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At last night's Gala, 100WHF presented its 2013 Effecting Change Award to Barbara G. Novick, Vice Chairman of BlackRock and its 2013 U.S. Industry Leadership Award to the late Karen Cook, Former Chief Investment Officer of Steinhardt Management Company, Inc. Karen Cook passed away on October 2, 2013 from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disease. Everett Cook, Karen's husband and Co-Founder of Pouschine Cook Capital Management, LLC, accepted the award on her behalf. A special donation was collected for CurePSP, a foundation dedicated to PSP care, education and research.

Commenting on the honorees and 100WHF's philanthropic partnership with Best Buddies, Lauren Malafronte, 100 Women in Hedge Funds Board of Directors Executive Committee member said, "Among the leaders of the alternatives industry, there are few women like Barbara Novick and Karen Cook; both blazed many trails, climbed corporate heights and mentored women in our sector. We celebrate their success by maintaining a mentorship network for those in the alternatives industry and by partnering with Best Buddies to support their own mentoring programs. We thank our generous members, friends and supporters who have helped raise funds that will build a brighter future for the participants in Best Buddies' programs."

Barbara Novick co-founded BlackRock in 1988, where she serves as a member of the Firm's Global Executive and Global Operating Committees and Chair of the Government Relations Steering Committee. From the inception of BlackRock until 2008, Ms. Novick headed the Global Client Group and oversaw global business development, marketing and client service across equity, fixed income, liquidity, alternative investment and real estate products for institutional and individual investors and their intermediaries worldwide. In her current role, Ms. Novick heads the Firm's efforts globally on Government Relations and Public Policy. Prior to her tenure at BlackRock, Ms. Novick served as the head of the Portfolio Products Team of The First Boston Corporation and before that she served at Morgan Stanley. Ms. Novick earned a BA degree, cum laude, in economics from Cornell University in 1981.

Karen Cook retired as Chief Investment Officer of Steinhardt Management Company, Inc. in 2008, marking the end of a career that spanned over 30 years and saw the earliest days of women's leadership in the Alternatives industry. She joined Steinhardt Partners, LP in 1995 as General Partner and Director of Client Services and in 1996 transitioned to overseeing outside hedge funds and managed accounts. In addition to her responsibilities at Steinhardt, she simultaneously served as Managing General Partner of Nepeta Partners, LP, a top-performing fund-of-funds invested in hedge funds. Prior to her tenure at Steinhardt, Karen was a Vice President and senior proprietary trader in the Equities Division at Goldman Sachs & Co. from 1975 until 1988, where she was the first woman hired in that division and the third female finance professional in the Firm overall. She also served on the Supervisory Board of Fifth Avenue Alternative Investments, LLC (Bessemer Trust). Karen received an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business in 1979 and a BA, magna cum laude, from Wheaton College (MA) in 1974.

Since its formation in 2001, 100WHF has raised more than $33 million globally for philanthropic causes in the areas of Women's and Family Health, Education and Mentoring. 100WHF's three core pillars include industry education, peer leverage and philanthropy. The organization's philanthropic mission is to utilize its collective abilities and expertise in order to give back to the local community in an impactful way. Beneficiaries are chosen on a rotating basis by 100WHF's Board of Directors, and the global philanthropic theme for 2013 is Mentoring.

"Best Buddies is honored to have been selected as this year's 100 Women in Hedge Funds beneficiary," said Anthony K. Shriver, Founder and Chairman, Best Buddies International. "We are extremely grateful to 100WHF for its incredible support, not only last night, but throughout the past year. We sincerely hope that 100WHF's efforts on our behalf will inspire other individuals, organizations and corporations to get behind our mission of inclusion as well."

The annual Gala was held at Cipriani 42nd Street and over 475 alternative investment industry leaders and professionals attended. David Gregory, journalist and host of NBC's Meet the Press, served as Master of Ceremonies, and guests enjoyed a live musical performance by Grammy award winner, Macy Gray.

100 Women In Hedge Funds

Press Release

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