Cathie Black
Cathie Black | |
|---|---|
| Born | Cathleen Prunty Black April 26, 1944 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman, educator |
| Known for | Chair and president of Hearst Magazines; New York City Schools Chancellor |
| Notable work | Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life) |
Cathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black (born April 26, 1944) served briefly as the New York City Schools Chancellor, resigning after just 95 days on April 7, 2011. Her selection to succeed the long-serving Chancellor Joel Klein was announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on November 9, 2010, with her term officially beginning on January 3, 2011. Since Black did not meet New York State's required background in education administration, a special waiver was necessary for her appointment. Following her departure, New York City Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott took over the role.
Prior to entering the education sector, Black held leadership roles at Hearst Magazines, a subsidiary of Hearst Corporation, where she was chair and president for 15 years. This division publishes 20 American magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, ELLE, and O, The Oprah Magazine, along with more than 300 international editions. Additionally, she is the author of BASIC BLACK and previously served as president and publisher of USA Today.
Early life and education
Born in Chicago, Illinois on April 26, 1944, Cathie Black is the daughter of James Hamilton Black and Margaret (née Harrington) Black. She graduated from Trinity College in Washington, DC, in 1966. Over her career, she has been awarded ten honorary degrees from various institutions including St. Mary's College, Ithaca College, Lehigh University, Simmons College, Trinity College, Marymount College, Loyola University, and Hamilton College.
Business career
Black’s professional journey began at Holiday Magazine, followed by positions at New York Magazine, City magazine, and Ms. Magazine. She later returned to New York Magazine as the first female publisher of a weekly consumer publication.
In 1983, she joined USA Today, where she spent eight years as president and publisher. Her tenure at Gannett included executive roles such as board membership and executive vice president of marketing.
From 1991 to 1996, as President and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America, Black led the establishment of the Newspaper National Network, securing both funding and leadership to enhance national advertising efforts.
In 1996, she assumed the presidency of Hearst Magazines, overseeing growth to 200 editions worldwide. Under her leadership, new titles such as O, The Oprah Magazine and Food Network Magazine were launched. She also facilitated the creation of COMAG MARKETING GROUP in partnership with Condé Nast Publications, and orchestrated acquisitions including Gruner+Jahr U.K., Seventeen, Veranda magazine, and a digital marketing agency. Black became chairman in 2010.
Her board memberships have included companies like IBM, The Coca-Cola Company, Hearst Corporation, Advertising Council, United Way of America, and Gannett Co. Inc. She is affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations, serves on the National Leadership Board of Harlem Village Academies, and acts as a Trustee for the University of Notre Dame.
During nearly two decades on Coca-Cola’s board, Black contributed to a committee focused on policy matters such as obesity and children's access to soda products. To prevent any conflict of interest following her nomination for New York City Schools Chancellor, she stepped down from this role. Throughout her time with Coca-Cola, she earned over $2 million in cash and stock compensation and still holds shares valued at more than $3 million. Despite concerns related to soda sales policies in schools, the mayor endorsed her appointment.
Schools chancellor
During her tenure as chancellor, Black was at the helm of the New York City Department of Education, which stands as the largest public school district in the United States, serving upwards of 1.1 million students across more than 1,600 educational institutions. She stepped down on April 7, 2011, amid significant controversy.
Controversy
Despite not meeting the typical qualifications—lacking three years of teaching experience, a master's degree, and a professional educational leadership credential—Black obtained a waiver from the New York State Education Department under Commissioner David M. Steiner. This waiver acknowledged her "exceptional record of successfully leading complex organizations" and was contingent on appointing a chief academic officer to assist her. Black selected Shael Polakow-Suransky for this position and commenced her role on January 1, 2011. Notably, Steiner resigned on the same day without providing a reason. Her appointment received endorsements from figures such as former Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Ed Koch, State Senator Malcolm Smith, City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, and media personality Oprah Winfrey.
Shortly after assuming office, Black encountered criticism for proposing birth control as a potential measure to address overcrowded classrooms and for likening tough decisions regarding classroom allocation to "Sophie's Choice," referencing a Holocaust narrative. The Department of Education later clarified that these comments were intended as offhand humor and stressed Black's genuine concern about overcrowding issues.
In early February 2011, Black presided over gatherings focused on closing 22 city-identified failing schools. During these sessions, she faced jeers from parents and responded by mimicking their boos, which sparked disapproval from both the parent community and members of the New York City Council.
To bolster support for her leadership, Mayor Bloomberg and Black initiated a publicity effort featuring celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey. Correspondence revealing this campaign surfaced in April 2013 following Bloomberg’s unsuccessful legal attempt to keep the emails confidential.
Personal
Since 1982, Black has been married to attorney Thomas E. Harvey, and together they have two children.
Bibliography
- Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life) (Crown Business, 2007) authored by Cathie P. Black
Basic Black achieved the No. 1 spot on both the Wall Street Journal and Business Week business book rankings and reached No. 3 on the New York Times Business Books list. The book has been licensed for translation in twelve countries, including China, Brazil, Japan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Its paperback version was published in September 2008.