Posted: Jan 14, 2008

On January 14, 2008, in the Boardroom at Christies, the Chapter awarded its Distinguished Legal Service Award to Rosemary Nelson.

Rosemary Nelson has the professional expertise and personal characteristics which make her the epitome of an excellent in-house counsel.  Until recently she was Vice President and Division Counsel for North America at the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Because of her outstanding performance in that position she has been promoted to Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Operations.  In addition to North America, she now has responsibility for Latin America, Africa/Middle East and the Hill’s Division.

In addition to her legal acumen, the Colgate announcement of her promotion took special note of her exceptional success as a coach and mentor.  Another key indication of Rosemary’s strengths came recently when Colgate-Palmolive faced international counterfeiters who used toxic ingredients in products falsely labeled with Colgate brands.  In the face of these threats to consumers’ health and to the Colgate name, Rosemary was chosen to lead the global task force on Counterfeit which successfully addressed the myriad complex issues involved.

Rosemary began her career as a school teacher and later joined the National Association of Broadcasters Code Authority as an editor reviewing and approving children’s advertising for air. She was then hired by the major advertising firm of Young & Rubicam as an Administrator for Commercial Clearance and became a Legal Assistant while attending Rutgers Law School’s evening division. After graduation she rose to become Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary. Next she was Senior Vice President, Director – Legal & Business Affairs and Assistant Secretary at Saatchi & Saatchi North America Inc., a position she left to join Colgate.

She has served on the board of the Association of Corporate Counsel and continues on the Board of its Greater New York Chapter.

She is a graduate of Wilberforce University where she was Miss WU, 1968. She has been honored by the YWCA and its prestigious Academy of Women Achievers. More than anything else, Rosemary is the proud mother of a teenaged daughter Nicole.

We are very pleased to honor one of our own who has shown how it can and should be done while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Rosemary offering comments after receiving the Award.

Offering Congratulations to Rosemary are (l to r): Lou Maggoitto 
[former Chapter President and ACC Board Chair); Fred Krebs (ACC President); Lisa Whitney (Chapter President); John Ogden (Chapter Executive Director); Rosemary; David Skoblow (Chapter Vice President); Jeff Green (Chapter Board member and former President)