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Martha Stewart (Kostyra)
born: 1941

Media tycoon, "domestic diva," business magnate

Media tycoon, "domestic diva," business magnate, and - in recent years - a subject of an insider trading controversy and a lengthy litigation. The story was hard to miss.

Not everyone, however, knows that Martha Stewart was born Martha Helen Kostyra to a large middle-class Polish-American family in New Jersey. Instilled with a strong work ethic promoted by her parents, she mastered common household chores such as cooking, sewing, decorating and gardening early on, which proved to be the keystones of her success.

She excelled in school and majored in History and Architectural History at Barnard College in New York City. In the meantime she also worked as a model. Later Stewart focused on developing business skills. She became a stockbroker and eventually opened a catering company.

Noticed for her talent and great taste, she was approached by the Crown Publishing Group. The guide titled Entertaining, which she co-wrote, quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. Stewart followed with more cookbooks and magazine columns and was gradually becoming a household name and a national authority on everything from baking to wedding parties. In 1990 she developed her own magazine "Martha Stewart Living", and three years later launched a TV show.

In 1997 she went even further, consolidating her various ventures under the multi-million dollar company Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Despite the legal turmoil and media frenzy that began in 2002, the resilient entrepreneur made a strong comeback. As of 2006, she is again involved in her multimedia business and has expanded the popular Martha Stewart Everyday line at Kmart. She is back on television with Martha, a show nominated in 6 categories at the 2006 Daytime Emmy Awards. Omnimedia recently launched a line of 650 Martha-style houses to be built nationwide.

From: Good News 2005 - 2006. A publication of the American Institute of Polish Culture of Miami, Florida.

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