Nancy Brinker
Encyclopedia
Nancy Goodman Brinker is the founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....

, an organization named after her only sister, Susan, who died from breast cancer in 1980 at age 36. Brinker was also United States Ambassador to Hungary
United States Ambassador to Hungary
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to HungaryUntil 1867 Hungary had been part of the Austrian Empire, when the empire became Austria-Hungary. Hungary had no separate diplomatic relations with other nations...

 from 2001 to 2003 and Chief of Protocol of the United States
Chief of Protocol of the United States
The Chief of Protocol is an officer of the United States Department of State responsible for advising the President of the United States, the vice president, and the secretary of state on matters of national and international diplomatic protocol...

 from 2007 to the end of the George W. Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...

. Brinker, a breast cancer survivor, uses her experience to heighten understanding of the disease. She speaks publicly on the importance of patient's rights and medical advancements in breast cancer research and treatment. She is currently serving as the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

's Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control. Brinker is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Promise Me - How a Sister's Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer, released on September 14, 2010.

Brinker has helped build Komen by fostering a coalition of relationships within the business community, government, and volunteer sectors in the United States. For her work on breast cancer research, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...

magazine named Brinker to its 2008 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Calling her "a catalyst to ease suffering in the world," President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 honored Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...

, the nation’s highest civilian honor on August 12, 2009.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

In 1982, Brinker established Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....

, after a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Since its inception, the nonprofit has raised over $1.9 billion for research, education and health services, making it the largest breast cancer charity in the world. Komen has more than 75,000 volunteers nationwide, 120 affiliates in the United States, and 3 affiliates in other countries. The organization has resulted in the development of many new treatment options and a higher quality of life overall for breast cancer patients and long-term survivors. Brinker served as founding chairman of the organization, supervising all aspects of initial growth,. On December 2, 2009, Brinker was appointed CEO. She also pioneered cause marketing
Cause marketing
Cause marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a type of marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a "for profit" business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. The term is sometimes used more broadly and generally to refer to any type of marketing effort for social and...

, allowing millions to participate in the fight against breast cancer through businesses that share Komen's commitment to end the disease. Susan G. Komen for the Cure received Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...

's highest rating, four stars.

World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador

Brinker is currently serving as the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

's Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control. She was appointed by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, OBE JP is the Director-General of the World Health Organization . Chan was elected by the Executive Board of the WHO on 8 November 2006, and was endorsed in a special meeting of the World Health Assembly on the following day...

 on May 26, 2009. She is the organization's public face for its fight against to raise awareness and strengthen programs in poorer countries on behalf of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 agency. She advocated for strengthening global action for cancer prevention and control in the context of the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases endorsed by the World Health Assembly
World Health Assembly
The World Health Assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states....

 in May 2008. Her message emphasized the need for low- and middle-income countries to strengthen comprehensive and evidence-based cancer control policies and programs. also to learn more go to

Chief of Protocol

On June 18, 2007, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

 nominated Brinker to be Chief of Protocol of the United States
Chief of Protocol of the United States
The Chief of Protocol is an officer of the United States Department of State responsible for advising the President of the United States, the vice president, and the secretary of state on matters of national and international diplomatic protocol...

 and to have the rank of ambassador and assistant under-secretary of state. Brinker was sworn in to the post on September 14, 2007. Her term lasted until January 20, 2009.

In this role, Brinker advised, assisted and supported the president, the vice president and the secretary of state on official matters of diplomatic procedure. She accompanied the president on official visits abroad and served as the president's personal representative and liaison to foreign ambassadors in Washington. The Office of the Chief of Protocol is responsible for activities including the planning, hosting, logistics, and officiating at ceremonial events for visiting chiefs of state and heads of government. On April 15, 2008, Ambassador Brinker was the first American to greet Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

 upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....

 as part of her official duties.

The office also manages Blair House
Blair House
Blair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. It is located at 1651-1653 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., opposite the Old Executive Office Building of the White House, off the corner of Lafayette Park....

, the president's guesthouse. On October 7, 2008, Brinker hosted a symposium on "Breast Cancer Global Awareness” at the Blair House. First Lady Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...

 joined the participants and for the first time ever, the White House was illuminated in pink for the occasion.

During her term as chief of protocol, Ambassador Brinker expanded the role of the office through outreach programs intended to foster better relationships with the Diplomatic Corps. The effort, known as Diplomatic Partnerships involved over 60 events, including "Experience America", where the Diplomatic Corps traveled throughout the United States to meet with American business and civic leaders.

