Amy S. Hilliard graduated with honors from both Howard University and the Harvard Business School. She began her professional career as a buyer for Bloomingdale's, then moved on to the Burrell Communications Group in Chicago where she served as senior vice president of integrated marketing. Her work there involved clients including Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Hasbro, and The Prudential.

In 1995, she founded her first company, The Hilliard Group LLC, a strategic multi-cultural marketing consulting firm. The Hilliard Group's client list has included IBM, American Express, HBO, Hallmark, Texaco, Chase Manhattan Bank, PepsiCo, Ford, Northwest Airlines, The Gap, Kraft Foods, and Fortune magazine, among others.

From 1998-2000, Ms. Hilliard was senior vice president of marketing for Soft Sheen Products, a division of L'Oreal USA. In this capacity, Ms. Hilliard directed the marketing activities of Soft Sheen, a leader in ethnic hair care. Under her direction, Soft Sheen launched the innovative Breakthru product line that was cited as “one of the most creative and cohesive global launches ever” by the Chairman/CEO of L'Oreal Paris

Other marketing accomplishments include:

• Development of the first Pillsbury campaign to target the Hispanic and African-American consumers.
  
  
• Development of the $100 million dollar White Rain Shampoo and Conditioner brand for The Gillette Company, published as a case study for Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
  
  
• In January 2001, Amy Hilliard and her team started from “scratch” and stepped into the legacy of her grandfather, an executive chef, to launch the ComfortCake® brand, now a nationally registered trademark. ComfortCake® customers include the Chicago Public Schools, Jewel Stores, Albertson's, Giant Stores, Walgreen's (2000 stores nationally), Amazon.com, Compass, Sysco, and U.S. Foodservice.

Ms. Hilliard is the proud mother of Angelica (18), who wrote the ComfortCake Company tagline and Nicholas (15), the chief taste tester since day one.

Lecturer/Featured Speaker:

Harvard University, Northwestern University • University of Chicago • Duke University • Boston College • Clark-Atlanta University • National Restaurant Association • Fancy Food Shows • Direct Marketing Association • American Advertising Foundation • The Black Enterprise Entrepreneur's Conference • The Women's Business Development Annual Entrepreneur's Conference • United Way National Leadership Conference • the International Institute of Research.

Awards:

2003 Emerging Minority Enterprise of the Year - U.S. Department of Commerce • 2004 Chicago Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award • 2005 Heritage Award – BCA (Bridging Culinary Arts) • Phenomenal Woman Award for Entrepreneurship • “100 Women Making a Difference” by Today's Chicago Woman • “100 People to Watch” by N'Digo Magazine • “Top Corporate Women to Watch” by Business Monthly • “Top 100 Black Business and Professional Women” by Dollars and Sense • “Top Corporate Women” Essence Magazine • Boston City Council Service Award • Honorary Citizenships of Atlanta and Memphis