January 27, 2012
Gwynne McConkey, a 23-year resident, is the Manager of Corporate Gifts at the Newark Museum. Prior to that, she worked for 28 years at Lifetime Television.
As Senior VP of Operations, Information Systems and Technology, she oversaw all aspects of Lifetime’s broadcast operations including moving Lifetime from tape-based technology to the all digital cable world. She’s also on the board of the Leonia Community Chest. She lives with her husband Michael on Glenwood Avenue. They have two daughters, Aidan and Kathleen, both Leonia High School graduates.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I lived all over the tri-state area, but went to high school in Nyack, N.Y. It’s a wonderful artsy town that suited my psyche. Nyack High School had a great theater program, and I wanted to be onstage. The drama teacher took us to several theatrical productions in Manhattan every year. I recall seeing “Waiting for Godot” in the Village, and “Playboy of the Western World” at Lincoln Center.
Q: Did you study technology in college?
A: No. I was good at science and math, and my mother assumed I’d go to med school. But my friends and I were passionate about theater, so that’s what I studied at SUNY Albany.
Q: Did you work as an actress professionally?
A: I moved to Manhattan to audition and study acting and did one summer of summer stock in Maryland. To make ends meet, I worked as a waitress and backstage at the off-off-Broadway Perry Street Theater.
Q: How did you meet your husband?
A: He was also studying theater at SUNY Albany, with aspirations to be an actor or director. After he moved to New York, he worked in technical theater and scenic shops and ultimately became a producer of international fashion shows. After we married, we moved to Hoboken. Then we just kept moving up the river, to Weehawken and then North Bergen.
Q: Why did you move to Leonia?
A: In 1987, we bought our first Leonia home on Hawthorne Terrace. We came here for the great schools, the diversity of the population, and the proximity to the city.
Q: Why did you leave acting?
A: As much as I loved theater, the uncertainties of life as an actress were not for me. I worked at various office jobs, then began work at Magno, a family-owned audio company on the west side, where it was all hands-on learning. I became a Jill-of-all-trades, doing everything from sound mix and screening bookings to credit collection. When the company expanded into video, I asked to work in that area, hoping to learn something new.
Q: How did you get involved with the fledgling Lifetime TV?
A: I was in the right place at the right time. ABC was Magno’s biggest post-production client. In 1984, some of the ABC people left to start a new cable company called Cable Health Network. They asked me to be their film tape supervisor. It was a new company, a new industry, new challenges and opportunities. It was incredibly exciting! Soon after, Cable Health Network became Lifetime TV.
Q: What was the highlight of your career at Lifetime?
A: In 2005 I oversaw the development and construction of Lifetime’s Technical Operations Center at 111 8th Ave. in Chelsea. It was a fun process, working with the architects and the construction firm to creating a cutting edge technical facility. Unlike most studios that resembled the insides of a gray battleship, ours was vibrant with windows, lounges, and creative spaces.
Q: In 2007 you were named one of the top women in cable technology.
A: For many years, I was often the only woman in the room at meetings and conferences. I’m happy to say that has changed. I encourage young women to go into the engineering field, as there are numerous career opportunities.
Q: What led to your transition from Lifetime to the Newark Museum?
A: When Lifetime merged with A&E in 2009, most of the Lifetime senior executive positions were eliminated. This was my time to explore new beginnings. I love art and began volunteering at the Newark Museum. It’s a terrific museum with galleries featuring the arts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, as well as a Classical Gallery and magnificent Victorian mansion, the Ballantine House. There are sciences exhibitions as well, which really intrigued me. Sixty-thousand schoolchildren visit every year.
Q: How did you learn how to be a corporate fundraiser?
A: While volunteering I took an evening class at Bergen Community College on Non-Profit Management. When a fundraising position became available at the museum, I applied for it, and was offered the job eight months ago. I’m learning the ropes and have a new appreciation for how long it takes to build up a skill set in an industry.
Q: How do you unwind after work?
A: I typically walk/jog 45 minutes, six days a week, through Leonia, Englewood and Overpeck Park. I also love to read.
Q: What are you currently reading?
A: I’m midway through “Feast of Crows,” the fourth book of the Game of Throne series.
Q: What’s a favorite memory of Leonia?
A: The late David Boyd’s historic walking tours. They were part history, part architecture, and always so interesting and entertaining.
Q: What’s your favorite Leonia cause?
A: The Leonia Community Chest. They provide funding for 16 worthy local organizations, from the Scouts to the Center for Food Action.
Q: What would you most like to see in Leonia?
A: A safe walkway to the new Overpeck Park.
Leonia Lives 