New York IABC Selects Pfizer's Sally Susman
as 2009 Communicator of the Year

NEW YORK, September 16, 2009 -- The New York Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) today announced the selection of Sally Susman, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of Pfizer Inc. as its 2009 Communicator of the Year. This award, New York IABC’s highest professional recognition, will be presented to Ms. Susman on November 12 at a gala reception at the Metropolitan Club in New York City.

“We are delighted to honor Sally Susman as our 2009 Communicator of the Year,” said New York IABC President Robert Noltenmeier. “Over the course of a distinguished communications career, Sally has exemplified professional excellence, innovation and integrity.  At Pfizer, she has taken a leadership role in helping the company and the pharmaceutical industry build a constructive, open dialog with stakeholders on healthcare reform – one of the central issues of our time. Her work has helped advance the state of our profession and inspires communicators who seek to be the best at what they do.”

“Our profession is rapidly changing and increasingly relevant to a corporation’s success,” said Sally Susman. “I’m grateful to New York IABC for creating a forum to highlight achievements in corporate communications and for recognizing me.”

New York IABC will present the Communicator of the Year award to Sally Susman at a reception to be held on Thursday, November 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Metropolitan Club, One East 60th Street, New York City.  Tickets are available at $125 for IABC members and $150 for non-members.  Registration can be obtained through the New York IABC website by clicking here, or by calling New York IABC at 212-253-4092.

About Sally Susman
Sally Susman is Senior Vice President & Chief Communications Officer for Pfizer Inc, the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical company. She leads strategic communications for the company, effectively communicating the company's mission, values and product news to its stakeholder audiences around the world. In this capacity she oversees worldwide media relations, colleague communications, corporate branding and reputation, corporate advertising, Internet and intranet services, and communications research. In 2009, Ms. Susman's portfolio expanded to include responsibility for Pfizer's Corporate Responsibility group, including the Pfizer Foundation.

Before joining Pfizer in February 2008, Ms. Susman was Executive Vice President for Global Communications at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., where for seven years she directed global communications strategy for the corporation and its 28 brands. Ms. Susman served as a member of the Executive Committee, served as company spokeswoman and was responsible for the company's media relations, employee communications and consumer relations.

Ms. Susman has also held several high-level communications and government relations posts at American Express Company. She directed media relations, internal communications and governmental affairs for all of American Express' international operations and expanded its online presence in the United States. From 1995 to 1997, she was based in London, where she was responsible for corporate communications and government relations for American Express throughout Europe.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Susman spent eight years in government service focused on international trade issues. Her positions included Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in the U.S. Department of Commerce and Legislative Assistant for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Ms. Susman holds a B.A. from Connecticut College; she spent a year studying abroad at the London School of Economics.

About New York IABC

With 400 members, New York IABC is a leading U.S. chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), a global network of communicators working in diverse industries and disciplines, including public relations, marketing, and employee communications, who seek to identify, share, and apply the world’s most effective communication practices.

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Click here for past recipients