Georgette Mosbacher (née Paulsin; January 16, 1947) is an American
business executive
A business executive is a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.
Executives run companies or government agencies. They create plans to help their organizations ...
,
entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values t ...
,
political activist
A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...
who served as the
United States Ambassador to Poland
The history of ambassadors of the United States to Poland began in 1919.
Until the end of World War I, Poland had been partitioned between Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. After the war and the collapse of the empires, Poland became an inde ...
from 2018 to 2021. She is the chairman of the Green Beret Foundation advisory board, and a
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
contributor. On November 19, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated her as a member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Mosbacher started her career as an executive in 1987 when she purchased the struggling cosmetics firm La Prairie, outbidding companies such as
Revlon
Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brother ...
Beiersdorf
Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures and retails personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairie, Nivea, Tesa SE (Tesa t ...
for a profit, in the 1990s she founded Georgette Mosbacher Enterprises, her own business and finance consulting company. From 2000 to 2015 she served as CEO of
Borghese
The House of Borghese is a princely family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century and held offices under the ''commune''. During the 16th century, ...
, a cosmetics manufacturer based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. Mosbacher authored two motivational books for women in the 1990s: ''Feminine Force'' through
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...
and ''It Takes Money Honey'' through
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News ...
.
Active in American politics, Mosbacher previously served as a co-chair of the
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. Political action committee, political committee that assists the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republi ...
’s Finance Committee, and she was the first woman to serve as the general chairman of the
Republican Governors Association
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1961, consisting of U.S. state and territorial Republican governors. The Republican Governors Association is dedicated to one primary objective: e ...
. Mosbacher has been noted in the media for her private fundraising events since the 1990s, and after supporting John McCain's bid for senate in 1998, she served as national co-chairman of McCain's 2000 presidential campaign and also anchored fundraising efforts for campaigns such as Bush Cheney '04. Involved with a number of non-profit organizations, in 1995 she founded the New York Center for Children, which aims to assist abused children and their families. A fellow at the
Foreign Policy Association
The Foreign Policy Association (formerly known as the League of Free Nations Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1918 dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. The Foreign Policy Association aims to ...
, she is a board-member for
Business Executives for National Security
Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is an American nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Prominent members include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, former Cisco chairman John P. Morgridge, and former Infor CEO Charles E. Phillips. The orga ...
(BENS) and the Atlantic Council, among other organizations.
On February 14, 2018, President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
nominated Mosbacher to be Ambassador to the Republic of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
. On July 12, 2018 her nomination was confirmed by the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
by
voice vote
In parliamentary procedure, a voice vote (from the Latin ''viva voce'', meaning "live voice") or acclamation is a voting method in deliberative assemblies (such as legislatures) in which a group vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding vo ...
. On December 26, 2020, Mosbacher announced her intent to resign, effective January 20, 2021.
Early life and education
A native of Highland, Indiana, Georgette Mosbacher (née Paulsin) was born to Dorothy (Bell) and George Paulsin. Her father died in an automobile accident when she was young, leaving the seven-year-old Georgette and her three younger siblings under the care of their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. When her mother returned to work, Mosbacher took on childcare duties for her brother George and two sisters, Melody and Lyn.
Mosbacher attended high school in Highland, Indiana, graduating in 1965. She went on to earn a
B.S.
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...
in education from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
in 1970. As an undergraduate student she worked three jobs in order to fund her education. After graduating from Indiana University, Mosbacher moved to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
to take a job at an advertising firm.
Business career
Mosbacher purchased the high-end cosmetics firm La Prairie in 1987, outbidding companies such as
Revlon
Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brother ...
, Avon, and Estee Lauder. Despite the fact that La Prairie had been struggling with sales, she had raised the funds for the purchase by pitching to investors and
venture capitalists
Venture capital (often abbreviated as VC) is a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which hav ...
. As primary owner of the Switzerland-based company, she also served as CEO and president for four years. Among other changes, she sold La Prairie in 1991 to
Beiersdorf
Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures and retails personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairie, Nivea, Tesa SE (Tesa t ...
, a large personal care products provider based in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
After selling La Prairie, in the 1990s she founded her own consulting company, Georgette Mosbacher Enterprises. Described as an "international entrepreneurial and consulting business in New York City," she served as chairman and CEO. Mosbacher published her first book, the semi-autobiographical and women's motivational guide ''Feminine Force: Release the Power Within to Create the Life You Deserve'', in 1993. Released through
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...
, it had a foreword by
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathryn Lee Gifford ( née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show '' Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''. Gifford is ...
. Her second book, ''It Takes Money Honey: A Get-Smart Guide to Total Financial Freedom'', was also partly focused on finances, and was released through
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News ...
in 1998.
