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Carole Dixon

By Caroline Kennedy -- Gifts and Dec, 8/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Being director of a large building or a landlord's representative is no easy task, especially in New York City, where rents are high and tenants are a demanding lot. But as the director of The New York Merchandise Mart for the past nearly 30 years, Carole Dixon has been just that and a whole lot more. She is a respected member of the tabletop and gift industry, as well as an active member in real estate and local community associations.

Carole Dixon's direction of The New York Merchandise Mart, which is popularly known as 41 Madison, has contributed to its attaining a leading position as a destination for key tabletop buyers and as the primary host of the New York Tabletop Market tradeshow twice a year. In a marketplace that has seen significant consolidation in both the retail and wholesale sectors, this has been no easy task. The reason for her success? The building is more than just a glass-and-steel office tower; it is 23 floors of showrooms of more than 80 of the most prominent crystal, china, gift and tabletop companies.

Dixon oversees the leasing and construction of the showrooms, as well as the marketing and management of the facility. And this involves more than just knowing real estate and negotiating leases. It requires a deep knowledge and understanding of, and passion for, the gift and tabletop industry and the retail trade.

To that end, Carole regularly attends Ambiente, the international trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, to network with and promote 41 Madison to the international tabletop community. She also travels the world as the building's ambassador, visiting other market centers, as well as the factories of her tenants and prospective tenants to build relationships and to better understand the businesses with whom she deals. She also reaches out and gets to know the key retail customers who shop the building's showrooms.

Putting on the show

Wearing her marketing hat, Carole Dixon puts on a show — The New York Tabletop Show — at The New York Merchandise Mart twice a year, and coordinates the Mart's participation in other shows throughout the year. Because of its prestigious tabletop tenants, 41 Madison is a destination for many buyers, but is not the only one. In the interests of what's best for the buyers, Dixon works closely with the other permanent showroom buildings and show managements to coordinate dates and transportation between sites.

Setting market dates has been one of her biggest challenges over the years, both internally with her tenants and externally. “What works for one group [of tenants, buyers or showrooms], doesn't for others,” she observes. “Making everyone happy is hard to do, so I have tried to make it work where we can please the most.”

Beyond the building

Carole Dixon's reach and influence extends beyond The New York Merchandise Mart and the gift and tableware community. Throughout her career, Carole has played an active role on a number of real estate and community boards, including the Flatiron Business Improvement District (BID) and the Madison Square Park Conservancy, and has also been active in the 23rd Street Partnership, a neighborhood improvement association. Although this work benefits the building, helping to develop and implement these improvement programs is a part of being responsible to the greater community and a part of being a good neighbor.

In 2001, Carole Dixon was appointed senior vice president of Rudin Management, owners of 41 Madison. “Being able to gather so many stellar names under one roof has been a great accomplishment for me. And the benefits that I have reaped are in the lasting relationships that I have formed with players in the industry over the years. But as to the success of the building,” she modestly comments, “it is really owed to the Rudins. I'm just the conduit for their vision.”

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