Mary, this time its about you.

• Author: Acunto, Steve
• Position: [FOREWORD]

When I first learned that Mary Lanning had passed away, it took a while for it to sink in.

Later that day, I went to the internet to find her CV and photo for this column. Her bio, her "story", was hidden among the pages describing her projects and her great works of charity.

"Selflessness" does not cover it for Mary Lanning. All of the tributes, emotionally profound and thoughtfully articulate, poured in to this publication and into the offices of the Insurance Federation of New York (IFNY), the association for whch she was an important "partner".

The first call came from Peter Bickford, one of her closest allies and friends. Peter spelled out her wishes for "no fanfare". We were both at loss for words.

Even such an article as this would probably not have fallen within the guidelines she prescribed for her "final arrangement"--see below.

At heart, she always remained Sister Mary, an avowed Catholic nun, with all of the ways and all of the self possession that the discipline of the cloth structures within its missionaries. And the complementary determination.

Her undertakings and devotion to the poor and underserved may best be seen in that light, a mission... one that found her serving Thanksgiving meals on the street in Harlem, shuttling youngsters to classes and to jobs early on summer mornings and speaking out about charity to business leaders. Real charity. We finally found a bio that was published in 2019......

"For more than 4 decades, Mary has tread the halls of government and the towers of world financial institutions as a regulatory consultant and compliance advisor in the U.S. commercial insurance and financial sectors.

For more than 25 years, Mary has done this as president of ML&G Associates, Inc., a registered lobbying and government relations firm that supports attorneys, investors, business expansion strategists, and financial product innovators that do business in the regulated global risk, insurance, and financial products marketplace. She is known for her unique personal brand of intervention and advocacy. Public and private sector clients rely on her to facilitate best outcomes in public policy development and potentially competing commercial ventures.

Mary also is a driving force of Boys Hope Girls Hope New York, an international youth development organization which leads young urban teens past their limiting pasts through a rigorous residential college preparatory education. BHGHNY teaches them lifetime learning...