After serving as a consultant to the company since 1999, in 2000 Mosbacher was appointed chief executive officer of
Borghese
The House of Borghese is a princely family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century and held offices under the ''commune''. During the 16th century, ...
, a prominent cosmetics manufacturer based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. She also took on the role of president, and by 2006 had been appointed chairwoman. The Borghese brand had first started in the 14th century in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. Upon becoming CEO, she closed half of the line's outlets to retain exclusivity, and reduced the number of items to focus on core products. During her early years at Borghese, she helped the company expand its global operations and establish a wide distribution network in China.
Political career
A longtime
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, Mosbacher served as a co-chair of the
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. Political action committee, political committee that assists the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republi ...
’s Finance Committee, and she has furthermore been involved with the
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lowe ...
and the New Republican Majority Fund. She was New York State's Republican National Committeewomen for more than a decade, and was also the first woman to serve as the general chairman of the
Republican Governors Association
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1961, consisting of U.S. state and territorial Republican governors. The Republican Governors Association is dedicated to one primary objective: e ...
, a role she continued to hold as of 2001. Mosbacher was a presidential appointee to the US Advisory Board for Trade Policy and Negotiations, a gubernatorial appointee as a New York Commissioner of Racing, and a mayoral appointee for trustee of the New York Hudson River Park Trust. She has also been involved with the National Women's Economic Alliance. On November 19, 2015, it was announced that President Obama had nominated her to be a member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Mosbacher has been noted in the media for her private fundraising events since the 1990s, and after supporting John McCain's bid for senate in 1998, she served as national co-chairman of McCain's 2000 presidential campaign. Mosbacher also anchored fundraising efforts for Bush Cheney '04,
John McCain 2008
The 2008 presidential campaign of John McCain, the longtime senior U.S. Senator from Arizona, was launched with an informal announcement on February 28, 2007, during a live taping of the ''Late Show with David Letterman'', and formally launch ...
,
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
John McCain 2008
The 2008 presidential campaign of John McCain, the longtime senior U.S. Senator from Arizona, was launched with an informal announcement on February 28, 2007, during a live taping of the ''Late Show with David Letterman'', and formally launch ...
Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator for Missouri, a seat he was first elected to in 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd Missouri Secr ...
David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier OAE (/ draɪər/; born July 5, 1952) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California from 1981 to 2013. He was one ...
.
On February 12, 2018
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
nominated her for a position of
United States Ambassador to Poland
The history of ambassadors of the United States to Poland began in 1919.
Until the end of World War I, Poland had been partitioned between Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. After the war and the collapse of the empires, Poland became an inde ...
to replace Paul W. Jones. On July 12, 2018 her nomination was confirmed in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
by
voice vote
In parliamentary procedure, a voice vote (from the Latin ''viva voce'', meaning "live voice") or acclamation is a voting method in deliberative assemblies (such as legislatures) in which a group vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding vo ...
.
In the media
In relation to both business and politics, Mosbacher has lent her opinions and personal anecdotes to several radio and television programs, including
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
’s ''Pinnacle'', ''
The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...
'', ''
Larry King Live
''Larry King Live'' was an American television talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was the channel's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly.
Mainly aired from CNN's Los Angeles ...
Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', and a number of her op-eds have been published in publications such as the ''
Washington Times
''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout ...
'' and ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...
'', covering topics such as health care for
war veteran
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military.
A military veteran that has ...
s. While she generally takes a Republican standpoint in relation to political issues, she has at times expressed frustration with Republican candidates and politicians, for example over incidents such as Congress stalling the vote on aid for
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
in 2012.
Charity work and boards
For several decades, Mosbacher has been involved with a number of non-profit organizations. In 1995 she founded the Children's Advocacy Center of Manhattan (CAC), currently known as the New York Center for Children, which aims to assist abused children and their families. She is a trustee of several charitable and civic organizations, including the Hudson River Park Trust and the
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest Thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park i ...
. Mosbacher has also received appointments from the M.D. Anderson Hospital Cancer Center and is on the board of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Through her own charitable foundation, Mosbacher provides two annual scholarships for women in the MBA program at Indiana University, her alma mater.
She was elected to the board of directors of the information commerce company
Intelius
Intelius, Inc. is a public records business headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It provides information services, including people and property search, background checks and reverse phone lookup. Users also have the ability to p ...
in October 2009, and is also on the boards of the Atlantic Council, the
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The ''Intrepid'' Sea, Air & Space Museum is an American military and maritime history museum in New York City with a collection of museum ships. It is located at Pier 86 at 46th Street, along the Hudson River, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborh ...
