Crain's New York Business Honors 100 Influential Women in New York

Crain's New York Business made public its list of the '100 Most Influential Women in NYC Business' Friday, honoring the efforts of businesswomen in a variety of fields. The list included the Food Network's Rachel Ray, Metropolitan Museum of Art president Emily Rafferty, and Zagat Survey co-founder Nina Zagat.

"These remarkable women represent the fabric of New York, a vibrant array of industries that make our city unique and opportunistic," said Jill Kaplan, publisher of Crain's. "We salute our 100 women for what they have achieved."

Monday's edition of Crain's New York Business will feature a list of the women along with a profile for each. Other notables on the list included Jean Afterman, assistant manager of the New York Yankees, and Abbe Raven, president of A&E television networks.

In addition to the top 100 list, Crain's announced the 'Power 25,' a group of women who "wield the most clout in New York business." Chosen for this top group were Morgan Stanley Co-President Zoe Cruz, MTV Chief Executive Judy McGrath, and Time Inc. CEO and Chair Ann Moore.

The list is indicative of the progress women have made in business in recent years. Disparity in wages between genders is decreasing, especially in big cities. In fact, according to the Department of Sociology at Queens College, young women in New York City earned 17 percent more than young men. In Dallas, the rate was higher - 20 percent. Such trends can be attributed to the influence of women honored by Crain's.

"Crain's '100 Most Influential Women in NYC Business' recognizes the incredible talent and accomplishments of the business women of New York City," Kaplan said. Though the list features only women in New York, Kaplan recognized that their influence extended well beyond the five boroughs. These women are "role models...for the next generation of women and young girls," she said.

Kaplan herself shares many attributes with the women honored on the list; her position as publisher of Crain's New York Business is only one of an impressive resume of achievements. Prior to joining the newspaper in September 2006, she held the position of general manager of The Wall Street Journal's Weekend Edition.

During her nine years with The Wall Street Journal, Kaplan held a variety of positions. She was a part of the senior management team responsible for the creation of the Journal's Weekend Edition and Personal Journal. In addition, she led the consumer diversification strategy and served as General Manager of Weekend Journal, Personal Journal and The Journal Report.

SOURCES:

Crain's New York Business, "Crain's New York Business Announces '100 Most Influential Women in NYC Business'"

eWeek Careers, "In Big Cities, Young Women Outearn Men"

Crain Communications Inc, "Jill Kaplan"