The American Cancer Society’s Wine & Spirits Industry’s 40th Annual Gala—which raises funds to support the Society’s mission of eliminating cancer as a major health problem—will take place on Monday, October 2, 2017 at the Pierre in New York.
Since it’s inception, the event has raised $16 million, according to Mary Kay Wright, the charity’s senior manager for distinguished events.
“[The Wine & Spirits Industry’s Gala] averages raising about $550,000 [every year],” said Wright. “As far as events go, this is the third largest” for the American Cancer Society.
The event comes in third behind the Financial Services Cares Gala, which brings in $2.6 million, and the beauty industry’s Dream Ball, which generates $1.4 million on average annually.
“To be fair, the financial services event has 700 people and the Dream Ball about 500. This event has 250 people,” said Wright.
This year’s honoree is Deborah Brenner, Founder & President of Women of the Vine & Spirits, an organization dedicated to women in the alcohol-beverage industry. What started as a one-off networking event in March 2015, has snowballed into the first and only trade organization for women in the industry. It’s now an active year-round alliance and international in scope.
Brenner, who was featured in BIE’s video series, “Five Questions With,” said she was “overjoyed and flattered to be an honoree among such notable industry professionals. Furthermore, lending my support to the American Cancer Society is very dear to my heart as my father, whom I worked closely with for seven years, recently passed away in 2014 after a battle with cancer.”
Published: September 19, 2017
