New York, NY, May 17 -- Gloria Sandmeyer, who was an authority on financial public relations, known as "A First Woman on Wall Street" and first female member of the City Midday Club, was instrumental in the founding, with her late husband, Earl C. Sandmeyer, of the New York Society of Security Analysts (her husband was past Chairman), New York Financial Writers Association, International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Public Relations Society, Public Relations Society of America, Public Utilities Advertising Association, Newcomen Society, Christ Church Day School, and Lifelighter's Associates, a record company.
The accomplishment that she and her family were most proud of was saving New York City's private Tudor City Parks from a developer's demolition. Around 6:30 AM, Sunday, May 26, 1986, over the Memorial Day weekend, bulldozers showed up to level the parks. Like Paul Revere, sounding the alarm, Gloria, alerted neighborhood tenant activist, John McKean, founder of the Tudor City Association, who took to his apartment window with a bullhorn, urging residents to come downstairs to block Harry Helmsley's workmen that were there to destroy the magnolia, linden, and stately oak trees. Gloria, her daughter, April Sandmeyer, and granddaughters, Alissa and Maya "Christina", ran to the park and locked arms with other residents, mostly elderly women with their canes, creating a human chain that prevented the bulldozers from entering. They relentlessly fought to save the parks. An injunction was obtained to halt the destruction and Helmsley finally accepted defeat, one year later.
A specialist in financial public relations, Gloria was widely known for her work in the United States and Europe. Together with her husband, who was Senior Vice President of the Chemical Bank and former Financial Editor of the Rochester Times -Union and Gannett Newspapers, she founded Corporate Intelligence, Inc., a publishing and public relations firm, and Earl C. Sandmeyer Associates (consultant services). Corporate Intelligence's clients were most of the major oil, gas, and chemical companies in the world. CI published two executive boutique newsletters, Utility Spotlight and Chemical Spotlight, that CEOs and investors relied on for the latest news and information on the oil, gas, and chemical industries. She became Chairman, upon her husband's death.
Gloria was born in New Rochelle, Westchester County, NY, and grew up, there, and in Stroudsburg, PA, during the Depression era. She was a hard worker, attending business school, while working as Assistant Manager of Arnold Constable's Dept. Store, to support and care for her paralyzed mother, and sister, Violet, (who survives her) that had an infant daughter born after her husband was killed in WWII and never remarried. Gloria was known for always being impeccably dressed and quite beautiful, with an eye for fashion. She learned the financial publishing business from her husband, and despite her humble beginnings of being the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants, in her lifetime, she had traveled most of the world, had a private audience with Pope John and tea with the Queen Mother.
Surviving are her daughter, April Sandmeyer of New York City, granddaughters Maya "Christina" and Alissa Sandmeyer - Caballero, great grandchildren, Taino, Lucy, Oliver, and Benjamin, a sister, Violet Mornati, two step daughters, Mrs. Fred Wilson and Mrs. John Burran Studdard, and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Reposing at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home, Madison Avenue & 81st Street, New York City, Services Wednesday, 5/25, 2:00 PM, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 112th Street & Amsterdam Avenue, with reception to follow in Cathedral House and Poet's Garden.
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