Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Gala Honoring Terry J. Lundgren Raises $4.2 Million

Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Gala Honoring Terry J. Lundgren Raises $4.2 Million

Mr. Lundgren, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Macy's, Inc., Recognized for Outstanding Leadership in Arts Philanthropy

Gala Proceeds Benefit Carnegie Hall's Artistic and Education Programming

NEW YORK, April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, April 7, Carnegie Hall awarded its third-annual Medal of Excellence for outstanding philanthropic leadership in the arts to Terry J. Lundgren -- Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Macy's, Inc. The gala, which was attended by more than 1000 guests, raised $4.2 million, a record-setting number for the event and a testament to Mr. Lundgren's extraordinary commitment to arts philanthropy. All proceeds benefit Carnegie Hall's artistic and education programming.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080408/NYTU114 )

The Medal of Excellence was presented to Mr. Lundgren by The Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, at a gala benefit at The Waldorf=Astoria. Newswoman Deborah Norville was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening. Legendary vocalist Tony Bennett performed as part of the evening's program.

"Carnegie Hall is proud to present its third Medal of Excellence to Terry J. Lundgren," said Sanford I. Weill, chairman of Carnegie Hall's Board of Trustees and honorary chair of the gala. "Terry's entrepreneurial spirit and innovative leadership have elevated Macy's, Inc.'s standing as one the premier retailers in the nation and also as a model corporate citizen whose generous support of the arts has enhanced the cultural vibrancy of New York and many other cities nationwide. For Carnegie Hall, Terry has also been an invaluable and enterprising Trustee whose imaginative approach to merchandizing has opened the door to broad new audiences."

"At Macy's, Inc., we support the arts because it is important to the customers and employees of Macy's and Bloomingdale's. Being involved in the fashion business, as we are, we often get our inspiration from the creative outlets that surround us, which feature art, music, and dance," Mr. Lundgren said. "Carnegie Hall is an outstanding example of an organization that serves a worldwide community of music lovers, and it is the ultimate stage for the most talented American and international performers. Thus, I am indeed honored to receive Carnegie Hall's Medal of Excellence, especially since I know that proceeds from this benefit will allow Carnegie Hall to continue to inspire their audiences for years to come."

In addition to Carnegie Hall, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and the Macy's Foundation support a wide range of arts and cultural organizations nationwide. They include New York institutions such as Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera, Museum of Modern Art, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Carnegie Hall's 2008 Medal of Excellence Gala was co-chaired by Richard D. Beckman, President, Conde Nast Media Group; Cathleen P. Black, President, Hearst Magazines; Wesley R. Card, President and CEO, Jones Apparel Group, Inc.; Kenneth Cole, Chairman and CEO, Kenneth Cole Productions; Marc Ecko, Founder and CCO, Marc Ecko Enterprises; George and Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO/COO, Perry Ellis International; Fossil; Tommy Hilfiger, Principal Designer, Tommy Hilfiger Group; Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.; Liz Claiborne Inc.; Macy's and Bloomingdale's; Maurice and Paul Marciano, Guess?, Inc.; Mackey J. McDonald, Chairman, VF Corporation; Tom Murry, President and COO, Calvin Klein, Inc. Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Phillips-Van Heusen Corp.; Steven Roth, Chairman and CEO, Vornado Realty Trust; Jerry I. Speyer, Chairman and CEO, Tishman Speyer; Lawrence Stroll and Silas Chou, Co-Chairmen, Michael Kors, Inc.; Mark Weber, Chairman & CEO, Donna Karan International; and Ronald J. Wurtzburger, President, Peerless Clothing. The April 7 gala was held at The Waldorf=Astoria's Grand Ballroom and included a cocktail reception and dinner, followed by a brief program.

Terry J. Lundgren assumed the title of Chairman, President, and CEO of Macy's, Inc. (formerly known as Federated Department Stores, Inc.) in January 2004. Prior to this, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer, a title he assumed in March 2003 after having served as President and Chief Merchandising Officer since May 1997. Macy's, Inc. is the parent company of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, and was known as Federated Department Stores, Inc. prior to June 1, 2007.

Mr. Lundgren began his retailing career in 1975 as a trainee with Bullock's, a Los Angeles-based division of Federated. He held positions of increasing responsibility over the next decade in buying, store management, human resources, and senior-level store management as well as serving as the division's Director of Stores. Mr. Lundgren was named Senior Vice President and General Merchandising Manager of Bullock's in 1984. In 1987, he was named President and CEO of Bullocks Wilshire, then an upscale chain of specialty department stores owned by Federated.

Mr. Lundgren left Federated in 1988 to join Neiman Marcus, where he served as Executive Vice President and shortly thereafter was named Chairman and CEO. He returned to Federated in April 1994 as Chairman and CEO of the Macy's Merchandising Group.

Carnegie Hall presents the world's great soloists, ensembles, and orchestras in its renowned Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, its technologically advanced Zankel Hall, and its intimate Weill Recital Hall. The legendary concert venue presents over 200 events each year, producing such acclaimed series as Perspectives, Making Music, and Distinctive Debuts and representing the best in music in all its forms: classical, jazz, world, and pop. Carnegie Hall is also home to over 500 independently produced events each season.

Established in 2003, The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall creates a range of broad-reaching music education programs, playing a central role in Carnegie Hall's commitment to making great music accessible to as many people as possible. Educational programs are woven into the fabric of the Carnegie Hall concert season, with opportunities for preschoolers to adults, new listeners to emerging professional musicians. The Weill Music Institute annually serves over 115,000 children, students, teachers, parents, young music professionals, and adults in the New York City metropolitan area, across the United States, and around the world.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080408/NYTU114
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN13
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Carnegie Hall

CONTACT: Kate Johnston of Carnegie Hall, +1-212-903-9767,
kjohnston@carnegiehall.org

Web site: http://www.carnegiehall.org/

---

Profile: International Entertainment