Pocahontas, won the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
A strong advocate for equal rights, especially concerning the gay community and minorities, Williams was honored with the Human Rights Campaign “Ally for Equality” Award for her humanitarian contributions. She also achieved a career pinnacle with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
Williams joins a stellar list of past Chamber lifetime achievement honorees, which has included: Steve Allen, Ralph Edwards, Art Linkletter, Debbie Reynolds, Rhonda Fleming, Melissa Gilbert, Tab Hunter, Bob Barker, Esther Williams, Cloris Leachman, Tony Curtis, Tippi Hedren, Barbara Eden, Sally Kellerman, Joe Montegna, June Lockhart, Mary Lou Henner and Paul Sorvino.
In addition, Donelle Dadigan, the President & Founder of the Hollywood Museum in the Historic Max Factor Building, will be installed as Chair of the Board to lead the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, beginning in April.
Joining Dadigan as Chamber officers for the 2018 to 2019 year will be: Bill Roschen of Roschen Van Cleve Architects, Senior Vice Chair; Nicole Mihalka of JLL, Vice Chair; Michelle Sobrino-Stearns of Variety, Vice Chair; Brandon Mason of Avison Young, Vice Chair; Dwayne Gathers of Gathers Strategies, Treasurer; and Mark Edwards of JVS SoCal, Secretary.
Jeff Zarrinnam, Owner of Hollywood Hotel, will be honored as the outgoing chair of the board.
In addition, several new board members will be sworn in for the first time, including: Christine Derenthal, Manager, Government & Community Relations at Paramount Pictures; Ashley Gochnauer, General Manager, Kimpton Everly Hotel; Sofia Gresen, Senior Vice President, City National Bank; Michael Hilty, Market Manager, A.F. Gilmore Co.; Ed Murphy, General Manager, Hollywood & Highland; Otto Padron, President & CEO, Meruelo Media; Brook Purcell, Property Manager, Sunset & Vine Apartments; and Sarah Zurell, Chief Brand Officer, Pavemint.
Six directors who will be stepping down from the board will also be honored. They include Sholeh Assil, U.S. Bank; Fabio Conti, Conti Santi Properties; Howard Green, Walt Disney Studios; Catherine Farrell; Beth Marlis, Musicians Institute; and Jeff Zarrinnam, Hollywood Hotel.
About the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
For more than 97 years, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has provided leadership, business development resources, networking, and government affairs programs and services to keep the Hollywood business and residential communities safe, relevant and economically vital. Jeff Zarrinnam of Hollywood Hotel, is the Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2017-18, and Leron Gubler is the President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. For more information please visit www.hollywoodchamber.net.
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