NAWBO Chicago's "Annual Celebration of Achievement Luncheon" Gala

The Chicago
Area Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) announced
that Carla Harris will give the keynote address at its Annual Celebration of
Achievement Luncheon Gala. Harris is Vice Chairman of Global Wealth Management,
Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley Investment
Management. She recently was named one of Fortune
Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Black Executives
in Corporate America.”
The event—the largest gathering of women business owners and entrepreneurs in
Chicago—is open to the public. It will happen on Monday, April 28, 2014, from 10:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park.

Harris Combines Executive Experience with
Inspiration

“Carla
Harris joins the ranks of many notable women who have spoken at our gala—from
Oprah Winfrey, to NASA astronaut Dr.
Mae Jemison, to Karen Finerman, CNBC host and author,” said Lori Hilson
Cioromski, NAWBO Chicago Chapter president and president of TH Hilson. “The
inspiring story of how she persevered and rose to the top of a traditionally
male-dominated field, continues to give back to the community, and still has
time to write books and record best-selling music CDs will make this another
memorable event.” 

As managing
director, Harris provides investment advice to corporations, public pension plans,
foundations and endowments. She also leads Morgan Stanley Investment
Management’s Emerging Managers Platform. For more than a decade, Harris was a
senior member of the Equity Syndicate desk and executed transactions including initial
public offerings for UPS, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and the $3.2 billion
common stock transaction for Immunex Corporation, one of the largest
biotechnology follow-on offerings in U.S. history.

Harris also has
been recognized on Fortune’s “Most Influential List,” Black Enterprise Magazine’s “Top 50 African Americans on
Wall Street,” Essence Magazine’s list of “The 50 Women Who are
Shaping the World,” and Ebony’s list of “15 Corporate Women at The Top.” She received her master’s in
business administration from Harvard Business School with second-year honors,
and her bachelor’s degree in economics, graduating magna
cum laude from Harvard University. Her first music CD, “Carla’s First Christmas,” was a bestseller on Amazon.com and was
featured on the CBS
Evening News with Dan Rather. She is also the author of the newly released book, Expect to Win.

Achievement Luncheon Offers
Business Networking, Prizes and Chocolate

The NAWBO Chicago Chapter develops educational and growth programs
to promote its members’ personal and professional success. The luncheon will
recognize business women in categories including Woman Business Owner of the
Year, Member of the Year, and Corporate Women of Achievement. Winners in every category
will be selected based upon their success in demonstrating a strong work ethic
and passion to thrive regardless of the circumstances.

The
Annual Celebration of Achievement Gala is NAWBO’s largest annual fundraiser. It
features raffle prizes, a room with exhibitors offering business services, a
Chocolate Hour post-luncheon reception, and networking opportunities. Raffle
prizes include great items such as Southwest Airlines tickets and are $10 each
or three for $25.

Early-bird
ticket pricing, available until March 31, 2014, is $125 for members, $150 for
non-members and $1,250 for tables of 10. After that date, ticket prices increase
to $150 for members, $175 for non-members. Tickets are available at www.NAWBOChicago.org or by calling NAWBO
Chicago at 312-224-2605.

About the National Association of Women Business Owners:

Founded in 1975, the National
Association of Women Business Owners prides itself on being a global beacon for
influence, ingenuity and action, and works to strengthen the wealth creating
capacity of its members and promote economic development within the
entrepreneurial community.
With 400 members, the Chicago Area Chapter is one of the
largest NAWBO groups in the country.