Ambassador to Hungary

Brinker served as United States Ambassador to Hungary
United States Ambassador to Hungary
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to HungaryUntil 1867 Hungary had been part of the Austrian Empire, when the empire became Austria-Hungary. Hungary had no separate diplomatic relations with other nations...

 from September 2001 to 2003 during the administration of President George W. Bush. A political appointee, she advanced a broad range of U.S. security and economic interests. Specific successes include expanded security cooperation, development of a closure strategy for the Hungarian Fund, resolving commerce transparency issues, and for the first time, holding a conference on the trafficking and exploitation of workers that Health Ministers from the neighboring Balkan States attended. She also raised awareness about breast cancer among Hungarian women by leading a march over the historic Chain Bridge in Budapest. The bridge was illuminated in pink for the occasion.

While ambassador, Brinker began to collect Hungarian art. Today, her collection spans 100 years, from just before the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the present and has been on display at several museums around the United States. The collection is one of the largest outside of Hungary. The Nancy G. Brinker Collection extends and complements the acknowledged masters of Hungarian modernism and has introduced the American audience to original artists of more modest reputation.

Hungarian President Ferenc Mádl
Ferenc Mádl
Ferenc Mádl was the second President of the third Republic of Hungary, having served from 4 August 2000 to 5 August 2005.-University studies and scientific activities:...

 decorated Brinker with the Order of Merit, Medium Class, Cross Adorned with Star, for her work in advancing bilateral relations and in recognition of her charity activities.

Other government service

  • On December 24, 2008, President Bush appointed her to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
    John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
    The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...

     for a six-year term.
  • In 2000, she served on the National Steering Committee for the National Dialogue on Cancer.
  • Vice President Dan Quayle
    Dan Quayle
    James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....

     invited her to chair a subcommittee monitoring research, progress and development in the fight against breast cancer.
  • In 1990, President George H. W. Bush
    George H. W. Bush
    George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...

     appointed her to chair the President's Cancer Panel
    President's Cancer Panel
    The President's Cancer Panel is a three-person panel that reports to the President of the United States on the development and execution of the National Cancer Program. Members serve 3-year terms, and at least two of the three panel members must be distinguished scientists or physicians. The...

     and to monitor the progress of the National Cancer Program.
  • In 1986, President Ronald Reagan
    Ronald Reagan
    Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

     appointed her to the National Cancer Advisory Board.

Business career

In 1968, Brinker began a business and marketing career by entering the executive training program at Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...

 in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

.

In 1994, Brinker founded In Your Corner, Inc., a business venture designed to meet the retail consumer need for reliable health and wellness products and information. In Your Corner, Inc. was sold to AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in 1998.

She has served as a director of several publicly held corporations including Manpower
Manpower
Manpower may refer to:*Human resourcesOrganizations:*Manpower Inc., an international employment agency, headquartered in the United States*Manpower Incorporated, a criminal enterprise in the Honor Harrington science fiction series...

, Inc., United Rentals
United Rentals
Founded in 1997 by Bradley S. Jacobs and seven others, United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world, with more than 600 rental locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Their diverse customer base includes construction and industrial companies,...

, Inc., U.S. Oncology, Inc., Netmarket, Inc., and the Meditrust Corporation, among others.

She has testified before the United States Democratic Policy Committee's Congressional Breast Cancer Forum and participated in the International Women's Forum.

Board service

In recent years, Brinker has served on the boards of FasterCures and the LHC Group. Prior to assuming her position as ambassador to Hungary, she served on the boards of Manpower, Inc. and U.S. Oncology. She is also affiliated with several non-profit organizations and sits on the boards of New York University Medical School, the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention Advisory Board, the Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...

 Civic Association, and the Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...

 Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Brinker also served on the national advisory boards of the Women's Health Resource Center, Women's Health Initiative
Women's Health Initiative
The Women's Health Initiative was initiated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in 1991. The objective of this women's health research initiative was to conduct medical research into some of the major health problems of older women...

, the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship and the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...

. She is a former board member of such not-for-profit organizations as the National Jewish Coalition Board of Governors, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

's Medical School Foundation, National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project, Protocol & Diplomacy International - Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.

Awards

Through her career as a businesswoman, consultant, healthcare advocate and philanthropist, Nancy Brinker has received numerous national awards and titles, including:
  • Presidential Medal of Freedom
    Presidential Medal of Freedom
    The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...

