Manny Chirico ’79, PVH CEO: Giving back is always in style

Featured Events | Feb 21, 2017 | Casey Shenloogian

Emanuel “Manny” Chirico speaks to Fordham community about his career as the CEO of PVH Corp.

When it comes to the apparel industry, change is inevitable.

Manny Chirico, BS ’79, CEO of the global apparel company PVH—perhaps better known as Phillips Van Heusen—visited the Lincoln Center campus to share his extensive knowledge of this field defined by shifting trends.

As head of PVH, Chirico oversees clothing brands such as Speedo, Van Heusen, and Izod. He has spent more than two decades successfully guiding the company through international expansion and monumental growth.

“PVH over the past 15 years has been a company that’s had internal growth but has really been driven by acquisitions,” Chirico said, touching on how Calvin Klein, Warnaco, and Tommy Hilfiger have turned the company into a global name.

With the many moving pieces of such a large organization, it can be tempting to focus on profit. But Chirico emphasized the value of other factors.

“We recognize that we have to be measured by than more just our bottom line, by more than just our balance sheet,” he said. “We really need to be measured by what we stand for as an organization, and we need to deliver back to the communities where we operate.”

This means devoting resources to protecting employees’ rights, addressing the environmental impact of the business, and creating local partnerships.

For an audience comprised of Gabelli School alumni, faculty, and students, the concept was a familiar one.

“You may have heard me say that the mission of the Gabelli School of Business is to educate compassionate, global business leaders who will change the world in a positive way,” said Dean Donna Rapaccioli.

Making positive changes is something Chirico does on a daily basis, and it shows. Last year, Corporate Responsibility magazine honored him with the 2016 Responsible CEO of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.

“What I am most proud of as an organization,” Chirico said, “is we hold ourselves accountable for our results … for what we deliver.”