Emily Koltnow
Introduction by Carole Hyatt
“So much can happen when we connect with friends. I have a friend Phil Prymja, who goes to Africa every year and teaches and works with young children helping them to create beautiful collages. I felt the collages were so beautiful that they should be made into scarves. I called my friend Emily Koltnow, a friend of many years, who works in and knows the world of design who connected Phil to Debbie Martin. Debbie loved the work of the children from Kenya and has made the vision a reality. You will want to purchase these lovely scarves to assist the Kenyan youngsters to thrive and become young entrepreneurs—how wonderful that everyone wins!I first met Debbie in 1989 when I was working on a search for my executive recruiting firm, Koltnow & Company. I placed Debbie as SVP over design and product development at Talbot’s. While we stayed in touch over the years, but we really reconnected in 2009 when my husband and I moved from Brooklyn Heights to Princeton NJ. Now Debbie lives not far from me and we've become good friends
Emily Koltnow
Emily Koltnow, a Pratt graduate with a BFA in Fashion Design, has had several careers. Her first was as a Women’s Sportswear Designer, Merchandiser, and VP of Design. Her professional apparel experience spanned 23 years and included positions at Ellen Tracy, RussTogs and Lady Manhattan.
Emily left the apparel industry in 1987, as a fired executive, and created WIN Workshops (an acronym for Women in Networking), a unique six-week workshop for executive women in career transition. Over 700 women participated in the workshops. In 1990, Emily authored CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve Been Fired, published by Random House. The book is based on the workshops and a national survey of female executives. She has been featured in publications including Business Week, Crain’s New York, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and in over 20 women’s magazines including McCall’s, Working Woman, Self, and Cosmopolitan. Emily did a ten-city book tour and has been a frequent guest on radio and national television shows and has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America and the Joan Rivers Show.
As a specialist in career strategies, Emily has given presentations to leading business schools (Columbia University, Stern Business School), retailers (Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue), Time Warner Inc. The Fashion Group International and dozens of professional women’s groups nationwide. Emily has also served as a spokesperson for New Woman Magazine. As a professional speaker, Emily addresses all aspects of career strategies in her presentations but is best known for her expertise in networking.
In 1991, Emily founded KOLTNOW & COMPANY (K&C), an executive recruiting firm specializing in the apparel and accessory industries. K&C works with retailers, manufacturers, and catalog companies. Clients span from Mass Market to Luxury and Designer brands, and services mid to upper-level creative, merchandising and management positions.
An active member of The Fashion Group International, Emily has served as an Officer on the Board of Directors, a member of the Membership Committee and has served as Chairman of the FGI annual Regional Conference Committee, since 2000.
After an exciting 52 year career, Emily semi-retired. In 2016 she closed KOLTNOW & COMPANY, but continues to advise candidates/clients with career concerns including resumes, negotiating (both in and out of positions), changing careers, marketing, and changing from corporate to “flying solo.” Over the years Emily has worked with many non-profit organizations: helping kids with disabilities, mentoring young girls from inner-city schools to apply for (and getting into college), and raising money to help families in shelters.
In 2009 Emily and her husband Larry left NYC and moved to Princeton, NJ. Emily is now very involved with Dress for Success in Princeton.