, and has served on the advisory boards of
Brasilinvest Brasilinvest Group - Brazilian company, established in 1975 by Mário Garnero, Headquarters in São Paulo.
Over its 35 years of history, the Brasilinvest Group has consolidated the assembly of dozens of economic projects and entrepreneurial manag ...
, RUSI International, and the Dilenschneider Group. A fellow at the
Foreign Policy Association
The Foreign Policy Association (formerly known as the League of Free Nations Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1918 dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. The Foreign Policy Association aims to ...
, she is a board-member for the
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think ...
. Mosbacher has been on the board of advisors for Diligence London, Harvard Center For Public Leadership, Gow & Partners LLC, Grupo Brasilinvest S.A., and Village Cares. She is a chairman of the Green Beret Foundation and a board-member for
Business Executives for National Security
Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is an American nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Prominent members include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, former Cisco chairman John P. Morgridge, and former Infor CEO Charles E. Phillips. The orga ...
Georgette Mosbacher has received several awards throughout her career, including the
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is an American award founded by the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) (formerly known as the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO)), which is presented annually to American citizens, both native-born ...
, the Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year Award from the American Women's Economic Development Corporation, the Distinguished Humanitarian Award from
Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, ...
, and the Outstanding Business Leader Award from the Northwood Institute. In 2002, the
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives.
The NRCC was formed in 1866, when the Republican caucuses of the House and ...
's (NRCC) Business Advisory Council awarded Mosbacher with their National Leadership Award, in part citing her activism relating to small business issues. In March 2015, Mosbacher was given the Founder's Award from Hedge Funds Care "in recognition of her efforts spearheading the Manhattan Children’s Advocacy Center." She holds a Doctor of Business Administration Honorary Causa from Bryant College and an honorary doctorate from the International Fine Arts College.
On January 12, 2021
President of Poland
The president of Poland ( pl, Prezydent RP), officially the president of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), is the head of state of Poland. Their rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Pola ...
Andrzej Duda
Andrzej Sebastian Duda (; born 16 May 1972) is a Polish lawyer and politician who has served as president of Poland since 6 August 2015. Before becoming president, Andrzej Duda was a member of Polish Lower House (Sejm) from 2011 to 2014 and th ...
decorated her with 1st class Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, the order was awarded "''in recognition of outstanding achievements in developing Polish-American friendly relations and cooperation, and for involvement in activities for international security''."
Personal life
Based in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, in the 1970s Mosbacher was married to Robert Muir, and after their divorce in 1977, for a time she was married to
George Barrie
George Barrie (9 February 1912 – 16 November 2002) was the owner and CEO of Fabergé Inc. from 1964 to 1984. He was nominated for two Oscars for Best Original Song and created the cologne Brut. Though not one of the first to use celeb ...
Brut Productions Brut Productions was a film production company that was an offshoot of Fabergé cosmetics under George Barrie.
History
Barrie began thinking about becoming involved in movie production when producer Mike Frankovich asked Fabergé to make a mock a ...
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. In 1989 President, George H. W. Bush appointed Robert Mosbacher to the position of
United States Secretary of Commerce
The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...
. On June 12, 1990, she was robbed at gun point in front of her hotel room at the Barbizon Plaza in Manhattan (now Trump Parc). She dove into an elevator, the door of which unexpectedly opened, rang the alarm and rode it to the ground floor; the gunman vanished with her jewelry and handbag. After 13 years of marriage, Georgette Mosbacher and her husband divorced in 1998. In 2017, she gave a brief video tour of her Fifth Avenue home, discussing her many distinguished guests at parties there, on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
television series ''Open House''.
Controversies
Mosbacher courted controversy when she suggested that Poland was responsible for the re-emergence of anti-Semitism across the continent of Europe because of a law which criminalizes blaming Poland for the actions of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
on its soil during the
Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...
.
Prior to being appointed, Polish
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Andrzej Duda
Andrzej Sebastian Duda (; born 16 May 1972) is a Polish lawyer and politician who has served as president of Poland since 6 August 2015. Before becoming president, Andrzej Duda was a member of Polish Lower House (Sejm) from 2011 to 2014 and th ...
stated that if Mosbacher were appointed as the new U.S. ambassador to Poland, she would be accepted, despite having made "unnecessary and mistaken" comments about the country.
Publishing history
See also
*
List of chief executive officers
The following is a list of chief executive officers of notable companies. The list also includes lead executives with a position corresponding to chief executive officer (CEO), such as managing director (MD), and any concurrent positions held.
Lis ...
List of entrepreneurs
This is a list of entrepreneurs'' by century. An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative. This list includes notable entrepreneurs.
<18th-century entrepreneurs
*