Co-chairing the 2010 breakfast were longtime United Way supporters Laura Escobar, Lennar’s senior vice president, and Natasha Lowell, vice president of Gibraltar Private Bank.

Every year for the last decade, hundreds of Miami-Dade’s most powerful women gather at the United Way Women’s Leadership Breakfast in the spirit of philanthropy and community improvement. At the 10th annual incarnation of the event, held this past Wednesday, November 10, at the University of Miami’s BankUnited Center, Sue Kronick, one of the top female executives in the retail management world and a strong advocate of women’s health issues, served as keynote speaker. Kronick, who recently retired as vice chair for Macy’s, Inc., was responsible for the launch of mammogram centers at Macy’s Atlanta and Miami. Her 30-year career also entailed positions as senior executive vice president of Bloomingdale’s; president and COO of Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmith’s; and in 1997, chair and CEO of the then-Burdines in Miami. Kronick has served as a board member for United Way and YMCA and will chair the opening week for the New World’s Symphony’s Frank Gehry campus. She discussed the importance of embracing diversity, mentoring young people, and giving back to the community.

Co-chairing the 2010 breakfast were longtime United Way supporters Laura Escobar, Lennar’s senior vice president, and Natasha Lowell, vice president of Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust. Mercy Quiroga, chair of the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, said, “It is an honor and privilege to be part of 2,500 strong, intelligent, accomplished women committed to making our community the best it can be,” referring to the council’s members, who make an annual gift of $1,000 or more and enjoy networking, volunteering, and professional development opportunities, as well as a number of events such as the breakfast.

Since its inception the event has raised $6 million to support United Way’s community plan, which focuses on education, income and health, as well as the United Way Endowment and the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education.

Presenting sponsor of this year’s breakfast was Aetna Health Inc. Additional sponsors were Assurant, Bijoux Terner, Sue Cobb, Kidding Around, John S and James L Knight Foundation, Krama Construction, Inc, Elizabeth Leight, Ph.D., Lennar Foundation, Lisa Mendelson, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, UPS, and The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald.