Event Solutions Event Industry Hall of Fame 2006
Jean McFaddin: Marketing and Events Speaker and Consultant; Former Senior Vice President, Macy’s Public Relations and Events
Published in June 2007 Hall of Fame
For 25 years, Jean McFaddin served as Macy’s East senior vice president in charge of public relations and events, responsible for creating major events to maximize Macy’s sales and brand success. In this position, she produced a full calendar of major public events each year, including Macy’s award-winning Thanksgiving Day Parade and New York City’s largest ongoing 4th of July fireworks celebration.
She and her staff were also responsible for developing daily in-store merchandising events, publicity campaigns and division-wide promotions for all Macy’s East stores from New England to Puerto Rico.
Throughout her years with the retail giant, McFaddin developed the Macy’s Parade and other annual events into multidimensional spectaculars that attracted worldwide tourists and positive media attention to Macy’s and New York City. She has received over a dozen Emmy Awards for her work with NBC on Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Additionally, McFaddin has served on numerous civic and industry councils, including the mayor’s Host Committee for the United Nations 50th Anniversary and NYC 2000 Millennium Committee.
She has also produced more than 100 benefit galas and fundraising events, which raised millions of dollars for community organizations.
Since leaving Macy’s, McFaddin has kept busy. In January 2005, she was the keynote speaker and advisor for the first International Festivals & Events Conference in Beijing. In April, she was parade judge for the 2005 Kentucky Derby Festival, and the next month, she was a judge for the 2005 Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant.
In September of that year, she spoke at the 50th anniversary conference of the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA). In October, she was inducted into the BizBash Hall of Fame. In December 2005, she was grand marshal for the Atlanta Festival of Trees Parade.
Most recently, she was a keynote speaker at the Event Solutions Idea Factory: Events, Education, Expo, in August 2006 in Denver. There, she was inducted into the Event Solutions Event Industry Hall of Fame during the Spotlight Awards ceremony.
The following month, she spoke at IFEA’s conference in Canada.
Celebrated for her success in staging giant-scale events in David Rockwell’s recently released book, “Spectacle,” McFaddin is truly an event industry legend.
First year in the industry:
1962: I produced my first children’s theater, which traveled around eastern Texas. It was a complete sell-out. The excitement around it introduced me to the dynamics of big events.
What I thought I was going to be when I grew up:
A producer. From day one. When I was five years old, I planned my first production: my own cowboy-themed birthday party, complete with guests dressed in character! I even filmed it.
I got into the business because:
I love the events. I love spectacle, the excitement. I love the interaction of the people.
Biggest event success:
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has got to be my biggest success. This event is so gigantic in every respect — from the political to the social, creative, operational, marketing and logistical aspects of it. It always provided exciting challenges to me and my associates to grow the event and ourselves!
Biggest event save:
That’s easy! For the United States Bicentennial in 1975, I produced a 30-day fair in Philadelphia. It rained for 41 days. We lived in the rain. We set up in the rain. We lived in the rain. We tore down in the rain. But the fair went on. And I never did another fair again.
Most valuable lesson learned:
Surround yourself with the best team possible. Not just the best people, but the best people who work and create together well.
Best piece of advice I ever received:
Do what you love to do. I have a T-shirt that says, “Live the life you love. Love the life you live.” That’s what it is all about!