     August 12, 2009, awarded by President Barack Obama
    Barack Obama
    Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

  • Time magazine
    Time (magazine)
    Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...

    , 100 Most Influential People in the World
  • Ladies’ Home Journal’s 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century
  • Biography Magazine’s The 25 Most Powerful Women in America
  • Anti-Defamation League
    Anti-Defamation League
    The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...

     Americanism Award
  • The Ladies' Home Journal
    Ladies' Home Journal
    Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...

    's Top 10 Champions of Women's Health
  • 2009 Porter Prize
  • 2005 Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award in Support of Medical Research
  • The Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen
  • 2007 Trumpet Award
  • 2007 Castle Connolly National Health Leadership Award
  • The Texas Governor's Award for Outstanding National Service
  • 2007 Pro Cultura Hungarica Medal
  • American Association for Cancer Research Centennial Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 2007
  • 2007 IARC Medal of Honour
  • The American Society of Breast Disease 2006
  • Global Pathfinder Award
  • 2004 Service to America Leadership Award presented by the National Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation
  • The Champions of Excellence Award presented by the Centers for Disease Control
  • ASCO Special Recognition Award
  • Cancer Research and Treatment Fund, Inc. Cancer Survivors Hall of Fame
  • Modern Healthcare 2007 Health Care Hall of Fame
  • The Sword of Ignatius Loyola Award from Saint Louis University
    Saint Louis University
    Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...

  • The Healthcare Humanitarian Award presented by the Global Conference Institute
  • Toastmasters International
    Toastmasters International
    Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills...

     Top Five Speakers for 2001 Award
  • The Sisters Network 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award
  • The 2000 Cino del Duca Award, the James Ewing Layman Award from the Society of Surgical Oncology
  • The 1999 Caring Award
  • The Albert Einstein's Sarnoff Volunteer Award
  • The first Salomon Smith Barney Extraordinary Achievement Award
  • The Champion of Prevention Award by the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control
  • 1995 University of Illinois Alumni Achievement Award
  • Inducted into the Cancer Research and Treatment Fund, Inc. Cancer Survivors Hall of Fame
  • The American Society of Breast Surgeons
    The American Society of Breast Surgeons
    The American Society of Breast Surgeons is a professional medical society whose active members are general surgeons who dedicate all or part of their practices to the treatment of breast disease.-Demographics:...

     Lifetime Achievement Award—2003

Publications

Brinker has co-authored four books:
  • Promise Me: How a Sister's Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer , co-authored with Joni Rodgers - September 14, 2010
  • The Race is Run One Step at a Time, co-authored with Catherine McEvilly Harris
  • 1000 Questions About Women's Health, co-authored with Dr. H. Jane Chihal
  • Winning the Race : Taking Charge of Breast Cancer, co-authored with Chriss Anne Winston


Brinker wrote the forewords for:
  • Tamoxifen for the Treatment and Prevention of Breast Cancer by V. Craig Jordan
  • Tamoxifen: A Guide for Clinicians and Patients by V. Craig Jordan

Personal

She is a daughter of Marvin L. Goodman, a commercial real-estate developer in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...

, and his wife, Eleanor Goodman (née Newman).

Nancy Goodman married, as her first husband, Robert Leitstein, an executive at Neiman Marcus; they divorced in 1978. They had one son, Eric Blake Leitstein (born October 13, 1975), who is now known as Eric Brinker.

In 1981, Nancy Goodman wed Norman E. Brinker
Norman E. Brinker
Norman Eugene Brinker was a prominent restaurateur who was responsible for the creation of new business concepts within the restaurant field, such as the salad bar.-Biography:He was born on June 3, 1931...

, a pioneer of the casual dining industry and founder of Brinker International
Brinker International
Brinker International, Inc. , is the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy.-History:It was founded in 1975 as Chili's Bar and Grill, purchased by restaurateur Norman E. Brinker in 1983 and rechristened Brinker International in 1990; it now has more than 1,500 restaurants worldwide...

, which provided access to capital and influence which enabled her role in public service. Norman Brinker provided funds and methodology for building the Komen foundation. The couple were major contributors to George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

's first presidential campaign. They divorced in 2003, but Norman Brinker remained a board member of Komen for the Cure, having served on its board since its founding in 1982 until his death in 2009.

Brinker was an avid polo player.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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